A Republican candidate for Missouri secretary of state is sparking controversy after burning a Quebec children’s book dealing with issues related to sexuality with a flamethrower. Stunned, the author of the work does not hide the fact that such speeches make her “really afraid” for the future.
In a video broadcast on the social network She then takes up the slogan “MAGA” (Make America Great Again), popularized by Donald Trump.
We can see in the video that the book in question is titled NakedEnglish translation of the Quebec book All naked!, published in March 2019 by Cardinal. The work, designed as a dictionary on sexuality, is aimed at young people and adolescents. In Quebec, the work won the Children’s Book Prize from Bibliothèques de Montréal in 2020. The translation can be found in libraries and bookstores in the United States.
Written by Myriam Daguzan Bernier and illustrated by Cécile Gariépy, this 150-word directory directly or indirectly addresses concepts such as abortion, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), masturbation, fatphobia, body image and even gendered marketing.
Several other questions such as discovery, self-acceptance and sexual pleasure are also addressed, reported an interview with The Press with the author.
“It really scares me”
The author Myriam Daguzan Bernier does not hide the fact that she is stunned by this affair. “It really scares me, because there is no intelligence behind it. It’s just fear. It can’t give good results, all that,” she confided. Above all, she said she was upset by the fact that young members of the LGBTQ+ community “will probably see this video”.
My book was written to make these young people feel accepted. That makes me sick. Every move like this is another target placed on their backs. This is incomprehension and bad faith.
Myriam Daguzan Bernier, author
Already, when the book was published, “there were people who called me a child abuser on social networks,” she confides. “We knew what it was going to cause […]but I would never expect my book to be burned,” adds the professional sexologist.
“All my colleagues are stunned today. And above all, everyone is wondering how far it will go. The arrival of [Donald] Trump has caused enormous harm to trans and non-binary people. And we all have fears, as he has a good chance of being re-elected,” adds the author.
The one who signs the preface of the work, the Dr Réjean Thomas said he hoped when it was published that this dictionary would offer “young people the opportunity to build themselves, without prejudice, with respect and dignity, and to actively contribute to the development of their society”.
A mention entered, then removed
Many Internet users did not fail to denounce the situation. “Go ahead and name a time in history when the people who burned books were the good guys,” one illustrated. “Burning books is bad. Burning any book is wrong,” said another, followed by others.
The social network initially restricted the visibility of the said publication, specifying that it “could violate the rules against hateful conduct”. However, this mention was later withdrawn; Mme Gomez also thanked the boss of X, Elon Musk, “for protecting freedom of expression”.
In an email sent to the American media NBC on Wednesday, the candidate’s campaign director, Maicoll Gomez, argued that it is necessary at all costs to stop “putting books on sexualization, indoctrination in libraries and manipulation of children. The latter “must learn mathematics, sciences, develop their relational skills, get in shape, while protecting their innocence,” he persisted.
This isn’t the first time book burnings have attracted attention in the state of Missouri. Last September, Senator Bill Eigel declared after the broadcast of a video showing him burning cardboard boxes that he would not hesitate to burn books that he found pernicious. “However, I would like to emphasize that I do not believe we will get to that point,” noted Mr. Eigel.