Roy and Silo: the Gay Penguin Controversy

[Zinkovich]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte schools superintendent and his top lieutenants have ordered a picture book about two male penguins raising an egg removed from school libraries. But the superintendent, Peter Gorman, said yesterday he will let a committee review the decision after questions from reporters indicated that he and his staff sidestepped the school district's policy by banning the book. "And Tango Makes Three," the real-life story of "the very first penguin in the zoo to have two daddies," has drawn objections in schools or public libraries in several states. All decided to keep the book, according to the American Library Association. Charlotte-Mecklenburg's public library has also rejected a request to remove it, a spokeswoman said. The school district pulled the book without receiving a formal complaint. Gorman said a couple of parents had asked him about the book, in which two male penguins at New York's Central Park Zoo pair up and hatch an adopted egg, and Republican County Commissioner Bill James had e-mailed him. James said he read an online article about the book and asked Gorman whether school libraries had it. "I am opposed to any book that promotes a homosexual lifestyle to elementary school students as normal," he said. Four schools in the district had the book. On Nov. 30, top school administrators sent a memo to principals and media specialists explaining the decision to ban the book from all schools. "First, it is a picture book that focuses on homosexuality. Second, we did not feel that such information was vital to primary students. Next, we did not believe the book would stimulate growth in ethical standards, and the book is too controversial," it said. Banning books is controversial, too. "One parent's decision shouldn't dictate whether or not the book is available to all the other families in the community," said Deborah Caldwell-Stone of the American Library Association. "Any challenge to a book is ultimately an attempt to remove an idea from public discourse." Banning "Tango" is a bad idea, she said, and doing it without conducting an open, balanced review is worse. The national controversy over the book began in March, when Missouri parents asked two public libraries to remove it. Complaints also surfaced in Georgia, Tennessee, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois.

And Tango Makes Three is based on a true story of two male penguins, Silo and Roy, at the Central Park Zoo that tried to care for an egg-shaped rock as if it were a real egg. The zoo keepers gave them an extra egg from a pair of penguins that had historically been unsuccessful at raising two at a time. Roy and Silo cared for the egg and hatched a female penguin which was then named Tango. Roy and Silo "ended" their paired relationship (which had lasted around six years) when a new female was introduced to the enclosure. There is one other male-male pair at the zoo at the moment - Cass and Wendell.

Needless to say, it makes sense for conservatives to be upset because upon reading this book a child would realise the whole "it's not natural" argument isn't as justified as previously thought, and they might begin to *gasp* start questioning thier parents' beliefs at an early age!

On another note, let's all feel sorry for poor Roy, and also see how Tango herself grew up to start her own same-sex relationship:

Here's the latest on Tango, Roy and Silo, the New York penguins making news in Charlotte. Warning: The folks who were disturbed by "And Tango Makes Three," a picture book about two penguin papas hatching an egg, may want to shield young readers from the newest twists in this evolving love story. A quick recap: Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins at New York's Central Park Zoo, paired up and hatched baby Tango from an adopted egg. Their story was immortalized in a 2005 children's book. The book promptly drew complaints that it pushed a homosexual agenda; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools briefly banned it before returning it to shelves Thursday, pending a January review. Meanwhile, Silo ditched Roy last year for Scrappy, a California gal. Wednesday's report left some readers worried about Roy, after the Observer quoted a New York Times report saying he "has been seen alone, in a corner, staring at a wall." Roy remains a bachelor, says zoo spokeswoman Kate McIntyre. But she says readers shouldn't fret. "Penguins do that (look at the wall) when they don't want to look at a visitor," she said. Silo and Scrappy nested together but failed to produce a chick. It seems Silo, a mature 19-year-old (penguins live to their mid-20s) took up with a much younger mate, who isn't ready to reproduce. Tango is 6 now and has found a mate of her own: Tazuni, another young female. McIntyre says such experimentation isn't unusual among penguins. When same-sex pairings don't produce chicks, she said, penguins usually split up and move on. "They're young. They're just kind of going through the motions."

Charlotte Observer | 12/22/2006 | Tango (now 6) has girlfriend

So, the discussion in this thread is threefold:
1.) To discuss the attempted censorship of the book in school libraries, and whether or not educators/parents are justified in thier concerns
2.)To discuss what all these same-sex relationships going on amongst penguins means.
3.) To discuss Roy and Silo's successful parenting of a child, and whether or not Tango's eventual gay relationship means anything about homosexuality being passed down genetically or through the parenthood of the child- or, at least, that homosexuallity comes naturally to penguins when it is convenient for them to form same-sex relationships.
4.) Do you agree with books that educate children in this manner? What about movies such as Bambi(which taught about the "dark side" of hunting) and Happy Feet(Which blatantly denounced overfishing and made it central to the storyline)?

[Milton Bradley]

I think you may also want to discuss just how such a book ended up on the school library shelf.


Seems blatantly agenda driven in my opinion.

[Compugasm]

...care for an egg-shaped rock as if it were a real egg... and hatched a female penguin...

So, was it a real egg or a rock?

Quote by: Zinkovich "it's not natural" argument isn't as justified as previously thought

There seems to be quite a few "not natural" things about this story, that has little to do with gay penguins. But, they don't fit the agenda. I have a male roommate, therefore I must be gay? Are we talking about gay penguin sex, or sitting on eggs?

So, the discussion in this thread is threefold:
1.) I don't think they should ban any books.

2.) If the penguins had beaks twice the size of normal, what would that say about the penguins? Pointing out the few instances ever found, actually highlights the issue that something is "wrong" with the particular penguins, and therefore damaging to the cause.

3.) Successfully being forced to sit on a rock for six years? That sounds like some kind of unusual torture. Sucessfully passing down defective and recessive genes? I'm not actually qualified to confirm "defective". But if gay penquins were common, then it wouldn't be an issue. See #2.

4.) You mean books that teach children about broken homes, consequnces of playing god, or animal torture? :)

[another day]

Quote by: Compugasm So, was it a real egg or a rock?

Uhh...if you hadn't removed all the other sentences in between and put "..." you would have read that they gave them a real egg afterwards.

[Jack]

Too many good questions for a single reply.

I will say that the underlying theme of the all the questions you asked is the persistent belief that being gay is a choice. If everyone understood that it isn't, if they could grasp the idea that persuasion and behavior are two different things, they wouldn't have an issue with the book and they wouldn't be trying to ban it. Hysteria leading to irrational reactions.

One can only appreciate those times rationality and good sense do win.

[Plasma Snake[D]]

Maybe those two penguins were just hanging out. I mean, it would only make them homosexual if they had sex(I guess). But Milton Bradley made a point by saying this book is agenda driven. They made it a point to make this book about homosexuality in order to perpetuate some sort of cause. I find it rather shallow. I mean what subject can you think of that is more random than this? But Isherwood, are you trying to say that this book is being banned because people have the fear of children being influenced in some way by it? I think it would only appeal to those that are already gay in some way.

[Jack]

What I was trying to say is that if people realized that reading a book wasn't about to cause any young person to become gay, they wouldn't be so upset about a book that appears to have been written to help dispel the hysteria. It would seem that some people fear books like this. They'd have to explain why. But if they want to ban it, they must fear it for some reason.

[Plasma Snake[D]]

You are right. I guess it makes it obvious that parents are afraid of their child being gay. But just like with violent video games, I think good parenting surpasses all that. But if your child is gay, then he is gay and there is nothing that a book will do to influence it otherwise.

[Jack]

And if you notice that your child is a gay penguin, you have major genetic issues, unless you are a penguin, too.

[Plasma Snake[D]]

Your child being gay should be the last of your worries if it comes out a penguin.

[Poledancer]

Some people have heterosexual parents who never have sex with each other again..............

Does that mean that they are not heterosexual?

what if they were adopted and the parents have never had sex but only 'shared a house'?

Does that make them gay?




Anyway.... I think that book is good , as there are many children around these days who live with same sex parents and it 'normalises' things for them and their friends.

[RickSp]

Quote by: Isherwood And if you notice that your child is a gay penguin, you have major genetic issues, unless you are a penguin, too.

It is too soon to tell perhaps, but I don't think either of my kids are gay. Their fondness for eating raw fish, the growth of pin feathers and that odd waddle that both have adopted, does have me concerned however.

[Compugasm]

Quote by: Isherwood Hysteria leading to irrational reactions...

GERMS!!! What about gay germs on the book? :) Which reminds me, anyone know if there has been observation of gay germs under a microscope?

[RickSp]

Homosexuality is biological, suggests gay sheep study

A study of gay sheep appears to confirm the controversial suggestion that there is a biological basis for sexual preference. The work shows that rams that prefer male sexual partners had small but distinct differences in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, when compared with rams that preferred to mate with ewes.

Maybe conservatives should ban lamb chops in school cafeterias.

[Poledancer]

Just meant that you don't have to have had penetrative sex as observed by a zookeeper to be gay?


otherwise all virgins would be gay?

[Milton Bradley]

Nobody wants to address how that particular book ended up in the school library?


I think it would be interesting to get the person who made the decision to stock that particular title to justify why they thought it was a good chioce for elementary school readers.

[kpow]

aww bless the penguins....im going to get a copy of that book if i can.
bless them thats such a cute story, brought a tear to my eye n everything

[kpow]

Quote by: Milton Bradley Nobody wants to address how that particular book ended up in the school library? I think it would be interesting to get the person who made the decision to stock that particular title to justify why they thought it was a good chioce for elementary school readers.

what do you mean?
why would tghe justify it?
its a cute story about two penguins:confused:
if your going to be like that then goldey locks isnt really suitable for kids is it
i mean the little b*tch breaks into the three bears house and trashes the place....:rolleyes:

[Milton Bradley]

Quote by: kpow what do you mean? why would tghe justify it? its a cute story about two penguins:confused: if your going to be like that then goldey locks isnt really suitable for kids is it i mean the little b*tch breaks into the three bears house and trashes the place....:rolleyes:

That just may be another good example of a title not fit for young minds.


Perhaps in the rewrite, the Bears can call Fatherland Security, and Goldy can be cuffed, beaten, arrested, and dragged downtown for questioning. ( The story should be absolutely clear that breaking, and entering, and theft are crimes punishable by time served. )


I am just surprised that the fact that this scene plays itself out again, and again does not cause people to investigate who is OKing the reading material their children have access to in the schools library.

[brien]

Quote by: Plasma Snake[D] You are right. I guess it makes it obvious that parents are afraid of their child being gay. But just like with violent video games, I think good parenting surpasses all that. But if your child is gay, then he is gay and there is nothing that a book will do to influence it otherwise.

Parents who really have their children's best interest in mind care only that their kids end up healthy and happy in adulthood. The rest takes care of itself.