Sacked ADF Reservist Makes Second Attempt To Get ‘Gender Queer’ Banned In Australia

Gender Queer, one of the most banned books in the United States, is facing another ban attempt in Australia.

Earlier this year Queensland-based far-right campaigner and conservative blogger Bernard Gaynor had filed a complaint against non-binary cartoonist Maia Kobabe’s award-winning memoir Gender Queer. Following the complaint, the Australian Classification Board called in the book.

On April 3, the Board refused to ban the book and classified it as Unrestricted, with an ‘M’ rating –  ‘Mature and not recommended for readers under 15 years’.

Gaynor, a former Australian Defence Force (ADF) reservist who was sacked for his anti-gay social media comments, has now filed an appeal against the board’s decision and called for a ban on what he calls “paedophile comic book”.

‘We Find Book Banning Anathema’

The Australian Classification Board has invited submissions on the book and will meet on May 29, 2023, to consider Gaynor’s application. The public submissions close on Friday, May 26. 

Sydney-based bookstore Kinokuniya said it was “elated” with the Censor Board’s ‘Unrestricted’ classification. Kinokuniya had paid for the book to be classified after the Board called it in March, following Gaynor’s complaint with the Logan City Council. 

“As a bookstore, a place of many, varied ideas, we find book banning anathema,” Kinokuniya said in a statement. 

We were very pleased when The Board determined that "Gender Queer" should be available Unrestricted, with a recommendation for Mature readers, over 15 years. 2/5

— Kinokuniya Sydney (@KinokuniyaAust) May 25, 2023

“In this case, this is an award-winning book, winner of the 2020 ALA Alex Award and a 2020 Stonewall Award Honor Book. The public libraries in the U.S. believe this book has outstanding merit for young adult readers and so do we.”

“Gender Queer might not only offer some sense of being seen or not so alone to those questioning their gender identity but could also teach empathy and understanding to those who have no concept of what it might mean. It is one of the most challenged and banned books in the U.S. right now, and the conservative challenge to it here in Australia should ring alarm bells and make us all more vigilant,” the bookstore. 

Gaynor Says He Will Appear Before Censor Board To Get Book Banned

In a Facebook post, Gaynor said he will be appearing before the Board to argue that the book should be banned. “In a sign of far how (sic) far our nation has fallen, I will be arguing that books that depict and promote children in sex acts should remain banned,” Gaynor railed. 

In its April 2023 decision, the board did not agree the board should be banned. 

“In the Board’s view, this publication can be accommodated in the Unrestricted classification as, within the context of the publication, the treatment of themes is not high in impact or offensive, and the treatment of sex and nudity is also not high in impact and is not exploitative, offensive, gratuitous or very detailed,” Fiona Jolly, the Director of the Classification Board, said in a statement.

“Given the context of the publication’s narrative and its literary, artistic and educational merits, the Board does not consider that the publication contains material that offends a reasonable adult to the extent that it should be restricted”.

Gender Queer,  is one of the most banned books in the United States, with over 49 school districts taking the book off its shelves.

File your submission to the Australian Classification Board about ‘Gender Queer’ at this link.