Kingfisher & Wombat

ALT So, one of the things that is happening is that certain state library associations, including and specifically TxLA are being pressured by GOP state governments to cut ties with the American Library Association in order to facilitate book removals of queer and BIPOC books, which the ALA has a hard stance against and also the lawyers and lobbyists to back it up. The ALA is not without its own problems, but they are sticking firm on that at least. However, because TxLA has already vowed to state political pressure around issues of diversity, it’s even more likely they did again.

ALT By which I mean, I doubt it was just the TxLA conference leadership. Otherwise I doubt they would have invited you in the first place. I have no inside knowledge in TX, but I do work in libraries controlled by state governments, and we have been seeing decisions like this happening all the time, sometimes from explicit pressure from fascist state governments, and sometimes from administrators who fear reprisals by fascist state governments. So, if I had to guess, this decision was either handed down by TX state government not wanting a queer autistic author who is so “different” appearing in their state, or it was undertaken due to other state government pressures being seen and the TxLA not wanting to stick their necks out. I’m not saying nobody at the TxLA is a bigot, but they are mostly just cowards who won’t stand up to fascist state governments. Anyway, you rock, and I’m sorry this happened to you. I hope you get a bigger and better opportunity out of this!