UNDER ATTACK & FIGHTING BACK

Moves to Strike LGBT-themed Learning is an Act of Hate   

Smithtown Library Mandates Removal of Pride Displays and LGBT Books
NYC Councilwoman Attacks Drag Queen Story Hour 

Take Action NOW!  Be part of the solution!

Virtual Town Hall | Monday, June 27 | 7:00 pm | Register Now

LGBT-themed displays, books, and guest speakers are being gutted from our libraries and schools, as anti-LGBT sentiment is on the rise. And this is not just in Alabama or Florida, it’s right here at home on Long Island and in Queens. We need to speak up and act NOW! We do not have a day to waste.

On Tuesday, June 21, 2022, the Board of Smithtown Library voted to remove all Pride displays as well as all LGBT-related books from all Smithtown Library Children’s sections.  At the same time, NYC Councilwoman Vickie Paladino is attacking NYC-funded ‘Drag Queen Story Hour’ in schools as “degeneracy” and “grooming our children.”  These actions by the Smithtown Library Board and incendiary language from an elected official bring back darker times when these vile behaviors and words led to violence against our community and attempts to erase our existence.

These actions are an attack on the LGBT community, our families, and our youth.  The forced removal of Pride displays, LGBT-themed books, and trying to remove Drag Queen Story Hour is an attempt to make LGBT people invisible and to ignore our existence.  In doing so, these anti-LGBT efforts are attempting to roll-back the advancements we have made for the LGBT community.  Make no mistake about it, this is an act of HATE and is harmful for our LGBTQ youth who struggle to find support and affirmation while they come out.  

This is hate in its rawest form. Removing Pride displays and LGBT-themed books is a step towards making us invisible, and we won’t sit back and let that happen.  We have fought way too long for our proper and rightful visibility and we are not going to be silent – we are going to speak out, speak up, and act. This is a long haul battle for our children’s lives and we will win.

The LGBT Network is launching three initiatives at a virtual Community Town Hall onMonday June 27th at 7pm that will work toward permanently changing the landscape of our schools for our LGBTQ youth and the leadership that makes up our school boards and library trustee seats. We need to do more than rally and scream. We will not waste one more day as lives are at stake. In the end, love always wins and make no mistake, we will win.