Greenville council kills resolution that would have moved LGBTQ books
Before a packed house inside the council chambers, Greenville County Council members voted 9-3 against a resolution that move all children’s books “promote sexuality” in the adult section of all county libraries.
While the resolution doesn’t explicitly name LGBTQ+ literature, children’s books have focused on LGBTQ+ themes — like a young girl wanting to make a Valentine’s Day for her classmate and a student struggling to decide. which of his two fathers to bring to class on Mother’s Day – were at the center of a request from the Greenville County Republican Party in September urging the board to take action against content deemed inappropriate.
Another book depicting illustrations of various types of people having sex was also the subject of an outcry, but advocates for the LGBTQ+ community found that this book was not in the children’s section, but rather in the parent section of the Greenville County Libraries.
Council member Ennis Fant said at the meeting that anyone would be against children seeing sexually explicit content, and, Fant said, the Greenville County Library system already has a policy prohibiting such content from the section children.
All 10 speakers who made it to the podium during the 30 minutes allotted for public comment spoke about the resolution, with five speaking in favor and five speaking against.
In the study :Greenville County Council plans to move LGBTQ children’s books to libraries
Charlotte Grubbs, one of the speakers opposing the resolution, said the books can be a “lifeline” for gay children seeking representation in the media.
“I believe Greenville County is above this ban,” Grubbs said.
The resolutionsubmitted by Joe DIll, required suspension of the regular board rules to be considered, since he was not referred to the board by a committee.
Council Vice Chairman Dan Tripp questioned the timing of Dill’s resolution, as Dill lost his re-election bid in the June primary.
“All he’s doing is dividing the community,” Tripp said.
A vote to suspend these rules and consider the resolution failed 9-3, killing the resolution. Dill, Steve Shaw and Stan Tzouvelekas voted to suspend the rules.
Tripp, Fant, council chairman Willis Meadows, Mike Barnes, Chris Harrison, Liz Seman, Xanthene Norris, Lynn Ballard and Butch Kirven voted against suspending council rules.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
−Tim Carlin covers county government, growth and development for The Greenville News. Follow him on Twitter @timcarlin_and contact him at TCarlin@gannett.com. You can support his work by subscribing to The Greenville News at greenvillenews.com/subscribe.
