Kent Council, under the control of far-right political party Reform UK, are removing all transgender-related books from the children’s sections of its libraries. The council’s leader, Linden Kemkaran, made the announcement on social media, claiming it was a “victory for common sense”.
The Liberal Democrat leader of the opposition, Antony Hook, said: “It is bizarre that the leader of the council is making announcements on social media, rather than to the council.
It is unknown how many books will be removed or how the council plans to classify transgender-related books when removing material from the 99 community libraries and five mobile libraries run by the authority. This move comes as a further attempt to erase trans lives and push anti-trans rhetoric in the UK.
Paul Webb, Reform UK’s communities portfolio holder, who oversees libraries, said the move was in response to a ‘concerned member of the public’ who raised the issue. It ignores, however, the needs of parents and children who may be in search of material tailored specifically for children that explains trans identities.
In statistics from the charity, Just Like Us, it was found that over half (55%) of LGBT+ young people worry about their mental health daily, compared to just a quarter (26%) of non-LGBT+ young people. Removing books that allow children to understand other people’s identities or explore their own gender identity will likely only worsen the feelings of difference and isolation often experienced by trans people.
When the BBC asked if Reform UK had carried out an assessment to understand the impact of removing the books, Webb ignored the question instead focussing on asking why the books were placed in the children’s section to begin with. Many books are written for children on a variety of difficult topics including illness and grief, different types of families, feelings and mental health, and of course, trans identities, all of which are designed to to help them understand the world.
Steven Pullen, founder and director of Swale Pride, described the move as “deeply upsetting”. Adding: “It emboldens anti-trans rhetoric and contributes to a culture where marginalised people feel unsafe, unwelcome, and silenced.”
Erin Strawbridge, the manager of the Folkestone Bookshop, an LGBTQ+ bookshop, told BBC Radio Kent: “Censorship does not stop people from learning information but it does send the message, and it’s sending a message to the young people of Kent that they’re not safe and they’re not welcome if they’re LGBT or trans.
“It just pushes kids into the closet, into worse mental health situations. It’s just going to scare young people.”
