Manchester Library's Controversial Trans Book

0:00On April 19th, Manchester Central Library is catching heat for stocking a book called When Kids Say They're Trans, written by three therapists, Lisa, Marciano, Stella O'Malley, and Sasha Ayad. Published in 2023, it's pitched as a guide for parents whose kids are wrestling with gender identity. But critics slam it for pushing, detransition and denying that trans kids even exist, and investigation by the LGBTQ Plus site Queer AF revealed 58 public libraries across the UK carry the book, including Manchester's main spot and, Echoes Library. It's shelved in the philosophy section next to Pro LGBTQ Plus reads like autobiographies from Will Young and Christine Burns. Campaigners and parents are fired up, calling the content harmful because it urges moms and dads to tell kids biological sex can't change and to steer. Them away from gender affirming care. One resident who complained to the council felt shocked that popularity and a big publisher were enough to keep it on shelves.

1:04Libraries stick to the Charter Institute of Library and information professionals policy, which says no censoring books on moral or political. Grounds if they're legal. Meanwhile, the NHS has halted puberty blockers for kids due to weak evidence echoing some points in the book amid the cast review findings. The council stands firm on offering diverse views to serve everyone, so the book stays put, sparking bigger debates on what belongs in public. Libraries for families navigating these tough talks.