Yass Valley councillor puts forward motion to remove ‘Welcome to Sex’ book from public library
A regional NSW councillor near Canberra has called for her local public library to remove a controversial sexual education book she claims showcases sexual acts as “circus tricks”.
Canberra Star
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A regional NSW councillor has lost her motion to remove a sexual education book from a local library, claiming it provides advice on a “safe” way to send nudes and showcases sexual acts like “circus tricks”.
Yass Valley Council’s deputy mayor Jasmin Jones proposed the motion at its ordinary meeting on Thursday to remove the controversial book “Welcome to Sex” from the Yass public library and e-book catalogue, due to its “explicit content and inappropriate advice to children”.
The sex education book, authored by Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes, markets itself as a “frank, age-appropriate introductory guide to sex and sexuality for teens of all genders”, according to its sale listing on the Big W website.
It was reported in July Big W stopped selling physical copies in stores due to “incidents of abuse” aimed at staff following the book’s release but continued to sell it online.
Cr Jones said in council documents she was “left disturbed” after reading the book which she states showcases “sexual acts” being “graphically depicted like circus tricks”.
“Knowing that the audience for this book is flagged for as young as 11 by the authors and in theory could be viewed by even younger readers who visit our library,” Cr Jones said in her reasons.
“Of much concern is its specific advice to children regarding ‘safe’ ways to send nude photos (it is illegal to send nude photos of children).
“[And] it’s failure to raise early in the book the issue of the legal age of consent as 16 and 17 depending on which Australian State you are in (page 119).”
Yass Valley Council’s chief executive Chris Berry responded to Cr Jones’ motion and said the book was selected by staff as a bulk book purchases of new releases and followed guidelines issued by the state library to not exercise “any censorship” in the material.
Mr Berry said the state and federal government can restrict or ban books from a public library however “Welcome to Sex” was not affected.
He said library staff expressed their concerns with the text relocated to the nonfiction section for adults and young adults.
At their meeting on Thursday, her motion was voted down, with the book to stay on the shelves.
Co-author Ms Stynes said in a previous Instagram post promoting its release, the book’s purpose was to begin teaching children about sex and consent at a young age to combat the “putrid effects of porn on real-world sex”.
“I like to think of it as a bit like the book L-platers read before hitting the road,” she wrote.
“It is a book for young ones who aren’t necessarily practising any partnered sexual activities but who are curious enough to Google – and whose parents would prefer this early (and influential!) info come from legitimate and researched sources who understand exactly who their audience is — rather than the unbounded limitlessness of the internet.”
According to the Yass Valley Library website, there were three copies of the book in their catalogue with two on loan and another on hold.
Cr Jones and the authors have been contacted for comment.