Scholastic needs schooling: UPDATED

Sweet!

Scholastic Books just responded to the petition you all signed on Change.org criticizing the company for excluding a book from their popular books fairs simply because one of the characters had two lesbian mothers. I'm happy to say that because of the collective strength of the 4,000 people who signed the petition, Scholastic has reversed their decision to exclude the book – Lauren Myracle's Luv Ya Bunches – and has released a statement affirming the dignity of gay and lesbian parents. 

This is a great victory achieved in 48 hours, and it was only possible because of all of you who signed, advocated for, and spread the petition. Scholastic Books is one of the largest educational publishing outfits in the country, and this sends a clear message to children and parents everywhere that there's absolutely nothing wrong with two men or two women raising a child. 

From Dana at Mombian:

Most of us with young children in public school know about Scholastic Book Fairs. Many of us remember them from our own childhoods. Now comes news that Scholastic has banned a book from the fairs because one of the characters has lesbian moms...

Scholastic has asserted that they are not censoring the book, but are carrying it in their Book Clubs. That is true, as the original School Library Journal article reported. SLJ also reported, however, “The company sent a letter to Myracle’s editor asking the author to omit certain words such as ‘geez,’ ‘crap,’ ’sucks,’ and ‘God’ (as in, ‘oh my God’) and to alter its plotline to include a heterosexual couple.”

The author did change some of the language, but noted,

A child having same-sex parents is not offensive, in my mind, and shouldn’t be ‘cleaned up.’” says Myracle, adding that the book fair subsequently decided not to take on Luv Ya Bunches because they wanted to avoid letters of complaint from parents.

So, click here to tell Scholastic Books to stop censoring gay-friendly books.

Blogging for LGBT Families

How it works - From Dana at Mombian:

Blog on a topic related to LGBT families on or before June 1, 2009.
Complete the form at Mombian to submit your entry.
I'll compile the posts and highlight them at Mombian on June 1. Please visit to read the stories and insights of the LGBT community and allies.
To be eligible for the Family Week or book drawings, you must leave a valid e-mail address. Employees of FEC and paying advertisers on Mombian are ineligible.
Any blogger who wants to support LGBT families is welcome, LGBT or not, parent or not. I encourage those who don’t usually post about LGBT families or LGBT issues, as well as those for whom every day is Blogging for LGBT Families Day. Give it a spin based on your usual blog topics. There’s no set formula or format. Photos and videos are also welcome.

Please also download a banner and promote the event on your site, Facebook, Twitter, etc. The more people who participate, the more impact our voices will have.

So, please blog for LGBT families today and send your URL to Dana. In the wake of the Prop 8 ruling, LGBT families need all of our support and encouragement.

What else to do? Read books to your children about LGBT families. Or, sign a petition to repeal Prop 8. Or, find out more about Georgia's MEGA Family Project and work on starting a similar program in your area.

Prop 8 Protest

Tomorrow, Saturday the 15th, is the day to protest against Prop 8. Click here to find protest events near you. Click here to read about upcoming events. As Dana from Mombian writes,

Whether you protest in a group or simply by talking with your neighbors, may these stories infuriate and motivate you.

LGBT Stuff

Dana at Mombian does such a great job of keeping us up to date on all things LGBT. I love her site. Here's a snippet from the weekly political update:

The Personnel Subcommittee of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee heard testimony for and against the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. SLDN executive director Aubrey Sarvis notes the irony that this was the same day politicians gathered to honor the 60th anniversary of President Truman’s executive order that ended racial discrimination in the armed forces.

After meeting with HRC* (and perhaps feeling pressure from the blogosphere) the Mars candy company pulled a controversial ad showing an effeminate man being shot at with candy bars and told to “run like a real man.”

A proposed Arkansas ballot measure banning unmarried couples who live together from adopting or fostering children failed to collect the needed signatures, but received a 30-day extension under state law.

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Proposition 8 in California is currently losing in the polls. Yay! That does not mean, however, that we can be complacent. Fast and furious attack ads and hateful, ignorant disinformation abound. Click here to help financially support HRC's California Marriage PAC and here to sign a pledge of support for LGBT marriage with Equality for All.

Here is a list of the largest "Marriage Protection" idiot donors to date. Reigning from San Diego are these heavy hitters: Terry Caster, the owner of A-1 Storage, Doug Manchester, owner of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, and Carlsbad car dealer Robert Hoehn. Boycott them!



*For those of you who don't click links, HRC = Human Rights Campaign, not Hillary Rodham Clinton...