Rest assured, erotica lovers, the Toronto Public Library will not be reconsidering its collection of sexy literature, and there are still more than 250 copies of 50 Shades of Grey available (although the majority are currently out on loan).
For a brief moment last year the genre faced a dilemma when one of its lesser-known works, the anthology Hard and Fast, was labelled as pornography by someone who wanted all seven copies removed from the library.
The complaint was one of four “requests for reconsideration” submitted to the library in 2012. Most complaints are due to factual errors in books, said Vickery Bowles, director of collections management and city-wide services. A rare few address perceived moral failings or inappropriate themes.
Hard and Fast, a collection of explicit, gay romance stories from author Sean Wolfe featuring two shirtless men kissing on the cover, was criticized for its sexual content.
Someone wanted The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) removed for distorting Islam and promoting Islamophobia.
The 1979 film Woyzeck, directed by Werner Herzog, was denounced for promoting violence against women because its cover image is a man stabbing a woman (although the library notes that the story itself actually condemns violence).
And someone found the U.S.-made educational film Date Rape: A Violation of Trust to be racist and wanted it removed.
Only the latter was axed, according to the 2012 annual report from the Materials Review Committee, which was delivered at Monday night’s board meeting. The committee said the movie is factually flawed — confusing date rape with stranger rape — and that “while well-intentioned, reinforces stereotypes and lacks diversity.”
more
Toronto library takes anti-date-rape video off shelf after complaints | Toronto Star
For a brief moment last year the genre faced a dilemma when one of its lesser-known works, the anthology Hard and Fast, was labelled as pornography by someone who wanted all seven copies removed from the library.
The complaint was one of four “requests for reconsideration” submitted to the library in 2012. Most complaints are due to factual errors in books, said Vickery Bowles, director of collections management and city-wide services. A rare few address perceived moral failings or inappropriate themes.
Hard and Fast, a collection of explicit, gay romance stories from author Sean Wolfe featuring two shirtless men kissing on the cover, was criticized for its sexual content.
Someone wanted The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) removed for distorting Islam and promoting Islamophobia.
The 1979 film Woyzeck, directed by Werner Herzog, was denounced for promoting violence against women because its cover image is a man stabbing a woman (although the library notes that the story itself actually condemns violence).
And someone found the U.S.-made educational film Date Rape: A Violation of Trust to be racist and wanted it removed.
Only the latter was axed, according to the 2012 annual report from the Materials Review Committee, which was delivered at Monday night’s board meeting. The committee said the movie is factually flawed — confusing date rape with stranger rape — and that “while well-intentioned, reinforces stereotypes and lacks diversity.”
more
Toronto library takes anti-date-rape video off shelf after complaints | Toronto Star
