"Italian book that explores different family types including same sex was banned by mayor of Venice, but pontiff becomes unlikely supporter.
The hippos, kangaroos and penguins adorning the cover of Piccolo Uovo (Little Egg) give little hint of the political and religious storm the children’s book has caused. While following the adventures of an egg may seem harmless enough, its discovery of different family types – including same sex – has prompted a backlash by conservatives who accuse Italian author Francesca Pardi of promoting a pro-homosexuality gender theory.
In the book, the egg encounters a pair of gay penguins, lesbian rabbits successfully bringing up a family, as well as other family models, including a single parent hippo, a mixed race dog couple, and kangaroos that have adopted polar bear cubs.
Now Pardi has found an unlikely supporter in Pope Francis, who through his staff has written to the author praising her work. “His holiness is grateful for the thoughtful gesture and for the feelings which it evoked, hoping for an always more fruitful activity in the service of young generations and the spread of genuine human and Christian values,” wrote Peter B Wells, a senior official at the Vatican secretariat of state.
Elton John has waded into a row over the withdrawal of picture books about same-sex families from Venice’s schools, saying that the city’s mayor Luigi Brugnaro is “championing a future society that’s divisive and fosters ignorance”.
Brugnaro, who was elected in June, removed 49 books shortly afterwards, saying that he had “to think about the majority of families where there is a mother and a father”, and that the books needed to be examined to determine “which are, and above all which are not, suitable for pre-school children”. Following outrage from authors and the book trade – more than 250 Italian authors asked for their books to be withdrawn from Venice in solidarity – the initial list of 49 banned books was reduced to two, Pardi's (Little Egg), and Texier's (Jean Has Two Mummies).
The first book is about an egg that doesn’t want to be born because it doesn’t know what sort of family it will have, so explores all different kinds of family; the second about a young wolf with two mothers.
Now John has added his voice to protests, highlighting “one of the Furnish-John family’s favourite storybooks”, Todd Parr’s The Family Book. “It champions an all-inclusive world where families come in all shapes, sizes and colours. And most importantly, that families are about love. Our boys adore it,” wrote the singer." TheGuardian
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts,
Isaiah 5:24
In the book, the egg encounters a pair of gay penguins, lesbian rabbits successfully bringing up a family, as well as other family models, including a single parent hippo, a mixed race dog couple, and kangaroos that have adopted polar bear cubs.
Now Pardi has found an unlikely supporter in Pope Francis, who through his staff has written to the author praising her work. “His holiness is grateful for the thoughtful gesture and for the feelings which it evoked, hoping for an always more fruitful activity in the service of young generations and the spread of genuine human and Christian values,” wrote Peter B Wells, a senior official at the Vatican secretariat of state.
Elton John has waded into a row over the withdrawal of picture books about same-sex families from Venice’s schools, saying that the city’s mayor Luigi Brugnaro is “championing a future society that’s divisive and fosters ignorance”.
Brugnaro, who was elected in June, removed 49 books shortly afterwards, saying that he had “to think about the majority of families where there is a mother and a father”, and that the books needed to be examined to determine “which are, and above all which are not, suitable for pre-school children”. Following outrage from authors and the book trade – more than 250 Italian authors asked for their books to be withdrawn from Venice in solidarity – the initial list of 49 banned books was reduced to two, Pardi's (Little Egg), and Texier's (Jean Has Two Mummies).
The first book is about an egg that doesn’t want to be born because it doesn’t know what sort of family it will have, so explores all different kinds of family; the second about a young wolf with two mothers.
Now John has added his voice to protests, highlighting “one of the Furnish-John family’s favourite storybooks”, Todd Parr’s The Family Book. “It champions an all-inclusive world where families come in all shapes, sizes and colours. And most importantly, that families are about love. Our boys adore it,” wrote the singer." TheGuardian
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts,
Isaiah 5:24
And rend your heart, and not your garments,
and turn unto the LORD your God:
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and of great kindness,
Joel 2:13