Libraries won’t pull ‘transphobic’ books

Both books examine the notion of rapid-onset gender dysphoria, a term coined by an American professor in 2016 to describe an alleged epidemic of youth coming out as trans due to social contagion and mental illness.

Em, a transgender, non-binary Aucklander, said they had emailed Auckland Libraries with concerns after noticing the books were available to borrow at several locations.

‘‘They refused to remove it . . . citing freedom of access to information. I think it’s reprehensible Auckland Libraries are providing access to hate speech while hiding under the cover of free speech.’’

The books had the potential to cause real harm, Em said, particularly to vulnerable young transgender, non-binary and takata¯ pui rangatahi.

‘‘Shrier’s book encourages parents to reject their children’s gender identities, which could cause significant psychological harm. Trans youth are already at high risk of suicide and mental illness – this book furthers the potential for harm, and Aucklanders’ rates should not be used to promote the denial of vital genderaffirming healthcare.’’

Auckland Council head of content and discovery Catherine Leonard said she understood the concerns the community had, but the books would not be withdrawn.

‘‘In line with the Auckland Libraries collection development policy, we have no plans to withdraw these titles. As a very large public library, we retain titles for a variety of reasons and our role is not to censor or limit what people may choose to read.’’