The St. Charles City-County Library in Missouri, caught in a culture war controversy, has announced the eventual removal of the contentious book “Bang Like a Porn Star: Sex Tips From the Pros” from its collection. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the decision comes after an internal review and ongoing public debates regarding the book’s explicit content. What is apparent is that books on adult shelves are also being targeted for censorship.

In a statement, Jason Kuhl, the CEO of the library, confirmed that the book would be removed once the twenty-person waitlist has been satisfied. Published in 2018, the 175-page book has sparked intense discussions at recent library board meetings, primarily due to its explicit photographs and interviews with gay adult film stars.

Critics argue that the photographs are excessively sexually explicit for a public library setting, a view that was ultimately upheld by the library’s review committee. Kuhl noted, “The review committee found the book did, indeed, have explicit photographs that seemed unrelated to the text they should have been illustrating.”

Library balances educational value with ‘community standards’

This controversy is not isolated but part of a broader cultural debate within St. Charles County, especially concerning its library system. Beyond this book, there have been disputes over other titles, employee attire, and calls for a gender-neutral dress code.

Kuhl emphasised that “Bang Like a Porn Star” by Winston Gieseke was initially acquired for its unique coverage of sexuality and sexual health for gay men, highlighting topics like health, safety, and consent. He pointed out that since 2018, other publications have emerged that offer similar information without the contentious imagery.

The library system, which boasts nearly a million items in its collection, had to purchase additional copies of the book for the committee’s review. Prior to the uproar, the book had been checked out several times over the past five years.

Consequently, nearly 1,000 individuals have signed a petition calling for the resignation of Kuhl, started by an individual named Sherman Sanders. This move reflects a growing trend observed in numerous libraries across the United States, where there has been a significant push, primarily supported by Republican factions, to prohibit books addressing topics related to race, gender, and sexuality. Kuhl had spoken to the Guardian in 2022, saying “To be blunt, it feels like we’ve moved backwards in time. We’re in a culture of fear.”

This development marks another chapter in the ongoing debate over what constitutes appropriate material in public libraries, reflecting broader societal tensions regarding education, sexuality, and freedom of information.