Dear Editor,

Regarding your September 13 article about the VUSD reviewing challenged books:

Someone should tell the Source’s Erika Hawkyard that being against a book which validates lesbianism is not an example of “homophobia.” “Phobia” is an irrational and excessive fear of something; I know of no one who is afraid of gays. To the contrary, not wanting youth to be exposed to a book which approves of lesbianism, shows that some parents consider homosexuality to be a perverted form of sexual expression which should not be validated. Nothing more, nothing less. In addition, any book which contains teen smoking, drinking, slut shaming, and pregnancy should be challenged. The MPAA issues ratings which prohibit children from seeing certain movies due to content, yet I have yet to hear anybody say that it is “censorship” or “cinephobic” not to allow a 9-year-old to see a NC-17-rated film. Communities should have the same right to protect impressionable young people from written material that can influence them to accept and indulge in that which is ultimately harmful to them.

Lee Bartoletti
Exeter