Buckeye Reporter

Books such as "Gender Queer" are similar to "Shakespeare or Ernest Hemingway, (or) the Bible," according to the founder of a Shaker Heights-based group of "suburban wine moms" that's been fighting to keep pornographic books in Ohio 9-12 school libraries.

"I just want to be clear here, be real about what the issue is here," said Katie Paris, the founder of the group, "Red, Wine, and Blue." "The books being targeted are almost entirely about Black people and LGBT people."

"If sexual content was the issue, they’d be targeting Shakespeare or Ernest Hemingway, the Bible..,'" said Paris.

Katie Paris compares "banned books" to the bible | Twitter.com @EqualityTexas

Red, Wine, and Blue, founded by Paris, a political consultant, is one of the left-leaning Ohio activist groups opposing Issue 1, an August 8 ballot initiative that would raise the raise the threshold necessary to pass a ballot driven Ohio constitutional amendment from 50%+1 to 60%.

Paris fears Issue 1 would make it more difficult for groups like hers to enact laws by statewide referendum, reported the Cleveland Reporter. 

Red, Wine and Blue has promoted books like Gender Queer and This Book Is Gay, which emphasize "transsexual" themes and even feature comic graphics depicting homosexual sex acts. While technically pornographic, the group says the books have educational value, and that schools aren't encouraging children to have sex or to become gay simply by having the books in the school libraries. 

Paris' group's storefront on bookshop.org includes 103 offerings in their "kids banned book" section and 24 "pride picture books for kids." The page notes that purchases through the page will help to support the group's work.

Ohio is one of only 15 states which allow for ballot-driven amendments to their constitutions. Of those fifteen, four of them, Illinois, Arizona, Florida, and Colorado, have thresholds for passage above a simple majority.

Issue 1 has been endorsed by prominent Ohio leaders including Sen. JD Vance, Congressman Jim Jordan, Gov. Mike DeWine, and Secretary of State Frank LaRose.