{"id":47496,"date":"2023-02-23T14:12:27","date_gmt":"2023-02-23T14:12:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shefnews.co.uk\/?p=47496"},"modified":"2023-02-23T14:12:27","modified_gmt":"2023-02-23T14:12:27","slug":"trans-cartoonist-speaks-out-against-backlash-over-sheffield-library-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/index.php\/2023\/02\/23\/trans-cartoonist-speaks-out-against-backlash-over-sheffield-library-event\/","title":{"rendered":"Trans cartoonist speaks out against backlash over Sheffield library event"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>A Canadian trans cartoonist has faced serious backlash over &#8216;nappy fetish&#8217; art after being booked for a Sheffield family and kids library event.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Artist Sophie Labelle is set to appear at Sheffield Central Library to discuss her book, The Best Assigned Male, and her trans experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sophie Labelle, originally from Montreal, Canada, said: \u201cThe scrutiny really reminds me of how much the kind of work that I do is necessary, now more than ever.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.co.uk\/o\/libraries-sheffield-9795467632\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sheffield libraries<\/a>, has promoted the event as being \u201csuitable for adults, teens and families&#8221; which has prompted a serious backlash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the past, Ms Labelle has created \u2018diaper fetish\u2019 art where adults seek arousal by behaving and dressing up as babies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite this, Ms Labelle has argued her fetish art is \u2018non-sexual\u2019 and \u2018entirely different\u2019 to her comic books and main art, which is the focus of Monday\u2019s event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shefnews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2023\/02\/image-5.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-47534\" \/><figcaption>Sophie Labelle comic book art<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Miriam Cates, Conservative MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, wrote to Sheffield City Council expressing her concerns. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the letter, Mrs Cates wrote: \u201cIn no way can the work or \u2018activism\u2019 of this author can be considered suitable for children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt is widely agreed by child safeguarding experts, and across society, that it is wrong and deeply damaging to expose children to sexualised material.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The artist said: \u201cMy work aims to empower queer and trans people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis attempt to frame it as anything else is despicable and symptomatic of the hateful rhetoric against trans people, especially trans women.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Richard Williams, a councillor at Sheffield City Council said: \u201cSheffield is a diverse and inclusive city and it is right that our programme of activity reflects that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ms Labelle said the council\u2019s decision to proceed with the event is &#8216;the right thing to do\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ms Labelle said her work is important for trans and queer youth: \u201cMy comics and novels feature thriving trans and queer youth living fulfilling lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI believe these stories can help queer and trans youth dream a future for themselves as I want our communities to thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The event is still expected to go ahead on Monday 27 February at Sheffield Central Library at 7pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Miriam Cates has been contacted for a comment. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Canadian trans cartoonist has faced serious backlash over &#8216;nappy fetish&#8217; art after being booked for a Sheffield family and kids library event. Artist Sophie Labelle is set to appear at Sheffield Central Library to discuss her book, The Best Assigned Male, and her trans experiences. Sophie Labelle, originally from Montreal, Canada, said: \u201cThe scrutiny [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":47510,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[415,16],"tags":[752,861],"class_list":["post-47496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-top-stories","tag-lgbtq","tag-sheffield-library"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Trans cartoonist speaks out against backlash over Sheffield library event - ShefNews<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/index.php\/2023\/02\/23\/trans-cartoonist-speaks-out-against-backlash-over-sheffield-library-event\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Trans cartoonist speaks out against backlash over Sheffield library event - ShefNews\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A Canadian trans cartoonist has faced serious backlash over &#8216;nappy fetish&#8217; art after being booked for a Sheffield family and kids library event. Artist Sophie Labelle is set to appear at Sheffield Central Library to discuss her book, The Best Assigned Male, and her trans experiences. 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