This pro-LGBTQ Michigan library may have been defunded, but it’s not going anywhere
Homophobes in Jamestown Township, Michigan coordinated to get their local library defunded for carrying LGBTQ+ books. Folks across the world stepped in to say “no way.”Patmos Library has faced homophobia in the past, with a former director stepping down after coming out due to intolerance and hate speech.Earlier this week, the library’s annual millage (aka funding from local property taxes) for 2023 failed to pass the town vote, with some citizens refusing to fund it for having queer books available.Books like Being Jazz by Jazz Jennins, Simon vs.
the Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, and especially Genderqueer by Maia Kobabe drew the ire of conservative parents.
These parents referred to the material as “explicit” and, of course, called the display of these books “grooming”.“Vote NO on Library” pic.twitter.com/juQ2W7kqhx— Jason Scott (@textfiles) August 4, 2022Related: Iowa homophobes force the only library in their city to close, because how dare people learn thingsOut of an estimated 67,000 books on the shelf, homophobic citizens are protesting a whopping 90 books (about .015% of the inventory) that deal with queer themes.Other residents, the library board, and folks around the world jumped into action, setting out to create an independent fund to keep the space open until further notice.In the four days since the main GoFundMe for the library went up, they’ve received over $65,000 in donations.The annual millage for the library was $245,000, but the flood of money they’ve raised for 2023 in just half a week should tide them over well until they locate a more regular source of funding.Related: Mob of conservative mothers demand library burn Pride display booksA Patmos Library Board meeting is taking place.
