Obscenity: It’s perfectly normal

Beautiful and *perfectly normal* image by John Cornicello.

There is no limit to the irony here: Fox News reports (always use the term loosely with Fox, kids) Judge Orders Maine Woman to Return ‘Dangerous’ Library Book. It happens to be one of the best books on talking to kids about sex in the entire world. Snip from Fox:

A judge has ordered JoAn Karkos of Lewiston to turn over by week’s end the borrowed book titled, “It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health.”

After appearing in court Wednesday, Karkos repeated her contention that the book violates the city’s obscenity ordinance, and she said she has no intention of giving up the book.

The book features frank but cartoon-like illustrations on topics that include abstinence, masturbation and sexually transmitted diseases. Karkos has until 4 p.m. Friday to return the book. If she doesn’t, she could be found in contempt of court.

Paste Magazine wrote,

Acting on a tip from an anti-abortion league, a Maine woman has checked out copies of a sex-education book from two libraries and refuses to give them back. The Lewiston and Auburn Public Libraries have pressed charges. JoAn Karkos, who says she was “sufficiently horrified of the illustrations and the sexually graphic, amoral abnormal contents,” is willing to go to jail to prove her point.

After checking out It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health, Karkos sent a letter to both libraries, informing them that she did not intend to return the book. She claimed that it violated the city’s obscenity ordinance and enclosed a check for $20.95 to cover the cost. Lewiston Library director Rick Speer returned her check, informing her that he would seek help from the police if she refused to bring back the stolen property.

That’s when he received a second letter: “The truth is the contents of the book in question leads to a lot of misery, pain, lack of freedom, and often death.” (…read more.)

It’s Perfectly Normal is one my my highest, bestest, most-recommended books for parents about talking to their kids about sex. I wrote about it once saying, “A great book on understanding that all bodies are perfectly normal (in addition to early and late development), and a light-hearted investigation into puberty, complete with cartoons led by an open-minded bird and a nervous bee. Covers sexual orientation, where babies come from and how they’re made, body changes, sexual abuse, gender and orientation, STD’s and more. Ages 9-12.” I literally give a copy to every friend I have who is having, or has had a child — it’s multi-racial, includes adoptive and single parent stuff, and the nervous bee contrasts nicely with the normal-reassuring bird to cover the spectrum of reactions both children and parents have when discussing these topics. Which, as we all know and marvel at in horror re: recent press, MUST be discussed.

Update: As much as it seems like this woman really wanted to martyr herself, a judge has decided that she does not *get* to go to jail to prove her point. “(…) A statement from City Administrator Jim Bennett noted that the library now has four donated copies of the book, rather than the one that Karkos took. Community sentiment has been significantly critical of Karkos. “We felt that one person does not have the power to keep a book from the 36,000 citizens of Lewiston,” library director Rick Speer told the newspaper.”