Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: cbldf, Comics, entertainment, lilah sturges

Raina Telgemeier Joins CBLDF Call to Leander, Texas City Council Over Lilah Sturges Lumberjanes Event #JusticeForLilah

Last month, Bleeding Cool reported on the cancellation two hours ahead of a public library event in Leander, Texas with comics creator Lilah Sturges in regard to her work on the Lumberjanes comic book. And how the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was objecting to the cancellation, believed to be as a result of Sturges being a trans creator.

Today, the Leander, Texas City Council will meet to discuss the proposed changes to Public Library Programming Policy that led to the original cancellation. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the National Coalition Against Censorship have issued a statement to urge the city council to restore Lilah Surges' planned Lumberjanes discussion with the Graphic Novel Book Club. And call on the council to reaffirm their commitment to free expression and inclusion by adopting library policies which will prohibit discriminatory actions from happening again in the future.

At the time, reasons given include a previous LGBT Pride event at the library that some people objected to, miscommunication between management and staff and a background check that Sturges wasn't informed about and that other speakers weren't subject to. And other events with speakers of different backgrounds and with different audiences went ahead without issue.

The statement from Kids' Right to Read Project states that 'this capricious application of expanded restrictions strongly suggests a bias against Sturges's gender identity and a gross violation of First Amendment principles.'

In response, Councilwoman Christine Sederquist of Leander has called for accountability at the previous city council meeting, demanding to know who put these changes into effect without a vote. She received no response and so took to Twitter to call for #JusticeForLilah.

Those in the Leander/Austin area are invited to attend the event today, it is open to the public. Others who wish to let their voice be known to demand a rescheduling of the original event can email citycouncil@leandertx.gov and tweet @CityofLeander with hashtags #JusticeForLilah and #UncensoredPride.

Let's see how they are looking… and we begin with a certain special someone.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!