Kirk Cameron Denied Storytime

probably for the best, but the reaction might not be...

Actor-turned-weirdo Kirk Cameron has supposedly been denied the opportunity to storytimes at libraries to promote his new book, which is published by Brave Books.

I’ve taken a look at Brave Books via their first offering, Elephants Are Not Birds.

The tl;dr version:

Elephants Are Not Birds is badly written, lazily illustrated, and not something I would generally buy for a children’s collection. Not because its message is anti-trans, but because it’s not an item that I would say is of reasonable quality for the price.

Brave Books is an attempt to publish children’s books with conservative values, which I don’t have a problem with, I just think they’re doing a pretty bad job of putting out books that are engaging and interesting to kids.

But whatever, that’s beside the point. Kind of. Maybe not. We’ll get there.

First, let’s talk about why Kirk Cameron doesn’t necessarily get to do storytime.

Library Bans and Library Participation

I love self-published and indie authors. I AM a self-published author. I’m not even a good one. A good one would’ve put a link to his new book right there, slid it in subtly to drive some sales. And here I am, making it mega obvious. God, I suck.

Libraries will happily allow self-published authors like me to book a meeting space and host a reading, but there’s a difference between a library doing that and a library hosting an author.

When the library is asked to partner, the expectation is that they will create publicity pieces for the event, put it on their schedule, have some staff there to do crowd control, and generally drive attendance to the event. It does constitute some level of endorsement of the author and their work.

If Kirk Cameron wants to book an author tour, and if he wants to read his book in libraries, the way to do this is to book a meeting room, host the event himself, publicize it without the library’s help, and so on. If he were denied this opportunity, he’d have a good case for being discriminated against, and it’s my understanding that he has not been denied this option.

Libraries turning down his “offer” to build big events around him, at the expense of their taxpayers, does not constitute a violation of his rights.

But The Libraries Are Hosting Pro-LGBTQIA+ Events, Which Represent a Belief System, Which Means They Should Host Kirk Cameron (Or Not Turn Him Down On The Basis Of His Beliefs)

I don’t entirely disagree with this point as it’s made in the MSN article. I sort of do, it’s pretty sloppy, and that’s coming from ME. But still, not comprehensive disagreement.

Let’s look at some of the examples:

The San Lorenzo Library, however, hosted a "get free help" clinic this month with Bay Area Legal Aid attorneys and volunteers for those interested in "completing name and gender marker change court paperwork and updating identity documents such as CA birth certificates, driver’s licenses/ IDs, passports and Social Security cards," the library notes on its website. The event, as the library writes on its site, "is part of our ‘Every Month Is Pride Month Series.’"

The library is providing expertise and assistance in completing a legal process as set out by the state? Wow, what a politicized event…

Back in the day, I was a notary in addition to being a public librarian. I know, brag much?

I notarized a SHITLOAD of medical marijuana paperwork. That was, far and away, the most common request at the time. This was Colorado in like 2012 or so, before it was legalized for everyone, so people had to meet with a doctor, complain about generalized pain, describe an accident they had one time, and then get that doctor’s paperwork notarized. Now you just have to go to a surprisingly shady building constructed from corrugated metal and talk to a “budtender,” who is typically someone whose primary job qualification is that they’ve smoked a fuckton of weed.

Ahem, anyway.

I didn’t see my notarization of marijuana paperwork as an endorsement, personal, professional, or on behalf of the library, of marijuana use. I saw this as me helping people complete a legal process, and these were people who were playing by the rules as set out by the state.

It was the same when I notarized paperwork for divorces, custody agreements, adoption paperwork, and so on. It wasn’t up to me to decide whether these documents constituted good ideas, it was my job to say that the people signing those papers were who they claimed to be. Period.

Let’s look at another program:

Many of the same libraries that won't give Cameron a slot, however, are actively offering "drag queen" story hours or similar programs for kids and young people, according to Cameron's book publisher and according to a review of the libraries' websites and current program listings. 

And…this one IS a little more complicated.

From the Community Libraries of Providence Drag Queen Story Hour FAQ:

Why is Providence Community Library (PCL) Presenting Drag Queen Story Hour?

PCL provides programs and resources for the entire community. By offering a DQSH, we connect local families who have expressed interest in DQSH and want to explore themes of gender identity and self-expression in a creative, age-appropriate way. As a community resource, PCL provides a wide choice of programs for individual library users and families and they select programs that are right for them. You can explore our calendar here. All parents or caregivers who accompany their children to DQSH have determined that the event is the right choice for their families.

So, I think the thing with this is that if DQSH is offered because, as the library says (and as many of them similarly say), they provide a wide choice of programs for individual library users, and those users select programs that are right for them, I think there’s a good argument to be made, by that same token, that Kirk Cameron’s offering might appeal to some families, and that offering it is simply giving people another option to take or leave.

If the argument in favor of DQSH is that it’s presenting people who kids may identify with, the argument that some kids would identify with Kirk Cameron’s values is reasonable. I don’t think I’m going to want to be best buds with kids who go that route, they seem a little less fun, TBH, but that’s not what this is about, right?

DQSH is not about pushing kids one way or another, it’s about presenting them with options. And…I guess I’m not entirely sure what it means for a library to decide that Kirk Cameron’s specific Christianity is not a valid option. It definitely puts us in the territory of deciding for people as opposed to giving them options, which is not where, in my opinion, we belong.

Now, again, if this was just about libraries saying, “Eh, pass, we don’t really adopt program solicitations from randos,” I’d feel like everything was working as intended.

The problem gets worse, though, because that’s not how libraries have been putting it…

The Bad Responses

Some of the quoted responses from libraries are…not so hot.

"Because of how diverse our community is, I don’t know how many people you would get."

This is use of the word “diverse” to mean “progressive,” and those two things should not be conflated. Because they aren’t the same.

It’s a common mistake to assume that one marginalized community has the best interests of ALL marginalized communities in mind. It would be a mistake to, for example, assume that a Person of Color does not hold conservative religious views on a topic like abortion. Or, to assume that someone who is gay is necessarily pro-trans-rights, as this isn’t always the case.

And, if a library is saying that because of the community’s diversity, someone wouldn’t get many program attendees, that library is putting themselves in a tough position.

Offering diverse programming means offering programming that may only be for a very small number of people. In the above example with programming that seeks to help people change all their legal paperwork and status, this is probably only going to be used by a fairly small number of people because it only applies to a small portion of the population. And that’s okay, that’s the name of the game when you do diverse programming. You end up needing to do more programs for smaller groups, more specific programming that helps people in different ways.

But.

The library ends up in a pretty bad position if it says that they won’t do programming if it’s their expectation that turnout will be low.

Here’s another response:

"Generally when we have author visits, those are coordinated through our departments. We really have a push. We have a strategic plan in place, so we are really looking at authors who are diverse. Authors of color. That’s really been our focus." When Brave Books pointed out that Cameron's book contributes in its own way to a diverse collection of ideas, beliefs and stories, the library representative replied, "Well, we are focusing on racial equity."

I mean, this is a terrible turndown. Because it’s a denial based in race, which would suggest that if a POC with the same material proposed a visit, it’d be permitted. Brave Books does include People of Color in their author roster.

It also brings into question any White authors they may choose to host. If this library were to bring, say, Robin D’Angelo, that’d be a bad move, even if it was aligned with their strategic plan. If they got a good offer from a famous, White woman who we all adore, like Sloane Crosley, they’d have to say No Thanks.

[Sloane Crosley, I’m sorry for dragging you into this. You’re great. You deserve to be in better newsletters.]

Basically, the problem is that this is an excuse for not having Kirk Cameron that attempts to sidestep the real reason, and sidestepping the real reason backs you into some corners you don’t want to be in.

Don’t make the situation worse.

What Belongs In Libraries

Well, here’s my opinion: If you’re going to reach out to diverse audiences and attempt to serve everyone, you will end up serving people who have views that are heinous. They are people, they exist, and when we talk about spectrums of beliefs and people, we’re all on that spectrum somewhere.

I’m of the opinion that it’d be okay for a library to host a progressive book club, but only if it’s willing to host a conservative book club as well.

And that’s what’s sort of weird about all of this: most libraries DO have collections that represent a pretty good spectrum, in my opinion, and probably would not turn down Brave Books for some space in the collection on the basis of its politics. They MIGHT turn down BB because the books, the one I read, anyway, are pretty lousy, but not because they present politics we don’t like.

Collections and programming aren’t doing the same thing. We’re a lot more willing to balance our collections than we are programming. And that’s…worth examining.

Where I Have Trouble

I don’t think Drag Queen Story Hour is “convincing” kids to change their gender identity or something. I don’t think this is brainwashing or indoctrination or anything. I’m very confident that DQSH is harmless at worst, really nice for a lot of kids and families at best.

The biggie: I don’t really think gender is something that DQSH has the power to change in an individual.

However, I feel like if I make that argument, I also have to make the argument that a storytime that presents Christian values will not make someone into a crappy, bigoted Christian as an adult.

If I am unwilling to lend books about gender fluidity the power to alter a child’s gender against their will or wishes or what have you, I wonder if I also should be unwilling to lend that same power to books about Christian values.

I Mean, I Get It

I guess I feel like I have to say this: I’m not personally a fan of Kirk Cameron or Brave Books. You’d know that if you watched the video linked above. I gave them a fair shot, and still, woof.

And I get the argument that Cameron’s values are exclusive, DQSH’s values are INclusive.

What gives me pause is this: How do we create a reasonable system by which we can represent all points of view without feeling like we have to represent shit like Holocaust denial?

I feel like there’s a way, but I’m not sure how it’s codified…how it’s created and structured.

And that’s kind of where I fall in the librarian/activist spectrum: I’m pretty much devoted to giving people access to information that allows them to make their own decisions.

This, of course, comes with the problems that most of us make bad decisions MOST of the time (this seems like the right place to remind you, again, that I self-published some poetry recently).

But I think I’ve landed on the idea that I can’t force good decisions, no matter what I do. The best thing I can do is provide the opportunity to make good ones.

Lead every horse to water, basically. And watch a whole lot of them pass out from heatstroke.

Ultimately, This Feels Like a Stunt

CONSPIRACY ALERT!

My suspicion, totally unfounded, is that this is really about Brave Books trying to drum up publicity and make this about something it’s not. Which is why we maybe shouldn’t be overly concerned about it.

Because this isn’t really about conservative values having no place in the library, it’s about an 80’s/90’s child actor, who is now probably better known for his conservatism, who wrote a picture book, not being a desirable program deliverer for most libraries.

Storytimes are for kids, and kids do not know who the fuck Kirk Cameron is. And I CERTAINLY don’t want to have to explain that he was on a sitcom and his best friend was named Boner.

I’m pretty sure this is a way for Brave Books to try and make money, controversy-as-advertising, because I’m guessing that their books haven’t been selling all that hot.

Because, and Brave Books, if you’re listening, this is the important thing: They stink.

They just aren’t good.

I’m all for books that present conservative values to kids, but, damn, why are you doing it so badly?

The first rule of children’s books is this: entertain us.

And THAT is why “diverse” books have succeeded.

Jason Reynolds is awesome. He writes books that are total bangers. Fun to read, exciting, plenty of action. Do they present what could be called progressive politics? Sure, I guess. But they don’t forget to be good stories while they do it.

Let’s not get it twisted, I’ve read some crappy progressive books. Boring, stupid books that present progressive ideas in boring, stupid ways. And I don’t think kids are exactly sprinting to rip those suckers off the shelf. I don’t think those are the ones kids will remember when they’re older.

But, Brave Books, you’ve got a heavy burden. As one of the few, maybe only, publishers dedicated to the narrowcasting involved in putting out conservative children’s books, you’re shouldering the weight of representing the entirety of conservatism in children’s books.

And you’re not making that sector look too hot.

And taking a shot at libraries to boost your own signal is a pretty lousy thing to do.

And, at the end of the day, it’s not going to work. Because punching at libraries ain’t gonna fix your crappy books.

Focus on your shit, make it good, make it worth reading, and then we can revisit this whole idea.