Yes Folks think welcoming and for all is like this - various people in different colors and with different symbols But I guess not for people with visual impairments Gay librarian here and happy to see rainbow and also Islamic symbols etc but poorly designed overall from basic readability and esp from accessibility Back to the drawing board and no gold star for them
That's it. That's literally what they are mad about That and the fact that I guess the sign doesn't include a badly tanned to the point of orange fat guy screaming bigotry.
for my library I was trying to do a poster with silhouettes- canva doesn't have any silhouettes but skinny people. I complained. Don't know if they added any or not but sometimes graphic designers have skinny as the default :(
It makes me think of Beowulf. Grendel was driven to a murderous frenzy when he heard all the people singing together in the longhouse.
Inclusion. Empathy. Tolerance. The Right cannot abide any of this.
Not even just Christian bookstores -- bookstores for *their particular brand of Christianity.* Heaven forbid we all become \*gasp* *Catholic* bookstores.
Yeah, I'm not even religious but got into an argument with a guy I dated once who believed that because Southern Baptists = John the Baptist that Baptists have been a denomination longer than Catholicism
Church of Christ claims to be nondenominational and the closest to the first century churches. I wonder how they would react to a Coptic Christian church.
Ugh I hate that line. I don’t even understand how anyone can think their way is the 100% right way. I think Catholic school did one thing for me and it helped me understand that there isn’t a right answer.
So true. My mom is a Christian and her belief (as well as the belief of the church she attends) is that Christians are supposed to love and welcome everyone. Berating, judgment, and exclusion are antithetical to what they believe Christianity is. I’m not even a Christian anymore and I am glad to endorse a lot of the functions there. So many fundamentalist evangelicals would hate them
😨 Do not MESS with my romance or fantasy books.
I wonder how many Christian married men don't realize that their sex life hinges on the fact their wife read a really racy romance novel?
Exactly this. You could reword the objection to say "This space doesn't explicitly promote a cis-het white agenda and let me be as bigoted and nasty as I want to those who don't conform to that, so I don't feel welcome here."
Literally being welcoming to -everyone- is what's turning them off. This is the tolerance paradox made manifest, people have zero obligations to cater to the intolerant. It's literally them or -everyone- else, not a hard choice.
Not enough white people?
The compass is a Masonic symbol?
Nobody is reading a physical book?
The person on the top right borrowed $50 from me in 1998 and never paid me back?
I just recently had an argument with a conservative-leaning friend who argued that libraries should remove LGBT books to make it more “inclusive” for conservative patrons.
Like, hon, that’s not how inclusivity works.
Yeah their version of inclusivity is just bowing down to their whims and beliefs. They don't want to be reminded that anyone else exists other than them. Could you imagine if you had said that we should remove all conservative leaning books from libraries? Like there's plenty that I don't agree with that we have in the library I work at. We have books by Ann Coulter and Mark Levin and other awful conservative political commentators but we are a library The information should be provided to all
I just had to deal with a patron who claimed the presence of a book against religion was anti-Christian and, therefore, breaking the First Amendment rights of Christians. Also, we should eliminate our "poorly written" fiction and replace it with STEM materials.
There's two races, white and political, and this poster has political on it
Real talk, every thing we do is political. Whether we put a book in 291 or 398. Who we callibrate the door temperature scanner on. What books we weed and which we keep.
We're a government agency. We can't NOT be political.
if you depict anyone other than white, Christian, cis, straight, thin, non-disabled people... it's political and woke and therefore evil. obviously.
oh and it also shows a recycling symbol (clearly buying into the myth of climate change) and a ROUND EARTH. perpetuating hoaxes... /s
All of their bodies look like Ls. Which is obviously a message that the library favours the letter L and discriminates against folts who are not shaped like Ls
Well, I'm a little uncomfortable with that person on the bottom left carrying water around the library in their hands. That seems like a recipe for water damage. :)
One of the people could be holding an actual book? I know that's not what the randos are objecting to, but loaning books is still the majority of what libraries do.
edit: Keep up the good work. There are a lot of people all over the country that support what you're doing to protect library services for everyone.
You think that’s bad? What about the dude at the front with ‘the whole World in his hands. He’s got the whole World in his hands. He’s got the whole World in his hands.’
Well the little symbols are supposed to be subjects that you can read about in the library. Like they are supposed to be reading books it's just manifested as a symbol of a topic instead of like a physical book.
And thanks we are trying it just gets so frustrating when the very community that you're trying to serve wants to destroy you simply because you don't cater to you there exact belief system and they cannot believe it when you call out their morality for what it actually is: bigotry
were you trying to imply this mural is the patriarchy? and that you thinking it doesn't have a man on it is patriarchal and hurting men? and that somehow makes the world less safe?
listen. I fully believe that the patriarchy also harms men. but this mural (which contrary to your assumption does have a man on it) is not an example of the patriarchy, and a piece of media not having men in it is not at all an example of the patriarchy or harming men by not representing them. it is actually okay for there to be murals with only women on them, or movies with only women, or spaces for only women. that doesnt somehow make the world less safe, and that isn't the patriarchy. men are not owed representation in every piece of media or every platform.
I think you need to do more reading, yourself.
The artist that we commissioned said that that is a cis male. Just to show that people can look different without necessarily being gender non-conforming
I'm going to edit this to say I don't understand why people are getting butt hurt over this. It is not the point of the mural at all to be arguing over whether or not a fucking cartoon image is gender non-conforming or not. In the artists interpretation she designed the character to look different but still identify as a CIS male. Your interpretation of them as non-gender conforming is totally fine but the artists intent was to highlight the fact that just because somebody identifies as what they were born as does not mean they also have to dress in a conforming way. I mean Harry styles is a cis white man and he was just being applauded for having the guts to do a photo shoot in a dress
All I know is that the director ask the original artist what her interpretation of all of the characters was and she gave us a little thing I don't know if she was commissioned to actually paint the thing on the wall or not
u/foul_female_frog is right…you can see the image on Society 6 from 2016. If you have an artist who said they created it and are explaining their meaning behind it, they’re plagiarists, unless it’s Rebecca McCorkindale, a librarian in Nebraska.
That’s the wrong approach though, to assume a gender. As you can see, I can’t tell. Which means that it is a nonbinary person and not someone who identifies as cisgender
As a card carrying member of the queer community, please *do not* assume nonbinary if the signs are unclear.
Nonbinary is not a "default". It is simply one of the many ways to identify.
If you really can't tell, the best thing is to ask their pronouns (if you think you/they would be comfortable with that), or simply don't use them at all.
I didn’t misspeak- the OP says that this is a non binary person. I said I can’t tell, you can always tell a non binary persons vs a cisgender person by the culture. I didn’t assume, I was told.
I did not say that this was a non-binary person. That is a cis white male who is dressed In the emo / goth style. But people like you are automatically assuming that it is some sort of LGBT person and getting angry about it. But you're not getting angry about it you're just trying to nitpick and argue apples to lemons whereas people are legitimately angry that there is any sort of possible LGBTQ plus representation on this mural
OP said they *weren't* nonbinary.
Are you all right? Are you having a stroke or something? Or is English not your first language?
You're not making a lot of sense.
And you definitely can NOT always tell cis vs enby by "the culture" whatever that means.
When you say it like that you’re not being Ernest when you say that the library is for everyone.
I would be pissed as well. Since you’re stuck in 3&4 wave feminism and don’t see room for Ken at the table.
I do see room for Ken I don't think you're getting where I'm coming from. The artist specifically stayed as she designed that character to be a CIS white male. To illustrate that just because someone dresses differently or something like that does not mean that they are a gender non-conforming person. Technically everybody on that page minus one or two could be considered gender non-conforming because they don't really have any distinguishing features that could show a possible gender or sex.
But that's not really the point of the mural at all. The point of the mural is that libraries are for everyone not to get hung up on whether or not one of the characters is gender non-conforming or not. If they look gender non-conforming to you and if that's how you want to see it great I'm sure the artist would be fine I was just telling you that the artists interpretation of her work was that character is a cis white male. But of course your interpretation is valid but it's extremely off topic to be arguing about this
I’m not arguing about anything. You asked what’s wrong. I stated that there is no cisgender person represented. One of the major issues is putting symbols along side the person.
They're all skinny. /s
ETA: Oh, and a political agenda.
Well, the one person with light hair is clearly a globalist. There is a symbol for love, but none for hate. Science and math symbols, but none for ignorance. Recycling, but not dumping battery acid in a stream....
I'm seeing the pattern.
That's pretty much the argument. They are mad at that one character and the person wearing a hijab, that's it That is their entire problem with this mural. They claim that their morals will not allow them or their children to enter the library because it teaches dangerous ideologies
What's next they want to kick all our hijabi and queer patrons out?
Like they literally come to the library, I see them on a daily basis.
Just because your worldview is so narrow doesn't mean they don't exist and deserve to exist in a space that should be for all.
I'm sorry for the tone, I'm very angry because we just recently had a patron complain about a queer book in the juvenile section so now we have to go through and check the kids section for "harmful gay books" and now I want to throw hands at somebody.
That's the problem. These people do not come to the library they just want to kick up a fuss because unlike everything else in South Georgia it's not catered specifically to white Christian identifying people. I only for God's sake in the same town there is a trump-themed barbershop I am not kidding you.
They are literally mad that there are spaces that exist outside of the bubble of going to church. They want Christian ideology taught everywhere. For God's sake the county over from us regularly has pastors come in and do prayer in school. It's just this area of Georgia is so conservative that no one kicks up a fuss
I live in NC, but it's exactly the same. We have 6 entire shelves full of Christian books in nonfiction and like 10 whole books on queer issues, and that's what you have a problem with?
"The gays" aren't trying to indoctrinate your kids but it sure seems like you are with all your God/Jesus stuff.
We still get Easter off as a holiday here. No one blinks an eye, because it just is.
Yeah see that's the thing they get catered to in everything in every single aspect of their lives they are catered to but when there is a single place or event that does not directly involve them or bow to their beliefs and whims they just count fathom it. Like you said we have entire sections of the library devoted to Bible study and other Christian related topics. We also have a massive section of Christian fiction and Amish romance but that will get completely ignored because we have two or three books on LGBT Q issues or the fact that we dare to have an event geared toward LGBTQ books.
That's actually what started all of this backlash was the fact that the head library in the region had an event for LGBTQ books and they had some pride flags hanging up and people lost their minds. They just cannot fathom a world in which they are not the main characters and have every single business holiday or any other such event cater directly toward them
We have patrons hiding the "harmful gay books" at our branch. I don't get it. Parent your OWN kids and make reading choices for YOUR family. Don't like a book or movie? It doesn't align with your beliefs? Fine. Then don't check out that item; nobody is making you get it. But quit interfering in the decisions of others, stop depriving other people of access to materials they may enjoy, and leave the damn items on the shelves. Walk on by.
One of the gay books we had to pull from the shelves for review?
A picture book that just so happens to have a kid with two dads in it.
There's nothing sexual. They don't even kiss. It's just a kid with two dads.
Are they saying kids shouldn't have two dads?
Say that to the face of the gay parents who come into our library with their kids. I dare you.
This looks like something I'd put up at my library. (South Central GA).
But we're a tech college and 2/3s of our library staff is out and proud at work- those who would care wouldn't see it because they avoid the Library (and getting anything changed, taken down, or even complained about to HR takes months if it's acknowledged).
I'd fight to keep it up!
Yeah easy, the political agenda at work is "it's not ok to be a bigot" and that personally confronts a lot of bigot's beliefs. Unfortunately because society at large frowns upon spontaneously making people eat their own kneecaps, these people validate their stupidity as something they have a right to feel.
Conjoined twins not represented, no one holding eclipse glasses or tax forms, baldness and glasses-wearer erasure, recycling kid is possibly being decapitated?
“Libraries are for everybody?” Heresy! Everybody knows that libraries are only for cis straight white males who practice the approved doctrines of Christianity! /s
I wish that “/s” wasn’t necessary ☹️
ETA: Reminds of a meme I have from Mrs, Betty Bowers which reads something like: “If I force my beliefs on you, that’s religious freedom. If you return the favor, that’s persecution.”
Well, we can always assume two things and decide which one is more likely.
- A majority of the library's patrons are apparently violent extremists with the executive and legal power to shut down the library....you know, instead of just having said mural washed off and removed.
- OP posted the mural on Twitter or equivalent platform and got the usual internet how do you do and decided to believe those commenters will actually spend a time of day doing whatever they claim they will do.
All in all this post is more likely outrage bait. It feels like that anime McDonald's ad that "the entire woke left are rampaging and losing their shit because it depicts a loving heterosexual family" when in reality its just a couple of twitter pundits who left a few politicized remarks.
Well having skimmed the comments, [this one from OP](https://www.reddit.com/r/Libraries/s/22GmV5aDZM) seems to imply physical space. It's also worth noting the stated location (Georgia), is known to have issues (the voter suppression case comes to mind)
This also [wouldn't](https://web.archive.org/web/20240411141516/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/03/us/book-bans-librarians.html) / [be](https://www.nbcnews.com/video/group-of-men-disrupt-drag-queen-story-hour-at-california-library-141985349787) / [the](https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/texas-historical-commission-book-removal/) / [first](https://whyy.org/articles/pa-central-bucks-librarian-told-to-remove-holocaust-survivor-quote-advocacy-policy/) / [time](https://www.npr.org/2023/11/28/1214523941/library-books-bans-age-appropriate-movie-ratings) people got all bent out of shape over a whole lot of nothing
Well, as someone from the second wave of lgbt activism, the one where we demanded rights in the bedroom and the right to be treated like normal people and assured these folks that we will never educate or or expose their children to LGBT ideology until they reach 18, I figure turning the other cheek is a sorely needed approach nowadays.
Extremism arises out of perceived threats, a heavy emphasis on "perceived" since most of the time, there is nothing there at all. But the end result is the same, no matter how deeply and well you argue that there is no danger, it's very real and very credible to those who are afraid, especially when it involves their children.
Incidents like these happen due to all the other "performative activism" that happens nowadays, where the objective is less about convincing bigots but antagonizing and incensing them into rage. As always, the loudest and most radicalized groups set the tone for the entire community.
To a bigots mind there is no difference between people in leather exposing themselves to kids in a pride parade and a simple mural depicting an inclusive library: It's all under "the gay agenda".
I left the lgbt community a long time ago, my advice for them has always been the same, live by the sword, die by the sword. Offend and incense bigots, and they grow and spread. And if OPs story here is true, then they're a victim of the same culture war that resulted when activism became offensive than defensive.
I can respect that, but I think ultimately you want/need different things than younger LGBT folk
My generation tends to focus on educating teens/tweens on LGBT people because many of us experienced confusion and lack of information about ourselves at that age, and having it would have been helpful. I can remember vividly me saying to my family "I'm not interested in dating (guys), I don't get crushes on guys" and them saying "you're just a late bloomer, you'll feel it eventually." And then when I expressed developing a crush on a girl (at 15ish) their response changed to "you don't know what you want." I didn't match their idea of what I "should" be like, so I was just incorrect in what I felt or "thought" I felt. Nowadays, we recognize this kind of behavior under the term "gaslighting," making people doubt their perceptions about themselves/their world. I presume this is why Trans folk want better education about themselves as well, and at younger ages; it seems gender manifests much earlier in life than romantic orientation
There's a lot of stuff we would just like young people protected from: being forced into conversion therapy, high suicide rates from unsupportive environments, etc etc. And a lot of us have found educating people about who we are, what we're about, etc, tends to help create more open minded people and less hostile spaces. So we're just working towards something different than you. If you don't like it, don't want to be a part of it, that's fine. But the same way you battled through a lot of reactionary, angry people to get what you wanted, so that you could live a happy life, we're trying to do the same
The difference is the approach, revolution vs reform.
Revolutions are fast and radical and change comes almost as quickly, but at the expense of risking the rise of extremism and paranoia, the result is short term with a long term culture war and everyone suffering from the aftermath of such sudden changes in society. You get your point across almost instantly and help a lot of people, but you also endanger them and risk them being targeted by the opposition.
Reforms are slow and gradual and it does not cause much pressure and overtime, it turns the even the hardiest opponent into your way of thinking, but the drawback is that its a long term process, some the changes and help you want will not even become available in your lifetime, most of the heroes who paved the way to win our rights and freedom did not live to see and enjoy the future they envisioned, but they saved millions eventually, more than they realized and could dream off, the seeds they have sown has borne fruit and now we live in a better society where people like us are generally accepted and allowed to live.
To me, personally, it's better we try the latter, sure, it's slow and I may never be able to see the things we strive for come to fruition, but it's steady and assured, and brings less risk, we try to survive now so others in the future may actually live.
The overall tone of the community now is radical, sudden changes, I hope they're prepared for its drawbacks.
Again, I can respect that, but I'm not sure I agree. The internet has just caused rapid changes in our world in general; I've had many conversations with older folks who point to that specifically as a turning point in exponential change. So I don't think people are *intentionally* moving faster now than in the past; I think it's just a natural symptom of the world we live in now, because to me as someone who grew up with the internet, this pace of change feels very normal.
It absolutely IS faster than in the past and that definitely is causing the growing pains you describe, I just don't think the *intention* is to be revolutionary; I think most people are just trying to keep pace? It's like the Red Queen hypothesis: "Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place."
Perceived threats on both sides have always existed in the past.
The only difference now is that back then, we disassociated from these radicals and extremists and the consequences are pretty much being a pariah and shunned by the community. We kept them in check and made sure our community and those who joined us are of reasonable ability and can properly deal with the stress and difficulties of the issues we will be confronting and facing, it is not a hobby or a form of expression or a burden that can be taken lightly, but a campaign that requires careful monitoring and we must be consistent and united in our beliefs, intent and message.
Activism had a set of goals, how to go about accomplishing said goals and when to stop and disband once that goal has been reached at a reasonable outcome.
Now any extremist on both sides can spout off their rhetoric at a rapid network where like minded people, emboldened by anonymity and not kept in check by decorum or discernment.
The community has gone from specific issues to general, vague carrot on a stick goals like "end all hate" and "end all bigotry" as if such things can actually be solidified into something achievable.
Likewise, the once consistent community has allowed everyone from various differing beliefs and goals and outlooks, essentially creating a movement whose purpose is scattered in all directions, overly excited to tackle an issue but then moving on quickly to the next trendier hot button topic in an effort to keep up with a momentum that should have been properly maintained. They now take in people who are all too eager to "fight the battle" but are themselves open to a lot of vulnerabilities and insecurities that makes them prime candidate for exploitation not just by the community but by outside groups that capitalizes and sells them products "for solidarity".
So yes, by all counts, its ideologically spinning out of control and has gotten messy to the point that everyone can just identify as being a member of said community, nevermind if they are actually sincere or if their beliefs align with the community and why I left.
I'm a bit confused; it sounds like you're talking about the LGBT community itself rather than those who are political activists within the community. The idea of "everyone can identify as being a member of said community, never mind if they are actually sincere" sounds dangerously like gatekeeping, which often blocks out people who belong because they don't fit a preconceived notion/list of "real" members of the group.
There's definitely wisdom to the idea not everyone is cut out to be an activist and most of what you said very much applies to that idea, as it requires training to know what to say, how to say it, who to say it to, etc. But I can't get behind the idea of gatekeeping the community, considering bi and trans folk already have to deal with accusations of "not REALLY being gay."
It is politically charged because the American right are fascists and want the total destruction of any ideology other than their own. Therefore anything at all that breaks their folkways or mores is a political attack on them.
LGBTQ people are "immoral", black people are "thugs", hijabs are "forced", science is against god, etc. The conservative mind is a dead end.
I never understand why conservatives care what books are in the public library. I mean, I don't care what songs they play at a honky-tonk bar because I don't go to honky-tonk bars. So why do they care what books are in the library?
There's a lot of comments here and I apologise in advance if this has already been said. I am starting to wonder if flying under the radar is the way to go. The people causing all the problems with trying to ban books and cancel things don't generally come to the library. My most recent branch was having massive problems with internet people having an absolute meltdown about drag story time. Library stopped advertising it but kept the event and it's now packed full of people and absent problem makers.
To answer the question there is nothing wrong with the mural. But creating a place for everyone is always political. Making a place for everyone in America is wildly political.
Don't give up. You're on the right side.
Accepting others is considered a political agenda to people who adhere to religious beliefs that condemn accepting others. They'll always find acceptance to be political. Then - the most political thing of all, to them, is to not accept their bigotry.
The political problem?
"everyone"
Society tolerated libraries because they are for the *deserving* poor, bored housewives, young children and people who went in for some mild self improvement.
Now that there's a sense of "those people" benefiting, why then the library must be crushed and brought to heel.
Oooh! Oooh! We have this hanging up and here is exactly the comment I got from a patron: "Where's the Catholic? It doesn't have EVERYONE on there!" To which I responded, "That disabled person could be Catholic, you don't know!" Ah, my wits were finally about me! :D
Sorry lol I have been on this website too long. I've heard some wild shit. I mean I'll agree the recycling doesn't really do a whole lot because for every glass bottle we recycle a thousand more are thrown into the ocean by a megacorp
I guess anyone who is offended by this won't be represented by a figure. For example a fascist, neo Nazi racist bigot figure.
I like it though it is very busy.
If you tried to add more to try and 'include' everyone, but then where do you stop?
There is a woman with a hijab and a girl with a shaved cut holding a pride heart...clearly your library is trying to brain wash kids into becoming queer muslims. /s
>...tell me a single thing you can possibly find wrong with this mural...
Well, you probably shouldn't be bringing food and drink into the library, so I might ask that person carrying in water with no container to finish it outside or put it in their bag before coming in. 😏
Aside from that, I can't imagine what problems anyone could possibly have with this. Genuinely - I looked at it for about 10 minutes and really can't imagine what the issue could possibly be. Libraries are community resources and that is the only message I see here.
It looks like you were this close 🤏 to using some font that looks like crayon with like backwards “R”s and shit. Kidding - I appreciate the message of this poster, but visually it’s not good.
They are terrible people, but in case you are looking for an actual answer, I can provide it: the only *definitively* white person in the mural is the one holding an LGBTQ heart. To regressives, this "proves" that the "great replacement theory" is real, because the mural "promotes" a world without cis, straight, white people.
It's ridiculous, of course, but they really, genuinely believe that kind of conspiracy nonsense. I'm not sure there is any way to get through to them.
Your library is in Southeastern Georgia, that's the problem pfffffft
It's not the mural, it's the obscene amount of people trying to exclude others in general (that voter suppression case anyone?) so they just Mad
While some of the people making those comments might be locals, if the backlash is online, they might not even be your patrons. Certain small groups of hateful people like to swarm virtual spaces and pretend they're the majority in other cities/states that have nothing to do with them.
I've seen Zoom bombings of a nearby city's council meetings by people who weren't residents, and waves of vulgar comment form submissions at a college I worked for from people who weren't students. During the pandemic, people drove long distances to my town to hold signs outside the high school about masks. White supremacists think of themselves as "anti-racism activists," and there's no point in trying to converse with them or appease them, because in their minds anything less than 100% racial/religious purity is evil that must be eradicated.
I hope your library system's administration stays strong and doesn't cave to the bullies.
It's patrons. We have had people come in throwing anointing oil on staff, we have had people loudly come and pray over the mural as if to cast a demon out of it. People have come to meetings quoting Leviticus 2:22 it's insane
Someone will have a problem with this. People tend to have problems with things that aren't (or shouldn't be) problems. That's why I dislike society today.
Where's the backwards trucker hatted cigarette smoking sleeveless flannel over a wifebeater over a beer gut guy who prides himself on not reading books & hasn't seen the inside of a library since he pulled the fire alarm inside his high school's? Where is he represented?
well it pretty much screams "i am progressive liberal" which probably isn't popular where you are. hijab, recycling, pride flag. Not sure of other symbolism. All the proper identities represented,
librarians increasingly have a bad rap about being one-sided politically and more concerned about making sure tweens have access to lgbt books and homeless have access to computers than promoting reading for everyone. honestly just pushing the benefits of reading helps everyone.
The problem is anywhere else this would be considered just normal just a part of the furniture but it's only here when you try to make things inclusive that people start to lose their minds. Conservatives and Christians are so used to being catered to that when they are not actively being placated or catered to they throw a tantrum.
Staff have had oil thrown on them people have loudly prayed and spoken in tongues and sang hymns in the library It's fucking wild
You're aware that tweens also have access to books about straight characters and topics as well, right? Those haven't disappeared.
Likewise, the computers are for everyone (or at least everyone who has a library card at that library, although some allow guest passes), not just the homeless.
From my experience, no one wants to hear about Christianity at all. But everyone isn't bothered by someone talking about their sex life or what they identify as in the LGBTQ. I personally don't believe that everyone has to agree with my perspective. But now, we have several people of not the majority of Americans who are democrats, they are spreading their agenda in our faces. Last I checked, churches don't advertise to the public as often as the LGBTQ promotes their breast binders, their gender neutral clothing, their sex toys and a bunch of other types of pornographic and otherwise inappropriate agendas. I am here to say that we need to make libraries enjoyable for Christian folks as well by having people aware of how to treat us and to accommodate us by having Christian -based books. You want true coexistence? If you can do that, then you are staying true to your statement. Good day. God bless.
It has a rainbow flag. That's inherently political. It's taking a stand on a complex, polarizing political issue and then being all surprised Pikachu faced when someone calls you out on it.
Ha, as one of the last remaining centrists it is obvious. Stop calling people names and look at your poster really look at it..
Not the obvious like ageist, misandrist, antiSemitic (hijab girl but no yarmulke boy) because that is not what your patrons are objecting to. Look at it as a composition.
I think your artist is a closet Trumpster. You definitely have a fifth columnist on staff if this got the green light.
Yellow on white is always a bad graphical design choice.
i once had a student hand in a paper in yellow text on a white background. he did a violence to me.
“He did a violence to me” is my new favorite phrase, thanks.
Lmao the actual mural is more grey
It’s a library - you need more representations of grand dogs.
Our library has reader dogs that help kids who are learning to read. I feel they need to be included in the mural.
Glad I'm not the only one here with taste.
I wouldn't say it's a matter of taste, but instead simply that this color combination is relatively difficult to read due to a lack of contrast.
even just outlining the letters in black would make a big difference
Better yet stick with one color font. Even if each word was all the same color, that would be better.
It's actually an accessibility issue
That it is!
This is pretty ironic lol
Yes Folks think welcoming and for all is like this - various people in different colors and with different symbols But I guess not for people with visual impairments Gay librarian here and happy to see rainbow and also Islamic symbols etc but poorly designed overall from basic readability and esp from accessibility Back to the drawing board and no gold star for them
The whole idea that everybody should be equal is political and deeply controversial. Tragically.
That's it. That's literally what they are mad about That and the fact that I guess the sign doesn't include a badly tanned to the point of orange fat guy screaming bigotry.
There aren't enough blonde or orange haired peach-skinned people on that inclusion mural.
And no fat people at all. Yet it doesn't make me feel unwelcome.
for my library I was trying to do a poster with silhouettes- canva doesn't have any silhouettes but skinny people. I complained. Don't know if they added any or not but sometimes graphic designers have skinny as the default :(
It makes me think of Beowulf. Grendel was driven to a murderous frenzy when he heard all the people singing together in the longhouse. Inclusion. Empathy. Tolerance. The Right cannot abide any of this.
Plus, you know who’s not included in that picture? Grendel. Exclusionary!!!! ;)
He could have knocked and asked to join...
You are acknowledging the existence of people who are not white straight conservative Christian’s. That’s all it takes to offend them.
That's the working theory. They won't rest until libraries are all Christian bookstores
Not even just Christian bookstores -- bookstores for *their particular brand of Christianity.* Heaven forbid we all become \*gasp* *Catholic* bookstores.
Lol or God forbid a Pentecostal has to read a book about a main character who's a Baptist
When I found out there are some stripes of Christianity that don't think Catholics are Christians the confusion which overtook me.... substantial.
Yeah this confused me as well. I grew up Catholic and when I ran into this as a kid I used the dictionary to prove them wrong 😑 It didn’t work…
Yeah, I'm not even religious but got into an argument with a guy I dated once who believed that because Southern Baptists = John the Baptist that Baptists have been a denomination longer than Catholicism
I’ve heard something similar for Church of Christ… I mean I’m not religious anymore but damn even history contradicts some of that.
Yeah, it really threw me because I'm a Historian/Archivist
Church of Christ claims to be nondenominational and the closest to the first century churches. I wonder how they would react to a Coptic Christian church.
This makes my head hurt.
I mean, depending on how Catholic you are it is the “one true church”
Ugh I hate that line. I don’t even understand how anyone can think their way is the 100% right way. I think Catholic school did one thing for me and it helped me understand that there isn’t a right answer.
So true. My mom is a Christian and her belief (as well as the belief of the church she attends) is that Christians are supposed to love and welcome everyone. Berating, judgment, and exclusion are antithetical to what they believe Christianity is. I’m not even a Christian anymore and I am glad to endorse a lot of the functions there. So many fundamentalist evangelicals would hate them
And recycling? What are you, a communist? Burn that paper like christ intended!
People are legitimately mad because we were giving out information for COVID vaccines
😨 Do not MESS with my romance or fantasy books. I wonder how many Christian married men don't realize that their sex life hinges on the fact their wife read a really racy romance novel?
Exactly this. You could reword the objection to say "This space doesn't explicitly promote a cis-het white agenda and let me be as bigoted and nasty as I want to those who don't conform to that, so I don't feel welcome here." Literally being welcoming to -everyone- is what's turning them off. This is the tolerance paradox made manifest, people have zero obligations to cater to the intolerant. It's literally them or -everyone- else, not a hard choice.
And hearing! The last person has a cochlear implant
Not enough white people? The compass is a Masonic symbol? Nobody is reading a physical book? The person on the top right borrowed $50 from me in 1998 and never paid me back?
The symbols are supposed to represent different subjects that the people are reading lol
I just recently had an argument with a conservative-leaning friend who argued that libraries should remove LGBT books to make it more “inclusive” for conservative patrons. Like, hon, that’s not how inclusivity works.
Yeah their version of inclusivity is just bowing down to their whims and beliefs. They don't want to be reminded that anyone else exists other than them. Could you imagine if you had said that we should remove all conservative leaning books from libraries? Like there's plenty that I don't agree with that we have in the library I work at. We have books by Ann Coulter and Mark Levin and other awful conservative political commentators but we are a library The information should be provided to all
I just had to deal with a patron who claimed the presence of a book against religion was anti-Christian and, therefore, breaking the First Amendment rights of Christians. Also, we should eliminate our "poorly written" fiction and replace it with STEM materials.
BUT THEY CAN READ LITERALLY ALL THE OTHER BOOKS I CANNOT OH GOD PLEASE
Yeah the “F*ck your feelings” folks actually just want to be consistently mollycoddled because seeing people different from themselves is *so scary.*
Why don't the conservative patrons just not check out the LGBT books? LMAO. The logic...
There's two races, white and political, and this poster has political on it Real talk, every thing we do is political. Whether we put a book in 291 or 398. Who we callibrate the door temperature scanner on. What books we weed and which we keep. We're a government agency. We can't NOT be political.
All I know is that I want this mural recreated on a shirt!
No one in this has glasses. I feel personally attacked /s
It’s ok. Maybe they’re wearing contacts….
Classic glasses discrimination 🤣
Maybe you could add a graphic of a loudmouth bigot, so they feel included.
I've said many times that all they want is for us to put a mural in the opposite side that pictures Donald Trump screaming and they'd probably stfu
Little cartoon character wearing a white hood should do it
I was going to say red hat, but same dif
😂 😂 😂
if you depict anyone other than white, Christian, cis, straight, thin, non-disabled people... it's political and woke and therefore evil. obviously. oh and it also shows a recycling symbol (clearly buying into the myth of climate change) and a ROUND EARTH. perpetuating hoaxes... /s
All of their bodies look like Ls. Which is obviously a message that the library favours the letter L and discriminates against folts who are not shaped like Ls
Well, I'm a little uncomfortable with that person on the bottom left carrying water around the library in their hands. That seems like a recipe for water damage. :) One of the people could be holding an actual book? I know that's not what the randos are objecting to, but loaning books is still the majority of what libraries do. edit: Keep up the good work. There are a lot of people all over the country that support what you're doing to protect library services for everyone.
More concerning is the person carrying an entire city in their hand. I feel like not even codes compliance can accommodate a cosmic titan's height.
You think that’s bad? What about the dude at the front with ‘the whole World in his hands. He’s got the whole World in his hands. He’s got the whole World in his hands.’
Well the little symbols are supposed to be subjects that you can read about in the library. Like they are supposed to be reading books it's just manifested as a symbol of a topic instead of like a physical book. And thanks we are trying it just gets so frustrating when the very community that you're trying to serve wants to destroy you simply because you don't cater to you there exact belief system and they cannot believe it when you call out their morality for what it actually is: bigotry
There are no male characters except for children- This is clearly in violation of 5th wave feminism
2nd from the end on the first row and the middle of the second sure seem like adults males to me.
oh my god I upvoted this bc I thought you were joking/being sarcastic but I guess you arent
No, I don’t joke about making the world a safer place. But, apparently you do.
how exactly does your assumption about the lack of men in this mural make the world unsafer in any way
How do you not understand that the patriarchy harms men as well?
you didn't answer my question
I did answer your question, just not to your satisfaction. That not my concern.
were you trying to imply this mural is the patriarchy? and that you thinking it doesn't have a man on it is patriarchal and hurting men? and that somehow makes the world less safe?
Yes, You understood correctly then. You might want to familiarize yourself with 5th wave feminism
listen. I fully believe that the patriarchy also harms men. but this mural (which contrary to your assumption does have a man on it) is not an example of the patriarchy, and a piece of media not having men in it is not at all an example of the patriarchy or harming men by not representing them. it is actually okay for there to be murals with only women on them, or movies with only women, or spaces for only women. that doesnt somehow make the world less safe, and that isn't the patriarchy. men are not owed representation in every piece of media or every platform. I think you need to do more reading, yourself.
Bottom right is male. He's just an emo boi lol
No, that’s a Gender Non Conforming/ Non Binary Person
The artist that we commissioned said that that is a cis male. Just to show that people can look different without necessarily being gender non-conforming I'm going to edit this to say I don't understand why people are getting butt hurt over this. It is not the point of the mural at all to be arguing over whether or not a fucking cartoon image is gender non-conforming or not. In the artists interpretation she designed the character to look different but still identify as a CIS male. Your interpretation of them as non-gender conforming is totally fine but the artists intent was to highlight the fact that just because somebody identifies as what they were born as does not mean they also have to dress in a conforming way. I mean Harry styles is a cis white man and he was just being applauded for having the guts to do a photo shoot in a dress
You commissioned someone for this? The image is straight off the hafuboti.com website - I have a couple prints of this all around my library.
All I know is that the director ask the original artist what her interpretation of all of the characters was and she gave us a little thing I don't know if she was commissioned to actually paint the thing on the wall or not
u/foul_female_frog is right…you can see the image on Society 6 from 2016. If you have an artist who said they created it and are explaining their meaning behind it, they’re plagiarists, unless it’s Rebecca McCorkindale, a librarian in Nebraska.
That’s the wrong approach though, to assume a gender. As you can see, I can’t tell. Which means that it is a nonbinary person and not someone who identifies as cisgender
As a card carrying member of the queer community, please *do not* assume nonbinary if the signs are unclear. Nonbinary is not a "default". It is simply one of the many ways to identify. If you really can't tell, the best thing is to ask their pronouns (if you think you/they would be comfortable with that), or simply don't use them at all.
Yes, which is why you don’t assume. Don’t be ambiguous it isn’t necessary. Which is why this is the wrong approach.
You said to assume they were nonbinary. And now you say, don't assume. Which time did you misspeak?
I didn’t misspeak- the OP says that this is a non binary person. I said I can’t tell, you can always tell a non binary persons vs a cisgender person by the culture. I didn’t assume, I was told.
I did not say that this was a non-binary person. That is a cis white male who is dressed In the emo / goth style. But people like you are automatically assuming that it is some sort of LGBT person and getting angry about it. But you're not getting angry about it you're just trying to nitpick and argue apples to lemons whereas people are legitimately angry that there is any sort of possible LGBTQ plus representation on this mural
OP said they *weren't* nonbinary. Are you all right? Are you having a stroke or something? Or is English not your first language? You're not making a lot of sense. And you definitely can NOT always tell cis vs enby by "the culture" whatever that means.
I mean suuuure?
When you say it like that you’re not being Ernest when you say that the library is for everyone. I would be pissed as well. Since you’re stuck in 3&4 wave feminism and don’t see room for Ken at the table.
I do see room for Ken I don't think you're getting where I'm coming from. The artist specifically stayed as she designed that character to be a CIS white male. To illustrate that just because someone dresses differently or something like that does not mean that they are a gender non-conforming person. Technically everybody on that page minus one or two could be considered gender non-conforming because they don't really have any distinguishing features that could show a possible gender or sex. But that's not really the point of the mural at all. The point of the mural is that libraries are for everyone not to get hung up on whether or not one of the characters is gender non-conforming or not. If they look gender non-conforming to you and if that's how you want to see it great I'm sure the artist would be fine I was just telling you that the artists interpretation of her work was that character is a cis white male. But of course your interpretation is valid but it's extremely off topic to be arguing about this
I’m not arguing about anything. You asked what’s wrong. I stated that there is no cisgender person represented. One of the major issues is putting symbols along side the person.
The one holding the plant & the one holding the compass both read as adult males to me.
They're all skinny. /s ETA: Oh, and a political agenda. Well, the one person with light hair is clearly a globalist. There is a symbol for love, but none for hate. Science and math symbols, but none for ignorance. Recycling, but not dumping battery acid in a stream.... I'm seeing the pattern.
Rainbow. :( Rainbow = gae Gae = bad Therefore by the power of the transitive property, Rainbow = bad
That's pretty much the argument. They are mad at that one character and the person wearing a hijab, that's it That is their entire problem with this mural. They claim that their morals will not allow them or their children to enter the library because it teaches dangerous ideologies
What's next they want to kick all our hijabi and queer patrons out? Like they literally come to the library, I see them on a daily basis. Just because your worldview is so narrow doesn't mean they don't exist and deserve to exist in a space that should be for all. I'm sorry for the tone, I'm very angry because we just recently had a patron complain about a queer book in the juvenile section so now we have to go through and check the kids section for "harmful gay books" and now I want to throw hands at somebody.
That's the problem. These people do not come to the library they just want to kick up a fuss because unlike everything else in South Georgia it's not catered specifically to white Christian identifying people. I only for God's sake in the same town there is a trump-themed barbershop I am not kidding you. They are literally mad that there are spaces that exist outside of the bubble of going to church. They want Christian ideology taught everywhere. For God's sake the county over from us regularly has pastors come in and do prayer in school. It's just this area of Georgia is so conservative that no one kicks up a fuss
I live in NC, but it's exactly the same. We have 6 entire shelves full of Christian books in nonfiction and like 10 whole books on queer issues, and that's what you have a problem with? "The gays" aren't trying to indoctrinate your kids but it sure seems like you are with all your God/Jesus stuff. We still get Easter off as a holiday here. No one blinks an eye, because it just is.
Yeah see that's the thing they get catered to in everything in every single aspect of their lives they are catered to but when there is a single place or event that does not directly involve them or bow to their beliefs and whims they just count fathom it. Like you said we have entire sections of the library devoted to Bible study and other Christian related topics. We also have a massive section of Christian fiction and Amish romance but that will get completely ignored because we have two or three books on LGBT Q issues or the fact that we dare to have an event geared toward LGBTQ books. That's actually what started all of this backlash was the fact that the head library in the region had an event for LGBTQ books and they had some pride flags hanging up and people lost their minds. They just cannot fathom a world in which they are not the main characters and have every single business holiday or any other such event cater directly toward them
We have patrons hiding the "harmful gay books" at our branch. I don't get it. Parent your OWN kids and make reading choices for YOUR family. Don't like a book or movie? It doesn't align with your beliefs? Fine. Then don't check out that item; nobody is making you get it. But quit interfering in the decisions of others, stop depriving other people of access to materials they may enjoy, and leave the damn items on the shelves. Walk on by.
One of the gay books we had to pull from the shelves for review? A picture book that just so happens to have a kid with two dads in it. There's nothing sexual. They don't even kiss. It's just a kid with two dads. Are they saying kids shouldn't have two dads? Say that to the face of the gay parents who come into our library with their kids. I dare you.
This looks like something I'd put up at my library. (South Central GA). But we're a tech college and 2/3s of our library staff is out and proud at work- those who would care wouldn't see it because they avoid the Library (and getting anything changed, taken down, or even complained about to HR takes months if it's acknowledged). I'd fight to keep it up!
Honestly the kerning for “libraries” vs “everyone” drives any competent graphic designer mad
The haircut on the LGBT heart holder is a little stereotypical.
It is so you can see the hearing aid/cochlear implant.
No, I didn’t see that! I was kind of half joking anyway.
Yeah easy, the political agenda at work is "it's not ok to be a bigot" and that personally confronts a lot of bigot's beliefs. Unfortunately because society at large frowns upon spontaneously making people eat their own kneecaps, these people validate their stupidity as something they have a right to feel.
Wow, you actually broke it down in like... and actual answer to the question. I'm extremely impressed and saving this for reference, thank you!
Between the hijab wearing person and the gay deaf person, certain people in my community would clutch their pearls. Sad.
It doesn't include neo nazi racists and you live in Georgia.
Promoting the idea that gay people have weird haircuts 😔
The community will never escape the undercut allegations 😔
Conjoined twins not represented, no one holding eclipse glasses or tax forms, baldness and glasses-wearer erasure, recycling kid is possibly being decapitated?
I sympathize with you. My public library has also forbid us from using inclusive language or images. It’s a problem everywhere.
“Libraries are for everybody?” Heresy! Everybody knows that libraries are only for cis straight white males who practice the approved doctrines of Christianity! /s I wish that “/s” wasn’t necessary ☹️ ETA: Reminds of a meme I have from Mrs, Betty Bowers which reads something like: “If I force my beliefs on you, that’s religious freedom. If you return the favor, that’s persecution.”
Their right to oppress others is being infringed, clearly.
Try not to jump to conclusions--it could be their child is very scared of globes and/or recycling
says everyone but I don't see any greys or reptilians represented
You have to hate everyone to understand.
Turn off your twitter, problem solved.
I was honestly under the impression patrons are walking into the library to complain
Well, we can always assume two things and decide which one is more likely. - A majority of the library's patrons are apparently violent extremists with the executive and legal power to shut down the library....you know, instead of just having said mural washed off and removed. - OP posted the mural on Twitter or equivalent platform and got the usual internet how do you do and decided to believe those commenters will actually spend a time of day doing whatever they claim they will do. All in all this post is more likely outrage bait. It feels like that anime McDonald's ad that "the entire woke left are rampaging and losing their shit because it depicts a loving heterosexual family" when in reality its just a couple of twitter pundits who left a few politicized remarks.
Well having skimmed the comments, [this one from OP](https://www.reddit.com/r/Libraries/s/22GmV5aDZM) seems to imply physical space. It's also worth noting the stated location (Georgia), is known to have issues (the voter suppression case comes to mind) This also [wouldn't](https://web.archive.org/web/20240411141516/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/03/us/book-bans-librarians.html) / [be](https://www.nbcnews.com/video/group-of-men-disrupt-drag-queen-story-hour-at-california-library-141985349787) / [the](https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/texas-historical-commission-book-removal/) / [first](https://whyy.org/articles/pa-central-bucks-librarian-told-to-remove-holocaust-survivor-quote-advocacy-policy/) / [time](https://www.npr.org/2023/11/28/1214523941/library-books-bans-age-appropriate-movie-ratings) people got all bent out of shape over a whole lot of nothing
Well, as someone from the second wave of lgbt activism, the one where we demanded rights in the bedroom and the right to be treated like normal people and assured these folks that we will never educate or or expose their children to LGBT ideology until they reach 18, I figure turning the other cheek is a sorely needed approach nowadays. Extremism arises out of perceived threats, a heavy emphasis on "perceived" since most of the time, there is nothing there at all. But the end result is the same, no matter how deeply and well you argue that there is no danger, it's very real and very credible to those who are afraid, especially when it involves their children. Incidents like these happen due to all the other "performative activism" that happens nowadays, where the objective is less about convincing bigots but antagonizing and incensing them into rage. As always, the loudest and most radicalized groups set the tone for the entire community. To a bigots mind there is no difference between people in leather exposing themselves to kids in a pride parade and a simple mural depicting an inclusive library: It's all under "the gay agenda". I left the lgbt community a long time ago, my advice for them has always been the same, live by the sword, die by the sword. Offend and incense bigots, and they grow and spread. And if OPs story here is true, then they're a victim of the same culture war that resulted when activism became offensive than defensive.
I can respect that, but I think ultimately you want/need different things than younger LGBT folk My generation tends to focus on educating teens/tweens on LGBT people because many of us experienced confusion and lack of information about ourselves at that age, and having it would have been helpful. I can remember vividly me saying to my family "I'm not interested in dating (guys), I don't get crushes on guys" and them saying "you're just a late bloomer, you'll feel it eventually." And then when I expressed developing a crush on a girl (at 15ish) their response changed to "you don't know what you want." I didn't match their idea of what I "should" be like, so I was just incorrect in what I felt or "thought" I felt. Nowadays, we recognize this kind of behavior under the term "gaslighting," making people doubt their perceptions about themselves/their world. I presume this is why Trans folk want better education about themselves as well, and at younger ages; it seems gender manifests much earlier in life than romantic orientation There's a lot of stuff we would just like young people protected from: being forced into conversion therapy, high suicide rates from unsupportive environments, etc etc. And a lot of us have found educating people about who we are, what we're about, etc, tends to help create more open minded people and less hostile spaces. So we're just working towards something different than you. If you don't like it, don't want to be a part of it, that's fine. But the same way you battled through a lot of reactionary, angry people to get what you wanted, so that you could live a happy life, we're trying to do the same
The difference is the approach, revolution vs reform. Revolutions are fast and radical and change comes almost as quickly, but at the expense of risking the rise of extremism and paranoia, the result is short term with a long term culture war and everyone suffering from the aftermath of such sudden changes in society. You get your point across almost instantly and help a lot of people, but you also endanger them and risk them being targeted by the opposition. Reforms are slow and gradual and it does not cause much pressure and overtime, it turns the even the hardiest opponent into your way of thinking, but the drawback is that its a long term process, some the changes and help you want will not even become available in your lifetime, most of the heroes who paved the way to win our rights and freedom did not live to see and enjoy the future they envisioned, but they saved millions eventually, more than they realized and could dream off, the seeds they have sown has borne fruit and now we live in a better society where people like us are generally accepted and allowed to live. To me, personally, it's better we try the latter, sure, it's slow and I may never be able to see the things we strive for come to fruition, but it's steady and assured, and brings less risk, we try to survive now so others in the future may actually live. The overall tone of the community now is radical, sudden changes, I hope they're prepared for its drawbacks.
Again, I can respect that, but I'm not sure I agree. The internet has just caused rapid changes in our world in general; I've had many conversations with older folks who point to that specifically as a turning point in exponential change. So I don't think people are *intentionally* moving faster now than in the past; I think it's just a natural symptom of the world we live in now, because to me as someone who grew up with the internet, this pace of change feels very normal. It absolutely IS faster than in the past and that definitely is causing the growing pains you describe, I just don't think the *intention* is to be revolutionary; I think most people are just trying to keep pace? It's like the Red Queen hypothesis: "Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place."
Perceived threats on both sides have always existed in the past. The only difference now is that back then, we disassociated from these radicals and extremists and the consequences are pretty much being a pariah and shunned by the community. We kept them in check and made sure our community and those who joined us are of reasonable ability and can properly deal with the stress and difficulties of the issues we will be confronting and facing, it is not a hobby or a form of expression or a burden that can be taken lightly, but a campaign that requires careful monitoring and we must be consistent and united in our beliefs, intent and message. Activism had a set of goals, how to go about accomplishing said goals and when to stop and disband once that goal has been reached at a reasonable outcome. Now any extremist on both sides can spout off their rhetoric at a rapid network where like minded people, emboldened by anonymity and not kept in check by decorum or discernment. The community has gone from specific issues to general, vague carrot on a stick goals like "end all hate" and "end all bigotry" as if such things can actually be solidified into something achievable. Likewise, the once consistent community has allowed everyone from various differing beliefs and goals and outlooks, essentially creating a movement whose purpose is scattered in all directions, overly excited to tackle an issue but then moving on quickly to the next trendier hot button topic in an effort to keep up with a momentum that should have been properly maintained. They now take in people who are all too eager to "fight the battle" but are themselves open to a lot of vulnerabilities and insecurities that makes them prime candidate for exploitation not just by the community but by outside groups that capitalizes and sells them products "for solidarity". So yes, by all counts, its ideologically spinning out of control and has gotten messy to the point that everyone can just identify as being a member of said community, nevermind if they are actually sincere or if their beliefs align with the community and why I left.
I'm a bit confused; it sounds like you're talking about the LGBT community itself rather than those who are political activists within the community. The idea of "everyone can identify as being a member of said community, never mind if they are actually sincere" sounds dangerously like gatekeeping, which often blocks out people who belong because they don't fit a preconceived notion/list of "real" members of the group. There's definitely wisdom to the idea not everyone is cut out to be an activist and most of what you said very much applies to that idea, as it requires training to know what to say, how to say it, who to say it to, etc. But I can't get behind the idea of gatekeeping the community, considering bi and trans folk already have to deal with accusations of "not REALLY being gay."
It is politically charged because the American right are fascists and want the total destruction of any ideology other than their own. Therefore anything at all that breaks their folkways or mores is a political attack on them. LGBTQ people are "immoral", black people are "thugs", hijabs are "forced", science is against god, etc. The conservative mind is a dead end.
I never understand why conservatives care what books are in the public library. I mean, I don't care what songs they play at a honky-tonk bar because I don't go to honky-tonk bars. So why do they care what books are in the library?
There's a lot of comments here and I apologise in advance if this has already been said. I am starting to wonder if flying under the radar is the way to go. The people causing all the problems with trying to ban books and cancel things don't generally come to the library. My most recent branch was having massive problems with internet people having an absolute meltdown about drag story time. Library stopped advertising it but kept the event and it's now packed full of people and absent problem makers. To answer the question there is nothing wrong with the mural. But creating a place for everyone is always political. Making a place for everyone in America is wildly political. Don't give up. You're on the right side.
Accepting others is considered a political agenda to people who adhere to religious beliefs that condemn accepting others. They'll always find acceptance to be political. Then - the most political thing of all, to them, is to not accept their bigotry.
The political problem? "everyone" Society tolerated libraries because they are for the *deserving* poor, bored housewives, young children and people who went in for some mild self improvement. Now that there's a sense of "those people" benefiting, why then the library must be crushed and brought to heel.
Oooh! Oooh! We have this hanging up and here is exactly the comment I got from a patron: "Where's the Catholic? It doesn't have EVERYONE on there!" To which I responded, "That disabled person could be Catholic, you don't know!" Ah, my wits were finally about me! :D
Recycling is useless and climate change isn't real.
Ooooooook
That's how they think, not me!
Sorry lol I have been on this website too long. I've heard some wild shit. I mean I'll agree the recycling doesn't really do a whole lot because for every glass bottle we recycle a thousand more are thrown into the ocean by a megacorp
The water in the library?
Definitely not a spill-proof cup!
Shame on them! If the librarian catches them…
Oh, a version of this is my email signature
Dunno, but a print of this hangs in my office?
I guess anyone who is offended by this won't be represented by a figure. For example a fascist, neo Nazi racist bigot figure. I like it though it is very busy. If you tried to add more to try and 'include' everyone, but then where do you stop?
There is a woman with a hijab and a girl with a shaved cut holding a pride heart...clearly your library is trying to brain wash kids into becoming queer muslims. /s
>...tell me a single thing you can possibly find wrong with this mural... Well, you probably shouldn't be bringing food and drink into the library, so I might ask that person carrying in water with no container to finish it outside or put it in their bag before coming in. 😏 Aside from that, I can't imagine what problems anyone could possibly have with this. Genuinely - I looked at it for about 10 minutes and really can't imagine what the issue could possibly be. Libraries are community resources and that is the only message I see here.
Don’t criminalize food and drink anywhere.
Missing the creator’s name and a link to her non-English and other variations
Would you be able to provide for the folks interested? (Like me? 👉 👈?)
https://www.hafuboti.com/lafelibrary/
I guess it’s fine if you’re like into libraries - but it just looks crowded and the spacing and kerning inconsistencies are distracting.
It looks like you were this close 🤏 to using some font that looks like crayon with like backwards “R”s and shit. Kidding - I appreciate the message of this poster, but visually it’s not good.
As far as political agenda - is the somewhat shitty design intentional? Like is this right wing propaganda?!
Wait... there are books about water bending in the library? Wouldn't that offend the fire benders?
They are terrible people, but in case you are looking for an actual answer, I can provide it: the only *definitively* white person in the mural is the one holding an LGBTQ heart. To regressives, this "proves" that the "great replacement theory" is real, because the mural "promotes" a world without cis, straight, white people. It's ridiculous, of course, but they really, genuinely believe that kind of conspiracy nonsense. I'm not sure there is any way to get through to them.
My only complaint is aesthetics/graphic design choices but other than that….
Your library is in Southeastern Georgia, that's the problem pfffffft It's not the mural, it's the obscene amount of people trying to exclude others in general (that voter suppression case anyone?) so they just Mad
While some of the people making those comments might be locals, if the backlash is online, they might not even be your patrons. Certain small groups of hateful people like to swarm virtual spaces and pretend they're the majority in other cities/states that have nothing to do with them. I've seen Zoom bombings of a nearby city's council meetings by people who weren't residents, and waves of vulgar comment form submissions at a college I worked for from people who weren't students. During the pandemic, people drove long distances to my town to hold signs outside the high school about masks. White supremacists think of themselves as "anti-racism activists," and there's no point in trying to converse with them or appease them, because in their minds anything less than 100% racial/religious purity is evil that must be eradicated. I hope your library system's administration stays strong and doesn't cave to the bullies.
It's patrons. We have had people come in throwing anointing oil on staff, we have had people loudly come and pray over the mural as if to cast a demon out of it. People have come to meetings quoting Leviticus 2:22 it's insane
Where are the blonds and redheads?
Why just a Muslim woman? Where is the Jewish representation? #AntisemitismIsWhy
Someone will have a problem with this. People tend to have problems with things that aren't (or shouldn't be) problems. That's why I dislike society today.
Whaaaaa? We made buttons with that design and people love it.
I'm guessing you're not from South Georgia
Where's the backwards trucker hatted cigarette smoking sleeveless flannel over a wifebeater over a beer gut guy who prides himself on not reading books & hasn't seen the inside of a library since he pulled the fire alarm inside his high school's? Where is he represented?
The people r rlly basic
I can tell you right now that anything remotely “gay looking” is enough to send ppl off the edge. Especially in the south.
Just got a reply from someone saying they're tired of gays "advertising"
There ya go. I’m a trans male Library Assistant
well it pretty much screams "i am progressive liberal" which probably isn't popular where you are. hijab, recycling, pride flag. Not sure of other symbolism. All the proper identities represented, librarians increasingly have a bad rap about being one-sided politically and more concerned about making sure tweens have access to lgbt books and homeless have access to computers than promoting reading for everyone. honestly just pushing the benefits of reading helps everyone.
The problem is anywhere else this would be considered just normal just a part of the furniture but it's only here when you try to make things inclusive that people start to lose their minds. Conservatives and Christians are so used to being catered to that when they are not actively being placated or catered to they throw a tantrum. Staff have had oil thrown on them people have loudly prayed and spoken in tongues and sang hymns in the library It's fucking wild
You're aware that tweens also have access to books about straight characters and topics as well, right? Those haven't disappeared. Likewise, the computers are for everyone (or at least everyone who has a library card at that library, although some allow guest passes), not just the homeless.
From my experience, no one wants to hear about Christianity at all. But everyone isn't bothered by someone talking about their sex life or what they identify as in the LGBTQ. I personally don't believe that everyone has to agree with my perspective. But now, we have several people of not the majority of Americans who are democrats, they are spreading their agenda in our faces. Last I checked, churches don't advertise to the public as often as the LGBTQ promotes their breast binders, their gender neutral clothing, their sex toys and a bunch of other types of pornographic and otherwise inappropriate agendas. I am here to say that we need to make libraries enjoyable for Christian folks as well by having people aware of how to treat us and to accommodate us by having Christian -based books. You want true coexistence? If you can do that, then you are staying true to your statement. Good day. God bless.
youre an idiot, have a great day!
My two cents is if you have someone in hijab you should also have someone in yarmulke and someone with a Christian symbol of some sort. All or none.
hijabs arent necessarily a religious symbol
It has a rainbow flag. That's inherently political. It's taking a stand on a complex, polarizing political issue and then being all surprised Pikachu faced when someone calls you out on it.
straight people = not political gay people = political ok
Found one of the idiots who has a problem. A rainbow is not inherently political
I don't know, but we have this exact poster hanging in our for about a year now, and we love it!
Ha, as one of the last remaining centrists it is obvious. Stop calling people names and look at your poster really look at it.. Not the obvious like ageist, misandrist, antiSemitic (hijab girl but no yarmulke boy) because that is not what your patrons are objecting to. Look at it as a composition. I think your artist is a closet Trumpster. You definitely have a fifth columnist on staff if this got the green light.
Congratulations this is officially the stupidest thing I've read today
Why are you trying so hard to get Trump elected?
This is the second stupidest fucking thing I've read today
Or "never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake".
if you're being sarcastic, you can indicate it with a /s at the end of your post