Submitted by Carolyn Muehlenbeck
I am lucky to have a large and loving family that likes to see one another as often as possible, but for the purpose of this letter, I would like to point out that a nephew and a niece happen to identify as gay. They are both lovely individuals, and our entire extended family supports them unreservedly. In fact, we all recently gathered in New York to celebrate my niece’s marriage to an equally lovely and accomplished young woman.
I believe that every family has the right to set the values they cherish as goals for their individual family. That is why I approve and appreciate the library’s policy of offering books that represent all types of individuals and families while advertising the content of events like Story Time. It would be an affront and a travesty if the library limited the books available to suit just a segment of Coronado’s population. Gay individuals and their family members and friends have a right to representation in our library. The library’s current policy allows families with diverse values to enjoy representation and access to meaningful literature while also allowing individuals to opt out of materials and events that do not line up with their particular values.
As far as evaluating the appropriateness of The Rainbow Parade, I think it would be an excellent book to share with my granddaughter who is almost three and also named Emily. The cartoonish character whose backside is on view on one single page would simply remind my Emily of one of her unclothed baby dolls. The message of the book would be terrific, however, as it would be a step toward helping her understand that families like the one her cousins will eventually create are just one example of happy, healthy, and loving family groups.
Respectfully,
Carolyn Muehlenbeck
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