The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters deemed “unwarranted”
Three Maine librarians refused to allow donations of the book “Irreversible Damage” into taxpayer-funded libraries, a book which provides opposing viewpoints and stories about the social contagion known as transgenderism and the permanent harm caused to young women.
The rejection note from York High School Librarian Nicole Masterson reads, “Thank you, Patsy (Huntsman). The audience does not match our own readers @ YHS. Best Regards.”
Across Maine, citizens are asking more and more questions about the books and materials being provided to minor students inside their local K-12 public schools, paid for by tax dollars. Transgender library displays have appeared inside schools and public libraries in many Maine towns. It has been eye-opening for many parents who had no idea what was being pushed toward their children, without their knowledge. Some of those parents are now asking for accountability, but often they don’t find the answers they are looking for.
Hermon, ME High School Library – Trans-gender book and display funded by the MEA Maine teachers union and created by Ex-teacher and Gay Sexuality Alliance Faculty Member, Mallory Cook, Ex-High School Librarian Kara Schwartz and current High School Librarian Brittany McAllister. There were 63 genders on display.
Instead of Maine schools and towns recognizing the influx of one-sided, liberal information in the libraries and concerns about parental rights, school administrators are making citizens jump through four months of “hoops” with a convoluted book challenge process. Rather than the adults in the room understanding that hyper-sexualized materials should not be accessible to minors and using simple common sense to remove and deny them from entry, the school board makes these people asking questions about the materials run through a gauntlet of forms, discussions and committees.
Generally these book challenge committees are filled with the same people who agreed to bring in the books in the first place! Many parents are frustrated with the length of time it takes to go through the process and in the end, the overwhelming majority of books challenged in Maine remain on the shelves. There have been a handful of successes, but they are few and far between. Book challenges have caused a lot of exposure to the public and the MEA teachers union doesn’t seem to like it. They will be gunning for your school board seats in November.
School librarians have joined with some “educators” to fight proposals in the Maine Legislature that would have defined obscene books and removed them from the libraries. Maine’s existing obscenity law exempt libraries and schools from being charged for providing obscene material. They get around this by claiming that books on fellatio, sodomy, pedophilia and more are of “serious literary value.” Senator James Libby (R – Standish) recently put forth a bill on this subject and believed the definition of “obscenity” was strict enough that it would help determine what content is appropriate for schools. His view was that this bill would, in theory, put a stop to local book battles taking up time and energy in districts around the state. It would have ensured there would be no “pornography” in schools and would also provide transparency to the community. Libby’s bill was struck down by the House democrats, 77 to 65 in a vote exactly across party lines. Democrats in Maine are not very supportive of parental rights.
The Concerned Community Members of the Hermon School District of Hermon, ME gathered together in January for public comment, asking the school board to adopt a book policy that would help sort out materials deemed inappropriate from inside the schools. This was after more than 80 books containing “x-rated materials” and “pornography” were found to be in their local school library, available to 13 year-old students.
The citizens brought forth a very well prepared and detailed information packet called the “Hermon School District Library Sexual Content Report.” During the school board meeting, each of the committee members were handed copies of the report in a physical binder. Several liberal school board members immediately pushed the binder away, not wanting to take a look at the information provided on the concerning content discovered inside the school library. The Hermon School Board then voted this measure down 6 to 1.
The definition of pornography – “I know it when I see it.” – Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, 1964
Kristen Quinn Shorey, one of the most liberal Hermon school board members who was vice chair, lost her re-election bid. She was unseated for a conservative candidate after she was exposed for making statements that she would review a sexualized materials “content standard” policy in committee, then went back on her word. Hermon High School Principal Brian Walsh, who fought to keep the porn poem book “Milk and Honey” in the school, recently stated he would discuss a new plan in the fall for parents to opt-in their high school child to view books with “adult, or mature themes.”
However, the two sites Mr. Walsh plans on using, Common Sense Media and NoveList (which taxpayers will need to pay for) both slant heavily toward recommending sexualized content to minors. NoveList (EBSCO) promotes “marginalized and under-represented identities, LGBTQIA fiction, endangering gender” and “diversity resources.” They also promote newsletters such as “Our Queerest Shelves” for librarians and support GLSEN (who sponsor the in-school Gay Sexuality Alliances all across the country), MyPronouns.org and other trans-student resources. Using an impartial website such as BookLooks.org, which is also a no-cost option, would provide a much more balanced review of inappropriate material. The Concerned Community Members of the Hermon School District consider this process in the high school a victory and a step in the right direction and we will see what happens come fall.
Two Maine citizens, Patsy Huntsman and Julie Anderson took an alternative approach and suggested that if their local schools were not going to remove the books that are deemed sexually and morally offensive, at least having an alternative viewpoint for students would make sense. They looked to donate the book, “Irreversible Damage” to their local libraries. Ms. Anderson offered it up as an alternative to “Gender Queer.”
But, what is becoming more and more apparent to the parents of Maine students, is that the school policies appear to only work one way. The librarians bring in books that they deem “appropriate” and under school policy the superintendent is supposed to review and “sign off” on all purchases. I spoke to two RSU22, Hampden, ME principals who didn’t know there even was a policy for bringing in books into the schools they ran! Ultimately, if the librarian doesn’t like a book, maybe a more conservative book, it rarely makes it to the shelf. But if it is a liberal book, or a book pushing the trans-narrative, it is fast-tracked and usually placed on display for the students to see and read. An inappropriate book may even be promoted by the librarian for a minor to read like what happened to 11 year old Knox Zajac.
York High School 2019 taxpayer funded purchase order for “Gender Queer” procured by Librarian Nicole Masterson and approved by Superintendent Lou Goscinski.
York High School Librarian Nicole Masterson brought in the nation’s most challenged book “Gender Queer” with outgoing York School Department Superintendent Lou Goscinski approving of the purchase in 2019. Ms. Masterson is also an advisor to the high school’s Young Women’s Leadership Club, she created a Civil Rights Peer Teaching Project and is an outspoken abortion activist. One might assume she is a very liberal person. Could her political views bleed over into her “professional” position as school librarian, affecting students? I’d take that bet.
Eric Lawson (He/Him/His), Director of Technologies and Libraries for York School Department (yes, that position really exists) tried to explain the process of reviewing a book for inclusion into the library. He stated, “All of our selections for our materials within our libraries are vetted by the professional library staff. The staff consult professional journals, other libraries and professionals in the field when making these selections. We also have to select items based upon our curricular and student needs. All of this is outlined in the IJJ policy that I have sent to you.”
“In regards to our decision on the book you donated, we have decided to not accept this at York High School. Our explanation is listed below; After reviewing Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, our team has decided to forgo the donation, as the book is geared towards a parental audience and coined “essential reading for parents of young girls.” Additions to our school library collection must serve the needs of our community of readers and since none of our YHS students belong to a parenting demographic, such an acquisition is unwarranted.”
Interesting statements from Mr. Lawson. What makes the library staff “professional?” What are these “professional journals” being consulted? Is he saying that no York High School student belongs to a “parenting demographic, or could not become part of that parenting demographic?” Surely some student inside York High School has had the potential to become a parent before they graduate? I’m betting that in the history of the school, a student has become a parent before graduating.
Doing a quick search within the York High School online library catalog, nearly 20 books on “parenting” quickly pop up as “titles in the library.” Books such as “The Science of Parenting,” “Kids, Parents, and Power Struggles,” “The Connected Parent,” “Raising Freethinkers” and “Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents,” were all available to York High School students. Should these books be removed for the reason Mr. Lawson states above? The excuse of not taking in “Irreversible Damage” given by Mr. Lawson seems to be a weak effort at best. It would be a similar and close minded approach to him not offering any books on state, or national politics, as no student was yet part of the “political demographic.”
Clay Gleason, Superintendent of Schools for MSAD6, Bonny Eagle formally rejected the book donation in January. Mr. Gleason did reply to my request for comment. He stated that “Irreversible Damage” was considered for the high school library but based on the reviews (which were positive and largely written by parents who found the book enlightening from what I recall) it was clearly written as a resource for parents.” He further explained that “At my request, the (Bonny Eagle) librarian (Erin Duprez) searched for books with similar viewpoints to try to represent a similar perspective.” It would appear by their content that these selections are nothing more than enabling the trans-social contagion. These are the titles that were ordered:
“COPING WITH GENDER DYSPHORIA by MCGRODY, ELLEN.” Grade level on Amazon is 7-9. This book’s own review states, “The author, herself a transgender woman, addresses [the topic] with insight and empathy…Significantly, the author writes that everyone deserves a happy and healthy life. This book promises that transgender people may be among them.”
“DEALING WITH GENDER DYSPHORIA by LUNDIN, MARTHA.” Grade level on Amazon is 7-9. This book’s own review states, “People with gender dysphoria experience distress and anxiety because the gender they were assigned at birth does not match their gender identity. Dealing with Gender Dysphoria explores what this disorder is like, how it affects people’s lives, and today’s best treatment options.”
Where have young students heard about gender being “assigned” at birth? The Maine Department Of Education Moose Learning Module! Governor Janet Mills paid a teacher $1,000 from federal Covid funds to say nearly the same thing! In the clip, former Whitefield, ME Kindergarten Teacher Kailina Mills described trans-identified individuals as people, “The doctors made a mistake about when they were born.” She suggested that, “When a baby is born, the doctors will tell the parents what gender they think that baby is.” The teacher goes on to say, “Some people, when they get a little bit older, realize what the doctors said was not right.” This module was shown to various 5 and 6 year old students in Maine schools.
This was reported on by Libs Of TikTok, breaking this liberal kindergarten learning module wide open.
“DETRANSITION : BEYOND BEFORE AND AFTER by ROBINSON, MAX” There is no grade level listed on Amazon for this third book, which may mean this book is only for adults. The description states, “This book is a far-reaching discussion of women’s struggles to survive under patriarchy, which draws upon a legacy of radical and lesbian feminist ideas to arrive at conclusions…Many feminists are concerned about the way transgender ideology naturalizes patriarchal views of sex stereotypes, and encourages transition as a way of attempting to escape misogyny. In this brave and thoughtful book, Max Robinson goes beyond the ‘before’ and ‘after’ of the transition she underwent and takes us through the processes that led her, first, to transition in an attempt to get relief from her distress, and then to detransition, as she discovered feminist thought and community.”
By that convoluted description I’m not sure if this book is pro-trans, or anti-trans, but there is only one written review on Amazon. One. Searching online there are not many reviews available about the book. Conversely, “Irreversible Damage” has 1298 reviews on Amazon, with 7,828 global ratings 87% of which are positive. Quite a major difference between these two options.
Clay Gleason, Superintendent of Schools for MSAD6, Bonny Eagle also stated in his response, “We do want to ensure we are following the policy around opposing viewpoints and I appreciate the chance to answer your questions.” It appears that Mr. Gleason did answer my question about why the book was rejected, but his response was underwhelming. Anyone reading the details of these three books intended for an “opposing viewpoint” would most likely agree that he may have farmed out the request to Erin Duprez, the Bonny Eagle High School Librarian whose pronouns in her email signature are “(she/they).” A dead giveaway to her liberal, political ideology, sexual narcissism and possible multiple personality disorder.
No one cares about your pronouns Ms. Duprez and the English teacher down the hall might want to have a talk with you on your improper use of grammar. Unless of course, that English teacher is another woke liberal.
Abigail Shrier’s book “Irreversible Damage,” documents several young women, such as Keira Bell who at sixteen pursued medical gender transition and after a course of hormones, had her breasts removed. In her twenties, she regretted her decision. She later won a lawsuit in Britain’s High Court for a review of medical protocols, which are nearly identical to those in the United States. Kiera Bell won that decision, in part because the defending clinic admitted that not a single minor teenage girl had been turned away for the inability to provide “informed consent.” The High Courts also noted that the hormonal treatments came with serious health risks and permanent side effects, such as “loss of fertility, loss of sexual function” and that “the evidence base for this treatment is as yet highly uncertain.” Finally, the court noted that the young women who had begun the process of transition had shown “no overall improvement in their mood or psychological wellbeing using standardized psychological measures.” Follow the money folks!
Amazon states, “Irreversible Damage is an exploration of a mystery: Why, in the last decade, has the diagnosis “gender dysphoria” transformed from a vanishingly rare affliction, applying almost exclusively to boys and men, to an epidemic among teenage girls? Author Abigail Shrier presents shocking statistics and stories from real families to show that America and the West have become fertile ground for a “transgender craze” that has nothing to do with real gender dysphoria and everything to do with our cultural frailty. Teenage girls are taking courses of testosterone and disfiguring their bodies….Every person who has ever had a skeptical thought about the sudden rush toward a non-binary future but been afraid to express it – this book is for you.” I’m not sure how Mr. Lawson and Mr. Gleason arrived at this book being “geared towards a parental audience?” I’m guessing neither Ms. Duprez, nor Mr. Gleason read the book before jumping to their conclusions.
As a recent article entitled “What the Surge in LGBTQ Self-Identity Means,” from Public Discourse has pointed out, transgenderism has exploded in the last few years. “In 11 short years, LGBTQ identification among young Americans tripled. And yet under-30 non-heterosexual behavioral experience, while climbing, remains just over half that figure, at 8.6 percent (in 2021).” Various Maine outlets claim that nearly 1 in 3 students are now “queer.”
Gallup Poll that the LGBT identification is in the youngest generations.
Maine schools have seen an influx of hundreds of hyper-sexualized books and the creations of in-school Gay Sexuality Alliances sponsored by GLSEN and Civil Right Teams sponsored by the Maine Attorney General’s Office over the last few years. Kids are being turned into radical political activists, focused on their immature sexuality. Does anyone think that this is not connected to this sudden surge in sexual confusion by minor students? Does anyone not think this is a strategic plan to inflict emotional, mental, physical and sexual harm on our next generation? This push into transgenderism certainly isn’t to help these students learn the basics of education. Something Maine Schools are failing at by the way and have for decades.
Julie Anderson, a former MSAD6 School Board Director has been someone willing to expose what she has seen going on in her local district. The school board she was a member of recently used their common sense and voted to pull 8 “inappropriate” books off the shelves for the Superintendent Clay Gleason to review. Shortly after, the school board was pressured by a small, yet vocal group of local liberals and trans-activists to put these same books back into circulation, instead of the very simple determination that they were not of “serious literary value.”
Anderson stated in her powerful public comment earlier this year, “Since when did our school libraries become a cesspool of sewage, instead of an inquiry of beneficial learning? There are at least 48 transgender related books in the (Bonny Eagle) high school, 19 in the middle school with zero opposing viewpoints, violating our own policy.”
Ms. Anderson further stated at the podium, “Gender Queer was just the tip of the iceberg, our libraries are filled with graphic violence, explicit sexual nudity, obscene sexual acts, excessive and frequent profanity, child abuse, graphic sexual assault, rape of minors, incest, pedophilia, prostitution, violent animal cruelty, bestiality, alcohol and drug use, inflammatory religious commentary and derogatory terms against minorities…These age-inapropriate books cause adolescents to question their identity and increases their chances of suicide.”
Ms. Anderson provided the book, “Irreversible Damage” to the school for consideration of placing it into the high school library circulation and it was rejected. As a note to the readers, Librarian Erin Duprez (she/they), of MSAD6, Bonny Eagle High School, created a hallway display this past September, pushing kids toward “banned books,” like Gender Queer, Lawn Boy, All Boys Aren’t Blue and other horrific and sexually inappropriate titles. But she would not accept “Irreversible Damage” into the library stacks as an alternate viewpoint, per school policy.
Photo provided to Maine Source Of Truth from inside Bonny Eagle High School by a concerned student.
So the question remains, why would the Bonny Eagle High School Librarian (as a reminder, she/they pronouns) not want to have an unbiased and factually accurate alternative viewpoint to transgenderism? Is it because there is a coordinated push for the liberal narrative of sexual transition inside the brick walls of the local school by grifting organizations such as Planned Parenthood, Out Maine and MaineTransNet? Is it because these groups are provided as “resources” on the Maine Department Of Education website? Is it that schools in Maine want to push these immoral views without the parents being made aware? Is it that there is big money involved in these efforts by Big Pharma and any medical “doctor” willing to slice up your son or daughter? Exactly what would Ms. Duprez’s issue be with the book? She never gave a reason.
Before we jump into the school book policies, let’s review the work of the writer. Abigail Shrier, the author of her best-selling book, Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters (2020), which was named a “Best Book” by the Economist and the Times (of London). It received the noteworthy “Our Best Books Of The Year” award by The Economist. It was called “Courageous. Vital. Brilliant. Humane.” by Mail On Sunday.
The Post Millennial stated, “Shrier’s book is an enormously positive contribution to this fierce battle for children’s right to bodily and mental health protection from harmful influence.” It has been translated into nine languages. Shrier is a writer for the Wall Street Journal and has been published in outlets such as Daily Caller, New York Post, The American Spectator, The Federalist and the Washington Examiner. Shrier received the Barbara Olson Award for Excellence and Independence in Journalism in 2021.
MSAD6 and the York School Department essentially have the same IJJ Instructional And Library Materials Selection Policy, which states, “…the library-media centers of the schools to provide a wide range of materials on all levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal and the presentation of different points of view.” Furthermore, looking at both school’s policies on criteria for selection library materials, they both have very similar wording used in each version of the policy because they are provided to school boards by the Maine School Management Association as templates. This “non-profit” takes in nearly $700,000 a year from Maine taxpayers to “assist the schools.” They are about as woke as they can be.
But just how do these policies reflect the book, “Irreversible Damage? “Present a balance of opposing sides of controversial issues to enable students to develop a capability for critical analysis.” Check! “Provide a background of information that will enable students to make intelligent decisions in their daily lives.” Check! “Stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values and ethical standards.” Check!
“Other factors that should be considered are accuracy and currency of material; importance of the subject matter; scholarship; quality of writing and production; and reputation and significance of the author, artist or composer.” Check! “Before recommending materials for purchase, professional staff should evaluate the existing collection, consulting reputable, unbiased, professionally prepared selection aids and specialists from all departments and/or all grade levels.” Check! There is nothing available like this book in either York or Bonny Eagle libraries for students to get another opinion for themselves on the reality of what could become permanent side effects, chemical castration, or body mutilation.
Not only did the York School Department reject the offering of the book “Irreversible Damage” by local taxpayer Patsy Huntsman, the York Public Library also rejected her gift with another very odd excuse. Sophie Smith, Assistant Director for the York Public Library stated, “Our Collection Development Policy guides the decision making process for materials acquisitions. Upon reviewing the book, I have determined that it does not meet the criteria of our policy. With nonfiction books, we aim to keep our acquisitions as current as possible, and adding a nonfiction book published over two years ago to our collection would not be following our policy nor public library best practices.”
In a quick search of books about “parenting” in the York Public Library, a book called “The Foster Parenting Manual,” is available, written in 1969 and reprinted in 2013. One would think in the last 50 years, there have been books that would replace this potentially outdated version? Seems like a pretty short-sighted policy to disallow books over two years in print, given the nearly infinite amount of books in the world, yet to be discovered by these “professionals.” It’s just another half-baked excuse to keep the content in the library slanted toward a liberal view.
The York Public Library also promoted a list of “banned books” last September that they assembled from the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom. The ALA, which is run by a self-described, Marxist, lesbian. This should provide insight as to how far our public servants have fallen into becoming political operatives for the left. Activists on the taxpayer payroll. Knowledge and reading choices have become weaponized by the left.
Tweet from the ALA President, Emily Drabinski, on April 22nd, 2022.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if a member of each community in Maine asked for “Irreversible Damage” to be purchased at your local public high school and public library and we could keep track of the results? My guess is that in the strong majority of cases, just like in York and Standish, both entrenched in “inappropropriate” book controversies, that they would be rejected in your local town also. But, wouldn’t that be worth exposing to more parents and taxpayers? I’d love for you to reach out to me and let me know how it went, maybe I’d keep a spreadsheet!?
Patsy Huntsman concluded with, “Funny how some people call not wanting a book in school ‘banning’ but only when it fits their agenda. I don’t call it banning. I call rejecting this book in the high school and public library discriminatory and silencing a different view. So much for York’s proclamation of diversity and inclusion policy.” She’s absolutely correct.
Author Abigail Shrier states, “I invite you to read this dangerous book and decide for yourself.” The book is available on Amazon for around $15 for the paperback, $26 for the hardcover, if anyone is interested. I have one myself and plan to devote a Maine Source Of Truth podcast to it.
Note – York School Department Superintendent Lou Goscinski did not respond to a request for comment on the rejection of “Irreversible Damage,” at the time the article was completed. The Town of York stated the FOAA request on providing the York Public Library Collection Development Policy would not be provided until July 14th.
Shawn McBreairty is the Director of Special Projects at Maine First Project, a non-profit organization offering grassroots advocacy training in multiple areas. For three years, Shawn has been exposing CRT and the hyper-sexualization of minors (“aka” grooming in the classroom) as well as many dangers within the programs, teachings and curriculum of Maine and this nation’s public, K-12 schools. Check out Shawn’s Podcast, “Maine Source Of Truth,” which can be found anywhere you listen. Follow the podcast page on Facebook and @ShawnMcBreairty on social media.
