LGBTQ book ban in South Carolina library thwarted after community stands up for acceptance
Read books, don’t ban them.

Children reading in a library.
Over the past two years, there has been a rash of attempted book bans in the United States. The idea that children are being “groomed” to become LGBTQ through schools and libraries has become de rigueur among conservatives. So politicians have been trying to make names for themselves by supporting banning books with LGBTQ themes from schools and libraries .
Do they think that by removing a book from a library it’ll prevent a child from being exposed to LGBTQ people?
Greenville, South Carolina, County Councilman Joe Dill, who recently lost the Republican primary and will be losing his seat, proposed a resolution that would ban books “promoting sexuality” in the children’s sections of public libraries.
The Greenville Republican Party had recently asked the council to remove the books “Daddy & Dada” about a girl and her two dads, “Teo’s Tutu” about a boy who does ballet and “Pride Puppy” about a dog at a pride parade. What's interesting is that the books don’t promote sexuality, they simply have gay characters. The books weren't telling kids to be LGBTQ, they were merely showing that these people exist.
\u201cWe don't get a ton of good anti-censorship news these days, but parents and librarians in South Carolina have succeeded in defeating a measure that would have banned children's books on Pride, Feminism and LGBTQ issues in the Greenville Public Library. https://t.co/ZayxjjqgzB\u201d— Mike Stabile (@Mike Stabile) 1667496504
Further, reading a book is about as likely to turn a heterosexual person gay as it is to turn a gay person straight. Not very likely. However, the benefits of someone being able to see themselves represented in media can play a big part in self-acceptance, which is very important given the high suicide rates among LGBTQ youth.
The Greenville County Council held a public debate featuring 10 speakers, five for the ban and five against, and the speeches were passionate.
Susan Ward, who has a gay son and is a member of PFLAG, discussed the importance of representation in books. “All of us worry about our children. I worry because my child has been subjected to hate and discrimination,” she said according to LGBTQ Nation.
\u201cI'm in South Carolina for work and there is a resolution to ban books about lgbtq people from the public library. So, of course, I put on a protect trans kids shirt and joined a bunch of folks for the meeting.\u201d— Bekah Saxon (@Bekah Saxon) 1667340644
“Every student—no matter their race, background, sexual orientation, or gender identity—deserves to feel safe and welcomed in schools, libraries, and bookstores alike. They deserve to read books and see themselves represented,” Carolyn Caldwell, president of Upstate Pride SC, said according to The State.
Barbara Evans, who supports the ban, made a speech where she conflated the idea of representation with promotion. “I can’t even believe we’re having this conversation. Of course, we shouldn’t have any sexual material in our children’s library,” she said. But is showing that a girl has two dads sexual? By that logic seeing the parents on “The Brady Bunch” being together is sexual as well.
At the end of the debate, the council voted 9 to 3 against discussing the proposed resolution. Many of those on the council didn’t believe they should interfere with how the library operates.
“If we pass this, we’re directing them and they have to do this according to us,” Chairman Willis Meadows said, according to The Post and Courier. Next, the issue will be taken up by the library system’s board of trustees. Let’s hope they have the same common sense.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.