Writers Pull Out Of NLB-Linked Events In Protest

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

Source: TR EMERITUS

Writers pull out of NLB-linked events in protest
July 13th, 2014 | Author: Editorial


Dr Yaacob (Photo Source CNA)

Five writers have announced that they are pulling out of activities involving the National Library Board (NLB) to protest against the recent removal of 3 children’s books from public libraries.

On Friday (11 Jul), 4 writers cancelled their panel ‘Humour Is Serious Business’ slated to be held at the Central Public Library today (13 Jul):

• Dr Gwee Li Sui
• Adrian Tan
• Prem Anand
• Felix Cheong

In addition, Dr Gwee declined to be a keynote speaker at the National Schools Literature Festival yesterday (12 Jul), an event sponsored by NLB.

Playwright and novelist Ovidia Yu also resigned from the steering committee of the Singapore Writers Festival, an annual literary festival from 31 Oct to 9 Nov, sponsored by NLB.

The writers are against NLB’s decision to remove three books said to contain homosexual content by some readers.

The 3 books in question are:

• The White Swan Express – A Story About Adoption, featuring a lesbian couple among others
• Who’s In My Family? – All About Our Families, which features various family structures
• And Tango Makes Three – based on the true story of two male penguins which hatched an egg in a New York zoo

NLB said these books were removed after some readers had complained.

“NLB asked us to talk about humour. But we didn’t find it amusing at all that NLB would spend Read! Singapore, our national reading month, preventing Singaporeans from reading books,” said novelist Adrian Tan.

Writer Felix Cheong said, “I’ve always obliged because they (NLB) are promoting books but this is very anti-book, which is why I’m so upset and angry.”

“This is my first time taking this kind of drastic action,” he added. “As a father, I use books as an opportunity to open discussion of difficult topics, not close them.”

Dr Gwee asked, “How can I encourage students to love and explore creativity in words when a partner (NLB) of this event (National Schools Literature Festival) is callously damaging creative efforts and exploration?”

Poet, Cyril Wong, said that he would stop working with governmental organisations from next year. He said, “If my reason for writing is to be heard, then that’s not true any more in the Singapore context. If they can pulp a cartoon book for children, then nothing has changed.”

Meanwhile, Minister Yaacob wrote on his Facebook page on Friday [Link] explaining the Government’s position on the matter:

I refer to NLB’s statement, “NLB Takes a Cautious Approach in Selecting Books for Children”.

https://www.facebook.com/nlbsg/posts/10152225024695924

The withdrawal of the three children’s titles from our public libraries has sparked much discussion online and in the media. Those who object to NLB’s decision and those who support it are equally vocal and energetic in their views.

This is not the first, nor will it be the last time that public institutions like NLB find themselves facing such a controversy. I wish to explain the Government’s approach, in the hope that this will help all sides understand what the withdrawal is about – and what it is not about.

Firstly, the withdrawal was not based on a single complaint, without an attempt to assess the merits of the complaint. NLB has a process where its officers carefully consider such feedback, before making a decision.

Secondly, this is a decision only with respect to the children’s section in the public libraries. NLB is not deciding what books children can or cannot read. That decision remains with the parents, as it always has been. People can buy these titles for their children if they wish. Rather, NLB has to decide what books should be made readily available to children, who are sometimes unsupervised, in the children’s section of our public libraries. For the adult sections of the library, the guidelines for what is suitable are much wider, and a much wider range of titles are on the shelves.

Thirdly, NLB’s decision was guided by community norms. Public libraries serve the community and it is right that they give consideration to community norms. 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. This approach is shared between all public agencies dealing with the education and care of young Singaporeans.

Like in other societies, there is considerable effort by some in Singapore to shift these norms, and equally strong pushback by those who don’t wish to see change. 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.

End of article

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