A wannabe vlogger has caused a stir after criticising Victorian public libraries for asking children what their pronouns are.
Librarians were encouraged this month to ask children as young as five about their gender pronouns, sparking outrage from some parents and conservative experts.
Mother of three Montana Older took to TikTok last week with her daughter to criticize the move, saying “the world has gone crazy.”
“What is going on with public libraries in Victoria asking children to identify themselves?” she began, holding her youngest daughter on her hip.
‘They’re girls. They’re born that way. They’re girls. You’re either a girl or you’re a boy. You’re not a cat. You’re not a dog.
“If this trickles down to preschools and schools, we’re going to be homeschooling, I’m out. I just feel like we’re losing the plot. I feel like the world is going crazy.
“It’s just not okay. I don’t want to go to a library and have drag queen stories,” Montana added, moments before her daughter threw up.
“She thinks so too. Puke,” the aspiring influencer joked.
An aspiring mummy vlogger has sparked controversy after criticising public libraries in Victoria for asking children what their pronouns were. Pictured: Influencer Montana Older and her partner Nick with two of their daughters
“I think it’s pretty brave to have an opinion on this subject. I think people keep it to themselves what they actually think about it. I think it’s disgusting,” Montana continued.
“I think it’s totally inappropriate. I think the world has gone crazy. I think we should just leave children alone.”
Montana also said she doesn’t want her children to go to the library and have someone “confuse” them about the gender they identify with.
Her comments were received en masse by her followers, with some supporting her views, while others criticized the mother for her controversial ideas.
“We are a family with two mothers. We feel the same. He was born a boy and he is,” one person wrote.
Mother of three Montana Older took to TikTok last week with her daughter to criticize the action, saying “the world has gone crazy”
“The fact that this is the world is insane and scary,” another added, while others said: “Agree, agree, agree! Good on you for speaking your mind btw.”
“I totally agree with you and I think I will homeschool my kids when the time is right,” another commented.
But many others disagreed: ‘Here’s the librarian. Public libraries should be safe places for everyone, including those who are gender diverse. This includes children. Libraries strive to embrace diversity. Join in, it’s more fun.’
“I really don’t understand why this is a problem. When my son is asked about it he says ‘boy’ and we go on with our day,” wrote another.
A third added: ‘Completely disagree. Yes, children are born as boys or girls, but that doesn’t mean they have to identify as such when they get to an age where they’re figuring out who they are as a person.’
Followers flocked to her comments, with some expressing support for her views, while others criticized the mother for her controversial thoughts.
“No one is trying to force a different gender identity on your child. Introducing diverse identities from an early age promotes understanding and empathy, which contributes to a more inclusive society,” began one lengthy comment.
‘LGBTQ+ youth face disproportionately high suicide rates due to stigma and abuse. By creating a safe and supportive environment from the beginning, we can reduce these risks. I hope this helps!’
Librarians in Victoria have been encouraged to ask children as young as five about their gender pronouns, sparking outrage from parents and conservative education experts this month.
The Victorian Government recently launched a ‘rainbow library toolkit’, which has now been distributed to more than 290 public libraries across the state.
Launched by the Jacinta Allan government, the toolkit contains a new set of guidelines to help libraries become more inclusive spaces for LGBTQIA+ communities and families.
Librarians were this month encouraged to ask children as young as five about their gender pronouns, sparking outrage from parents and conservative pundits. Pictured: Victorian State Library in Melbourne
Some of the inclusivity advice provided in the toolkit includes adding gender-diversity books to library collections, promoting drag queen storytimes, and avoiding “gendered language.” Sky News reported.
A section titled “Non-Gender Interactions” urges librarians not to adopt the pronouns of elementary school children.
“It is also important to recognise that, especially among young people, gender identity and sexuality can change or evolve over time,” the toolkit says.
‘Children in particular may want to experiment with different gender expressions through dressing up. We can help them do this by avoiding projecting our expectations of gender onto them.’
The toolkit also encourages library staff, even if they know a child who visits their library, to “hold space for them to express a shift in their identity.”
This includes examining whether the child still uses the same pronouns as in the past.