A children’s book at the centre of a controversial decision by a Western Sydney council to remove same-sex parenting literature from libraries is part of a series designed to help children navigate the “difficult realities in today’s world”.

Same-Sex Parents by Holly Duhig has been removed from libraries run by Cumberland City Council following a heated council vote last week.

A slim majority of councillors voted for the book ban after the motion was brought by former mayor, Councillor Steve Christou, who told the council meeting he had been contacted by “distraught local parents” who found a book on same-sex parenting in the “toddler section”.

What is the book about?

The book, published in 2018, is part of a series which tackles topics and situations that can be challenging for children, including step parenting, death and bullying.

A version of the book remains publicly available at other public libraries in Sydney.

It is recommended for children aged five to seven.

The book explains that there are “many different types of family” and canvases topics including how some children in the book refer to their parents and surrogacy in general terms.

One chapter says “people may be unkind” if you are a child in a same-sex family. 

“Most people are very supportive of same-sex families,” it says. 

“A small number of people might treat people from same-sex families unfairly. This is not OK. All loving families are good.

“Remember, as long as you are happy, it doesn’t matter what other people think.”

Cumberland Mayor Lisa Lake said the content of the book, as with others in the series, was “age appropriate” and did not include any sexual content.

There is currently a process underway to determine how many books will be banned to meet the requirements of the controversial resolution.

Ban equated to ‘book burning’ 

Cr Christou, who moved the amendment to ban children’s books on same-sex parenting and families in its eight public libraries, said it was inappropriate in the “very religious” “very family-orientated community”.

“Our kids shouldn’t be sexualised, it’s that simple, what would a two-, three-, four-year-old know about that? A parent is a parent, why do we have to ingrain that?” he said.

“This community is a very religious community, a very family-orientated community.”

The other councillors who voted in favour of the motion declined to speak to the ABC but Cr Mohamad Hussein said he backed the move because it was “in line with my religious beliefs”.

The state government has indicated the council may face financial consequences, including the loss of state funding for the libraries.

In a letter to the Cumberland City Council, Arts Minister John Graham advised that the resolution contravened the Library Council of NSW Guideline on Freedom of Access of Information, which is issued under the Library Act 1939.

Excluding books or materials based on the views of councillors “amounts to a denial of access”, Mr Graham said. 

Cr Lake said council was evaluating any other risks the ban presented, including any breach to anti-discrimination legislation.

She said she will seek to have the ban reviewed by councillors, saying the she has received “countless” emails expressing “disappointment” about the ban.

“I think it’s a serious issue about censorship,” she said.

Mr Graham said it should be for readers to decide what book they select from the shelves. 

“When civilisations turn to book burning books or banning books it is a very bad sign,” he said.

“That is equally true for local councils.”

Councillor Diane Colman condemned the move as “book burning”.

“It’s a sweet little book that is written specifically for children who have same-sex parents, so that they know that their parents are OK, that their family’s OK,” she said.

Earlier this year, Cumberland City Council passed a motion to ban drag queen “story time” events, where drag queens read books to children, at its facilities.

Hundreds of locals attended the meeting in support of the ban.