Diversity of the World for Children - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages Gay marriage is often discussed by contemporaries. Whether homosexuality is a sexual or psychological deviance or is it a norm, should it be public or not and many other issues are high on the agenda nowadays. The children’s literature is another sphere, which is properly considered in the modern world as a really important phenomenon of the modern life. In the book “Daddy’s Roommate” by Willhoite (1990) these issues are correlated. Whether children literature should illustrate phenomenon of homosexuality or not is argued further on. Thesis: In spite of different stereotypes, gay relationships are present in the modern world and there is no need to avoid this demonstration of the world’s diversity. It is better to position gay relationships as another kind of love, which is the way to happiness, as the author of the book claims.
Summary The book “Daddy’s Roommate” by Willhoite shows to the modern readers a challenging problem of living in family of two gays. Basically, homosexual parents do not differ from heterosexual parents. There is a strong emotional bound between two parents and a boy. They go shopping, gardening, making trips to the zoo. There are affectionate relationships between these two parents and boy is growing up surrounded with a great care and tolerance. There is a friendly atmosphere in their family. For this small boy being gay is just another kind of love. It is not a socially perverted representation of love it does not violate moral norms and it is not against social stereotypes. Analysis There are equal incongruities between gay couples and heterosexual couples: the author presents that there are even fights between two gay parents (Willhoite 1990, pp.8-12), but it is possible to underline that heterosexual couples are often quarrel and even fight. Moreover, the book does not promote gay love, it tells about gay love as about another kind of love. There is a story about two adult men, who are gay. They are not young and their relationship is stable. There is a tendency to establish short-term love relationship among heterosexual young people, as well as among homosexual young people. The point of the book is different. It informs about gay relationships, it neither criticizes nor promotes it. Gay relationship is shown as is. The book shows that in the course of time there is a natural necessity to appreciate the beloved person and there is a need to contribute much into the development of mutual happiness. Gay family is positioned as a final point of two lonely hearts’ wanderings. Both men are pacified and put their mutual efforts into social development, social activity etc. The ban In spite of criticism against the book, there are also proponents of the book and they argue against the book’s ban. On January 20, 1998, the Hays (Kansas) public library board showed antagonistic moods against the book’s ban. Their main claim coincided with the main claim of a small boy, the main character of the book. This book was another depiction of love and a homosexual life style did not differ much from life style of other couples. In accordance with the moods of the Library Director Melanie Miller: “I do not believe in restricting access to those child library patrons who would benefit from the book because there are parents who do not believe that their children should have access to the material” (Nava and Dawidoff 1995, p. 34). Another claim is made by the Brevard County (Florida) Library Board, which removed the book from the library shelves. The members of the Christian Coalition made an emphasis on the absence of necessity to leave the book in the library. As a result, de facto censorship was criticized by the readers. There is an evident struggle against the book and in 1999 the Nampa (Idaho) Library Board decided to leave Daddy’s Roommate and Heather Has Two Mommies in the juvenile nonfiction section. The staff of the library claims that there is no book, which would be acclaimed by all parents to the ...Download file to see next pagesRead More