Singapore Destroying Gay-Themed Children’s Books Removed From Public Libraries

147 — "And Tango Makes Three,” a tale that was inspired by the real-life story of two male penguins raising a baby chick at a New York, is just one of the three children's books that was pulled from the shelves of state-run libraries in Singapore. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

The National Library Board of Singapore has pulled three gay-themed children’s books from public libraries, saying they violate family values.

"And Tango Makes Three,” "The White Swan Express: A Story About Adoption" and "Who's In My Family: All About Our Families," have been pulled from the shelves of 26 public libraries, the Associated Press reported. The board said it plans to “pulp” the books after receiving complaints about their content.

"The prevailing norms, which the overwhelming majority of Singaporeans accept, support teaching children about conventional families, but not about alternative, non-traditional families, which is what the books in question are about," Minister of Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim said Friday.

"Societies are never static, and will change over time. But NLB's approach is to reflect existing social norms, and not to challenge or seek to change them," Ibrahim continued.

Gay rights remain a sensitive issue in Singapore, with several conservative politicians and religious figures speaking out against same-sex rights.

Record numbers turned out for Singapore’s recent Pink Dot gay rights rally, the BBC reported. The event was protested by both Muslim and Christian groups.

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