No, There is No Porn in Libraries.

If you have been following, even casually, the ongoing discussion revolving around school and public libraries over the last several years, you have no doubt heard someone say, "libraries are pushing porn on our children." It is a statement meant to inflame. It is also factually and verifiably false.

The Harris County Public Library does provide materials about sex and relationships, sexuality and gender identity, LGBTQ+ perspectives and characters, racial issues and disparities, and lived experiences of all types of people. Our collections also include R-rated movies with graphic violence, spicy romance novels, YA books that tackle tough topics, and music with profanity. As the saying goes, we have something to offend nearly everyone.

To a certain extent, the definition of pornography is subjective, but the mere mention or depiction of sex is not itself pornographic. A widely accepted definition is "material whose primary purpose is to cause sexual arousal."  The Harris County Public Library system employs a well-trained, experienced team of professionals who evaluate the content of every book that goes on library shelves. These duties include assessing each book's quality, educational and literary merit, and appropriate age level. Our mission as a public library is to provide access to information and stories for all of the five million people who call Harris County home. A public library designed to serve a population as large and diverse as HCPL's means not every item on the shelf will be right for everyone, and the vast majority of HCPL patrons understand--even value--that fact.

HCPL has always encouraged parents and caregivers to take active roles in their kids' reading lives and to see books--even those involving touchy subjects--as safe ways for kids and teens to explore the world and as opportunities for parents to talk with and teach their kids about their own beliefs and values. Banning these works does not protect young people (or anyone); it robs them of the ability to discover and experience stories that matter.

Libraries in Diverse Communities

Harris County is one of the most culturally rich places in the nation, with over 100 languages spoken and dozens of ethnicities and religious beliefs represented. HCPL branches offer diverse content for our diverse populations of community members. 

• A student can access biology materials, some with diagrams, pictures, or illustrations of the human body.
• Someone needing inspiration can check out one of over 100  editions by Christian novelist Karen Kingsbury.
• A child can check out picture books about seahorses and clownfish;
• An adult can download the latest title in the Game Changers series
• A person caring for a loved one with dementia and memory loss can check out Memory Kits designed to provide mental and emotional stimulation.
• Parents and caregivers can get board books about people's different skin tones for their babies.
• A middle schooler can read a story about a kid who has two dads.
• Anyone of any age who wants to make up their own mind about a complex or controversial issue can find books and journal articles with the full range of perspectives.

Wonderful Banned Books: Realistic Fiction

One of the more troubling aspects of book challenges and bans is that they often hinge on one small piece of a work and ignore its context within the story and the book's overall literary merit. That is how Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison's Beloved and Bluest Eye, as well as indisputable treasures like Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, can end up removed from school and public library shelves. 

Good authors write what they know and have experienced in a way readers can appreciate, whether because they've had similar experiences, want to learn about different realities, or simply accept the invitation to share in the story. Because life is both beautiful and horrific, and everything in between, literature often reflects that. Below, I examine three frequently challenged and banned books to show how cherry-picking bits and pieces of stories does a grave disservice to both the books and the reading public.

House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende (Adult)

Allende weaves a personal, heart-wrenching story of familial love and struggle amid violence and political upheaval. This generational saga follows four women of the Trueba family in Chile, circa 1960. The story progresses from mother to daughter to granddaughter to great-granddaughter. There are several scenes that describe the sexual assault of women as both a harsh reality and a metaphor for cruel power imbalance. It also depicts sex scenes between lovers that show the couple's passion and care for each other. One of my favorite scenes involves a young adult couple after being intimate. Alba expresses unease and shame about her body, and Miguel responds by guiding her to stand naked in front of a full-length mirror. He gently holds her from behind while describing how he sees her: strong, beautiful, and capable. Because of this frankly sexual material, though Allende never goes into graphic detail,  House of Spirits is often found on banned lists. However, the focus and purpose is the epic family story. Each woman in the family participates in the social protests and cultural changes of her generation in her own way. In the end, by breaking the cycles of violence and revenge, Alba is determined to raise her own daughter in a new and better world.

Dan in Green Gables by Rey Terciero/Rex Ogle (Teen/YA)

This playful, queer graphic novel reimagines L.M. Montgomery's classic coming-of-age novel, "Anne of Green Gables." Fifteen-year-old Daniel Stewart-Álvarez is accustomed to a wandering life with his free-spirited mother. When they arrive in rural Tennessee in the spring of 1995, Dan is eager to meet his deceased father's parents. But when he wakes up to a goodbye note from his mom, he's devastated to have been abandoned. Kind, patient Mawmaw comforts him, sparks his interest in the farm, and shares his love for Dolly Parton. Rough, conservative Pawpaw is a harder nut to crack, bristling at Dan's flashy, colorful clothing and in-your-face personality. Despite facing homophobic comments at his new school and getting into a fight, Dan makes some fast friends, including Rudy, a Black girl whose liberal church community welcomes him. Dan also develops an unexpected crush on a boy who might just like him back (the two share a chaste kiss). I love ginger-haired Dan and his fiery personality, and also the way he extends an olive branch to Pawpaw without compromising his style, beliefs, or true self. Dan is reminiscent of the original Anne, refreshingly remixed by Tercero's joyfully queer spin, and it somewhat mirrors the author's life. Florida banned it primarily for its LGBTQ+ focus. Books like Dan in Green Gables can help readers understand experiences and perspectives different from their own, while reminding those who see themselves in the story that their experiences have a place in literature, too. That makes books like this an important part of a public library collection—one that aims to serve a diverse community with a wide range of stories, ideas, and experiences.

Obie is Man Enough by Schuyler Bailar (Tween/Middle Grade)

This semi-autobiographical middle-grade novel follows a transgender child on the school swim team. With his family's support, thirteen-year-old Obie socially transitions by cutting his hair and using he/him pronouns. Under the supervision of his doctor, Obie starts taking puberty blockers as well, which he can safely stop at any time. He also transfers from the girls' swim team to the boys' and wears a "boy's" swimsuit. Obie's journey can be difficult to read--he is misgendered and deadnamed as well as physically and verbally assaulted--but he also has moments of quiet as he examines gender constructs and his connection to Korean history and culture. Bailar describes how Obie finally feels right in his skin while wearing masculine clothing and being perceived as a boy by family and classmates. I enjoyed the cute scenes with Obie and his girlfriend, Charlie, because the two have a strong connection and a healthy relationship. Although there is no sexual or intimate content in the story, it is constantly flagged by book banners as "sexually explicit" simply because it is a story about a trans child that also addresses LGBTQ subject matters, such as homophobia, transphobia, and contains references to past suicidal ideation. Including stories like Obie’s lets young readers encounter difficult subjects in an age-appropriate context and helps ensure children and families can find books that reflect the realities of their lives.

Read and Let Read

You cannot take one paragraph out of a novel or a single panel out of a comic book and understand the whole work. Context matters. In fact, context is everything. The stories above are about people's truths, what they have lived through, and what we can learn from and carry with us. Even fantasy and horror can contain underlying truths drawn from an author's experiences that help make a story relatable and meaningful. As a community of readers and learners, we benefit from encountering different ideas, beliefs, and realities—even when they are unfamiliar or challenge our own perspectives. And if a book isn't your cup of tea, that's okay, too. Libraries are big enough for all kinds of readers and all kinds of stories.