The author of a widely banned book "This Book Is Gay" told Rolling Stone Magazine on Wednesday that the book is "definitely not pornographic," responding to the book’s critical reception from conservatives and parents around the U.S.
"I definitely don’t think it’s pornographic," Juno Dawson, a U.K.-based author, told Rolling Stone Magazine in a one-on-one interview.
First published in 2014, Dawson’s how-to about gay relationships has become a staple for sex ed classes "This Book Is Gay," a nonfiction book geared toward LGBTQ+ youth, was criticized by many parents for sexually explicit descriptions and diagrams and even promoting the use of hookup apps.
Gay dating app Grindr was reportedly featured in the book, which some have criticized for having a "flimsy" age verification process. Julie Kvedar wrote in the Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal, "As a result of its flimsy age verification process and its indiscriminate marketing, Grindr poses risks to both minors and adults. Minors who sign up for the app risk encountering predatory behavior, while adult users risk inadvertently engaging in criminal activity."
The book says of dating and sex apps, "It is a fact that although grown-up adult types are sometimes looking for a serious relationship, sometimes they are just looking for a spot of sexyfuntime," according to The Florida Standard.
Dawson, whose book was ranked ninth among the most banned books in the U.S. according to Vanderbilt University, makes clear that the book is "not for children."
"We’re all very clear ‘This Book is Gay’ is not for children," Dawson said.
"I would challenge anyone to be titillated or aroused by what is essentially a textbook. What I would say, however, is that it’s thorough. We teach young people who are 11, 12, and 13 years old how babies are made. We teach them about sexual intercourse, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections. And that’s great and we should be doing that. But I also think LGBTQ+ people should be taught about sexual relationships," Dawson said.
Dawson also told Rolling Stone that the book is kept in the young adult section "like a lot of the books that are on those banned book lists."
"But of course, that is the agenda that people like Libs of TikTok push—They’re saying that librarians are giving these books to kids, which is very vague, isn’t it? Because that could mean anything. Throughout the book, there are content warnings and trigger warnings. But of course, that’s not what people do on the internet. They screengrab it out of context. The complaints about this book are not about keeping kids safe. Because if we really wanted to keep kids in the United States safe, we wouldn’t be talking about books. We would be talking about guns."
"This Book Is Gay" has been part of a heated debate around the U.S. regarding controversial books. Education administrators and school boards have implemented book review policies as parents and community members raised the alarm about books being "sexually explicit" and inappropriate for minors.
The Hillsborough County, Florida school board recently decided to ban "This Book Is Gay" from middle school libraries in a 4-3 vote on March 28.
The school board meeting reportedly spiraled into a heated debate about the graphic book.
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The Tampa Bay Times wrote that the meeting over "This Book Is Gay" was a tense political confrontation at times.
"Some saw the nonfiction material as helpful to LGBTQ+ teens seeking direction in life, while others viewed it as dangerous pornography that could damage children’s minds," the outlet reported. "People from both sides accused the other of engaging in ‘political theater.’"
Tampa residents previously raised concern over a sex education curriculum at a school board meeting, claiming it violated state laws.
Fox News' Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
