Protests outside a Dublin library calling for certain books for young people to be removed has caused concern amongst librarians and LGBTQ+ activists across the nation.
Protests were held outside a library in Swords on Thursday 6 April over books about LGBTQ+ people, claiming that some of the targeted books were ‘unsuitable’ and ‘sexually explicit’.
Speaking in a statement, the Irish Education Alliance, who took part in the protest, said: “We are increasingly concerned about the exposure of children to inappropriate sexualised material and the promotion of extreme transgender ideology, in schools and in society.
“This can cause confusion, psychological trauma and lead to irreversible lifechanging decisions, potentially causing serious harm to vulnerable children and adolescents.”
Some of the books mentioned include the picture book Fred Gets Dressed by Peter Brown. Also mentioned is What’s the T? by Juno Dawson which is intended to outline the realities of coming out as trans as a young person.
When asked about the protests, University of Galway Students’ Union Gender and LGBTQ+ Rights Officer John Walsh said: “The people removing the books do not care for the welfare of children as they proclaim they do.
“Their worldview is a hateful one, and their views are incompatible with a free and caring society.”
