Heather Has Two Mommies

Medium: Literature

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Artist: Leslea Neuman

Confronting Bodies: Mercer County Library

Dates of Action:1993

Location: Lawrence, New Jersey

Description of Artwork: A children's book about gay parenting.

The Incident: Lawrence resident Keith Smith complained about the book as well as about another book Daddy's Roommate to the Mercer County Library Commission and by writing to County Executive Robert Prunetti. His complaints eventually prompted the library commission to move the books out of the children's section and into the parenting section. Smith is treasurer of the Lawrence Republican Club, but Prunetti said politics was not involved. "A lot of people are affiliated with Democrats or Republicans," he said. " What difference does it make?" Either way, the move angered librarians and many parents. In March, a library system review committee had recommended that the books remain in the children's section. That decision was reversed by the commission after Prunetti said he simply passed the missive on to the county counsel, who advised the commission to review Smith's complaint.

Results of Incident: The books remain in the parenting section of the library.

Source: Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association