Florida Bans 'Christian, the Hugging Lion'

Monday, September 11, 2023

A children's book about a lion raised by two men has been banned in Florida because right-wing activists suspect the men might be gay - despite nothing in the book suggesting they have any romantic relationship, according to a report.

Posted by retort at 05:32 PM | 29 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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According to the report, schools in Manatee County, a conservative community just south of Tampa, withdrew the book that's based on the true story about a pair of men who raise a lion in their London apartment, then are lovingly remembered by the animal when they go to Africa to see him years later. ...

Nothing in the book indicates the two men are in a same-sex relationship -- but activists speculated that they might be, which was enough for a complaint about the book.

Comments

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You know some dumb kid is going to read this book and then go try to hug a lion at the zoo. That was my first thought when I read the headline.

#1 | Posted by sentinel at 2023-09-11 05:41 PM | Reply

#FreeJoeExotic #CarolDefinitelyKilledHerHusband

#2 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2023-09-11 05:49 PM | Reply

Maybe we could all pitch in and buy DeSantis a hugging lion. A hungry one.

#3 | Posted by Yodagirl at 2023-09-11 06:11 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

?????

Lions don't belong in apartments.

I agree this book shouldn't be around kids but not for Republican reasons.

#4 | Posted by Tor at 2023-09-11 06:17 PM | Reply

Awww. Does Ronduh need a hug?

#5 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2023-09-11 06:33 PM | Reply

........yes?

#6 | Posted by Tor at 2023-09-11 06:38 PM | Reply

Florida just straight up banning Christian literature. You'd think all the religious loonies would be upset about removing Christian books from schools.

#7 | Posted by chuffy at 2023-09-11 06:50 PM | Reply

Ron Desantis and the entire right wing Christian really ought to realize that most normal peoplr are laughing at them and their ridiculous book bans except that in other eras the same crowd brought a Nazi dictator to power. We all need to recognize the danger we face when religious fanatics start ramming their psychotic ideas down our throats. I swear I know one thing will happeb soon.....pne of the leaders of the "don't say gay" crowd will be outed as a pedophile. Among these creeps so worried about what others are doing it always seems one of their own leaders is doing worse, I wouldn't let any of these fanatics be anywhere near my kids or grandkids.

#8 | Posted by danni at 2023-09-11 06:53 PM | Reply

However, DeSatin's hacks are more than happy to have "Adolph the Hugging Nazi" in elementary school libraries, a book given the thumbs up by Mom's for "Liberty."

#9 | Posted by _Gunslinger_ at 2023-09-12 01:48 AM | Reply

Florida just straight up banning Christian literature. You'd think all the religious loonies would be upset about removing Christian books from schools.

#7 | POSTED BY CHUFFY AT 2023-09-11 06:50 PM | FLAG:

Mind blown here. Raising a goddamn lion in an apartment is Christian literature? Are the two guys missionaries when they go to Africa? If it were a book about Florida Men or New Yorkers, that'd make much more senes.

#10 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2023-09-12 08:32 AM | Reply

The lion's name is Christian, dumbass. Ironically.

#11 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2023-09-12 11:29 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

This is just hate in action.

Hate seems to be the driving force behind the Republican Party's every move.

Irrational fears from irrational people.

#12 | Posted by ClownShack at 2023-09-12 11:44 AM | Reply

Bellringer is so proud.

Remember, it's curating content, not censorship!

#13 | Posted by Sycophant at 2023-09-12 11:57 AM | Reply

FloriDUH a petri dish of hatred, bigotry and Nazism.

#14 | Posted by Nixon at 2023-09-12 12:08 PM | Reply

"You know some dumb kid is going to read this book and then go try to hug a lion at the zoo."

I know huh? Kids are so stupid. Especially ones that can read.

Remember when after reading Nardia ignorant Christian kids were all getting locked in wardrobe cabinets?

Yeah. Me either.

#15 | Posted by donnerboy at 2023-09-12 12:21 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Florida just straight up banning Christian literature. You'd think all the religious loonies would be upset about removing Christian books from schools.
#7 | POSTED BY CHUFFY AT 2023-09-11 06:50 PM | FLAG:
Mind blown here. Raising a goddamn lion in an apartment is Christian literature? Are the two guys missionaries when they go to Africa? If it were a book about Florida Men or New Yorkers, that'd make much more senes.
#10 | POSTED BY SITZKRIEG AT 2023-09-12 08:32 AM

These missionaries are essentially being tossed onto a bonfire of other literature right here in the US.

This saves Africa time - evangelicals are demonstrating their efficiency. :]

#16 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2023-09-12 02:00 PM | Reply

"I know huh? Kids are so stupid. Especially ones that can read."

Damn right they are. Of course, not all of them, but enough of them are. Especially when they become teenagers.

#17 | Posted by sentinel at 2023-09-12 05:12 PM | Reply

Reading a story about two men living together may give kids the weird idea to get male roommates in the future.

Can't have that.

#BanDorms

#18 | Posted by ClownShack at 2023-09-12 05:20 PM | Reply

#CoEdDormsAreHeterosexual

#SameGenderRestroomsAreHomo

#19 | Posted by ClownShack at 2023-09-12 05:22 PM | Reply

You have to wonder if the GOP is trying to create a Safe Space for millions of closeted GOP homosexuals, by focusing all their attention on openly trans people... who presumably won't ever be GOP.

#20 | Posted by snoofy at 2023-09-12 05:23 PM | Reply

I hate it when the GOP is right for the wrong reasons.

A Lion is a wild animal.

It shouldn't be living in an apartment any more than the chimp that took off that woman's face.

#21 | Posted by Tor at 2023-09-12 05:24 PM | Reply

The Gym locker room was where I discovered my attraction to men.

#BanGyms

#22 | Posted by ClownShack at 2023-09-12 05:24 PM | Reply

The Gym locker room was where I discovered my attraction to men.

#BanGyms

#23 | Posted by ClownShack at 2023-09-12 05:24 PM | Reply

Burkas for men and women!

#24 | Posted by ClownShack at 2023-09-12 05:26 PM | Reply

"It shouldn't be living in an apartment any more than the chimp that took off that woman's face."

Oh God, I remember that. Wasn't she feeding it Xanax and wine or something?

#26 | Posted by sentinel at 2023-09-12 09:49 PM | Reply

I hate it when the GOP is right for the wrong reasons.
A Lion is a wild animal.
It shouldn't be living in an apartment any more than the chimp that took off that woman's face.
#21 | POSTED BY TOR AT 2023-09-12 05:24 PM

McConnell? He appears lost inside his human skin, agreed.

Proving that any dysfunctional lipless sphincter with teeth can get elected in the GOP.

#prolapsiamajestica
#christianinabox
#concussin'discussin'

#27 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2023-09-12 10:41 PM | Reply

The less we remember about the chimp Story the better. The whole thing was like a nightmarish version of the yearling.

#28 | Posted by Tor at 2023-09-12 11:38 PM | Reply

Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.

#29 | Posted by sentinel at 2023-09-13 06:52 PM | Reply