Staff at Bodacious Bookstore & Café in Pensacola, Florida, faced a challenging situation when management ordered the removal of LGBTQ titles from the shelves. Some employees resisted, while others resigned in protest. A former employee, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed her heartbreak upon receiving the directive from interim manager Beth O’Connor. After refusing to comply, she was sent home and encouraged to reconsider her employment.
The removal of LGBTQ books at Bodacious comes amidst a broader trend of book censorship, especially against LGBTQ literature, nationwide. Escambia County, where the bookstore is located, has been at the forefront of these battles, with the local school district having previously removed hundreds of books related to race and LGBTQ issues due to First Amendment concerns highlighted in ongoing federal lawsuits.
More than 60 titles were reported removed, half of which included LGBTQ stories and authors. The bookstore’s management stated that the removals were part of a review initiated after complaints about profanity on greeting cards, claiming no specific categories were targeted. However, staff members reported that book removals disproportionately affected queer literature.
As news of the removals spread, several employees, including former manager Melissa Smith and volunteer Nichole Murphy, resigned in protest, asserting that the bookstore’s actions contradicted its core values of inclusion and diversity. Authors scheduled for events, such as young adult author Ginny Myers Sain, also condemned the bookstore’s censorship practices.
Despite claims from management to create a “family-friendly” space, critics argue that the bookstore’s actions alienate LGBTQ families. The extent of book removals and bans at Bodacious appears to reflect the growing political climate concerning LGBTQ representation and censorship in literature.
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