PROTESTERS have voiced concerns outside a meeting of senior members of Staffordshire County Council after the decision to stop Pride displays in public libraries.
Messages of support for the LGBTQ+ community and rainbow colours were on display outside County Buildings today (17th June), alongside a banner calling for four councillors who have come under fire for alleged posts on social media – which are not connected with the library decision – to stand down.
One of the protesters said they felt "physically sick" following reports that Pride displays had been removed from libraries in recent days.
They added:
"I was utterly disgusted. I was at school in the 1990s and early 2000s during Section 28 [an amendment to the Local Government Act 1988 which prevented teachers from discussing LGBTQ+ issues with pupils between 1988 and 2003].
"If you had any questions about sexuality you couldn’t get any help from school.
"It was a really difficult time for me – I didn’t fully understand who I am until my 20s. Not being able to share information about our history is blatant censorship. Removing Pride displays is not a politically neutral act.”
Despite criticism of the move from other political parties, the matter was not discussed by cabinet members at their meeting.
A county council spokesperson said that a decision to review and refocus the use of library display space was made by the cabinet member for communities and culture.
They added:
"While the review takes place, all displays that do not promote the core library offer or wider council services have been paused; this has included Pride displays but applies to all other discretionary displays too.
"A wide range of books and materials can be loaned from us. These cover topics and authors of interest to the LGBTQ+ community and many others.
"No books or materials have been removed from the library. A community impact assessment will be carried out as part of the review."
Cllr Martin Murray, leader of the Reform UK administration at the county council, said:
"There has been a lot of commentary and, unfortunately, quite some politicisation about Staffordshire libraries in recent days.
"No books have been removed from library shelves, no authors have been pulled from the catalogue and no titles have been placed off-limits.
"Our new Staffordshire County Council Libraries Strategy will focus on core services and will no longer use taxpayer-funded resources, sites and communications channels to promote any particular group, cause or identity. That applies consistently to every group and every cause.
"Library services belong to everyone in Staffordshire equally – they are not there to promote or privilege particular groups, causes or identities, however well-intentioned. As such, Pride events will no longer be promoted in our public libraries."
But Damon Hoppe, who was protesting outside County Buildings, said:
"It’s not just affecting the LGBTQ+ community – it’s going to affect Black History Month and International Women’s Day.
"I just can’t believe it in this day and age."
