"Scrotum"
Scrotum. It's right there on the first page of Susan Patron's newly minted Newbery Award-winning novel, THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY. Scrotum. It's not that uncommon, in fact half the people I know have them. Scrotum. Apparently this is a scary word.
Because the book includes the word "scrotum," some people do not want the book in their schools and libraries. Blogs and listservs, teachers, librarians, readers, reviewers, have been debating "scrotum."
In the novel, Ray gets bit on the scrotum by a rattlesnake. (Ray is a dog.) Never mind that there are hundreds and hundreds of wonderful words in this small gem of a story. Or that using the "scrotum" is entirely in keeping with the smart, observant protagonist, Lucky. This one word is a lightening rod.
This is a Newbery book, singled out for its literary merit, and honored by the American Library Association. It was written by a librarian. To not carry it in a library infringes upon one's intellectual freedom. It denies the reader the opportunity to choose, or not choose, to read the book.
Recently, Publishers Weekly ran an article about this uproar . . . http://publishersweekly.com/article/CA6416737.html?nid=2788. It includes our stance on the issue, as well as comments from Susan Patron.
What do you think about this?
(Posted by Lisa Yee)
Because the book includes the word "scrotum," some people do not want the book in their schools and libraries. Blogs and listservs, teachers, librarians, readers, reviewers, have been debating "scrotum."
In the novel, Ray gets bit on the scrotum by a rattlesnake. (Ray is a dog.) Never mind that there are hundreds and hundreds of wonderful words in this small gem of a story. Or that using the "scrotum" is entirely in keeping with the smart, observant protagonist, Lucky. This one word is a lightening rod.
This is a Newbery book, singled out for its literary merit, and honored by the American Library Association. It was written by a librarian. To not carry it in a library infringes upon one's intellectual freedom. It denies the reader the opportunity to choose, or not choose, to read the book.
Recently, Publishers Weekly ran an article about this uproar . . . http://publishersweekly.com/article/CA6416737.html?nid=2788. It includes our stance on the issue, as well as comments from Susan Patron.
What do you think about this?
(Posted by Lisa Yee)
posted by Lisa Yee at 12:26 AM
23 Comments:
I think everyone who is not afraid of SCROTUM, should go to their libraries and request the book! I for one, want to make sure that my librarian is not afraid of scrotum!
I am reading this book now, and I didn't find it any big deal. Of course, I live with 4 sons and a husband which is a lot of scrotums, or is it scroti?
Anyway, the only one who objected to the book was our neutered male dog who asks..."where is my scrotum?"
Laura
www.LauraLudwigHamor.com
I come from a culture where an affectionate morning greeting is, "So, how was your bowel movement this morning?" Courtesy is not about particular words; it's about the HEART. And that's what Susan Patron's book is all about.
The librarian in the PW article asserts that “the inclusion of genitalia does not add to the story one bit . . . There are so many other options that the author could have used instead.”
Having this sentiment is one thing. And expressing it is fine. But basing a decision not to carry, recommend or booktalk the book in a public library because of objection to a single word—which isn’t even one of the seven you can’t say on television!--seems to me to be in direct violation of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights. The second article of the Bill of Rights states that “Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.”
Like others who have posted here, I'm having a hard time understanding why "scrotum" is being treated like a dirty word. This is just proper terminology.
Or are some body parts inherently evil? Should we be getting George Bush on the case?
Gah!
I agree with C.K. Scrotum is the correct term. The author isn't resorting to slang (of which there are many, many options!) Why are we so afraid to teach children what the parts of their body are called?
It reminds me of the game people play with their children when they're very young. They say to the child, "Show me your eyes. Your nose. Your mouth." They go down the body to the arm and hands. Then they SKIP over the whole torso and say, "Now show me your legs. Your knees, etc." When are the kids supposed to learn the names of their OTHER body parts?
I applaud the author for using this word. What's the big deal, anyway?
We are very open in our family and my boys know what this word means. My younger son would happily point out to all his 3rd grade classmates what it means, if they want to know or not. This is where my concern lies. I wonder what you all think about the fact that this book is geared toward a younger crowd than other recent Newberys (which are also not in my grades 3-5 library - Kira-Kira, Criss Cross) - ie, 3rd, 4th grade. Some of my students do not feel ready and feel very uncomfortable with these types of things. We don't include middle and high school level books because the content is inappropriate for the age level. Is that censorship? As school librarians we have to make decisions about what is appropriate and what our students feel comfortable reading. I recently had a student bring me a book with the word boob in it. She did not feel it was appropriate for her age level and felt uncomfortable reading it. Isn't it my job to serve her, too? With that cute picture of the girl on the cover and shiny gold medal, the 8 year old 3rd grade girls will want that book. Do they feel ready?
Trying to do the right thing by my students in New York.
Maybe only males have a scrotum, but anyone who censors a book out of fear has no balls.
I ask....why do we have to tremble at the word Censor, as if it's a bad word? Maybe a better word is 'dignity'. Have we lost track of what that word means? Can a children's book be written without any suggestive words and still be good? Why is that so hard?
What DOES the word scrotum mean, anonymous? Here's how my dictionary defines it:
scrotum |ˈskrōtəm| noun ( pl. scrota or scrotums ) a pouch of skin containing the testicles.
Do you really find this "suggestive"?
Hey, maybe the word should be removed from dictionaries, too, because children have access to dictionaries EVERYWHERE -- at home, school and libraries!
{gasp}
What DOES the word scrotum mean, anonymous? Here's how my dictionary defines it:
scrotum |ˈskrōtəm| noun ( pl. scrota or scrotums ) a pouch of skin containing the testicles.
Do you really find this "suggestive"?
Hey, maybe the word should be removed from dictionaries, too, because children have access to dictionaries EVERYWHERE -- at home, school and libraries!
{gasp}
What DOES the word scrotum mean, anonymous? Here's how my dictionary defines it:
scrotum |ˈskrōtəm| noun ( pl. scrota or scrotums ) a pouch of skin containing the testicles.
Do you really find this "suggestive"?
Hey, maybe the word should be removed from dictionaries, too, because children have access to dictionaries EVERYWHERE -- at home, school and libraries!
{gasp}
Anonymous at 9:54 - How does having these books in the library not serve your uncomfortable reader? When she brings you something like that, you say: "I have to stock books for everybody. If you get one that you don't feel comfortable with, put it back."
I did this when I was little - "Oh, this book is too old for me. I'll read it later." I never made this decision for anybody else. Books I specifically remember doing this for were an unabridged Uncle Remus (the N-word) and my own copy of the Bible (Oh, so much, but specifically that story about the elder who wouldn't marry his brother's widow as he was supposed to, but would visit a temple prostitute, so she disguised herself as one in order to get her rights.)
Incidentally, I don't know why anybody posts as anonymous, when Other lets you sign your name.
I am so happy that I was raised in Europe where we didn't worry about such nonsense. Seems like many of those
stuffy librarians are descendents of Queen Victoria. Stop the hyprocrisy! Get real, already. One out of 4 commercials on TV is for erectile disfunction and the rest are for some kind of vaginal or rectal itch. And yes, dear librairians, the same kids who watch those commercials are the same kids who don't care about your book banning. I suggest you spend a weekend reading 451, and grow up! Aldous Huxkley and George Orwell seem to have been right in many of their predictions. If we leave it to our librairians, so will Ray Bradbury!
I wonder how all of these self-appointed, blue-nosed guardians of public decency would handle words like "teat" or "breast" or "hypocrisy," if such words appeared in books intended for pre-adolescents? If they are worried that 9-12 year olds are being exposed too quickly to sexual terms, then when do they think it appropriate to begin introducing notions about genitalia? At 15 to 17 after the first or second accidental pregnancy? Sex education should END before adolescence, not begin.
You've got to be kidding me! What kind of prudish, small-minded, over-protective people actually gather enough numbers to be recognized by the national news media? Please, for God's sake, keep your embarassingly self-absorbed snoots out of my business, my bed and, certainly my child's bookshelf!
I would not characterize "scrotum" as a sexual term. Can't think of a single sexy movie, novel, or story that uses it.
Now, medically speaking, sometimes it's cut off, esp. in animals, sometimes in men.
I can't believe that would-be censors/banners are up in arms over the use of a clinical term: It had
little to do with the plot and was simply technical. The book is completely G-rated. Sigh.
All, I think this scrotum issue is silly and overblown. But more importantly, many of you have truly written humorous content in this thread. I really enjoyed reading it! Like Laura's "scroti"! Ha! Say can one wear scroti in place of a neck tie?
室內設計,室內設計,室內設計,裝潢,室內設計,室內設計室內設計公司
,搬家公司,搬家公司,台北搬家公司,搬家公司,室內設計
這一家租屋網免費刊登不用錢耶
搬家公司,健身,茶葉A片,SEO,SEO,SEO,motel,led手電筒,棧板,二胎,隔熱紙,照明,健身,a383,a383,,二手家具,a383,胸章,車燈,
文山搬家,兼職小姐,南港搬家,大安區搬家,松山搬家,中山區搬家,八里搬家,
五股搬家,
泰山搬家,大同區搬家,中正區搬家,士林搬家,萬華搬家,
台北搬家公司,台北搬家公司,客人,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,加油棒,台中搬家公司,台北市搬家公司,台北縣搬家公司
台中美食
台北美食
新竹美食
桃園美食
台中美食小吃
台中美食餐廳
大台中美食網
台北美食餐廳
桃園美食餐廳
桃園美食網
新竹美食網
新竹美食餐廳
看房子,買房子,建商自售,自售,台北新成屋,台北豪宅,新成屋,豪宅,美髮儀器,美髮,儀器,髮型,EMBA,MBA,學位,EMBA,專業認證,認證課程,博士學位,DBA,PHD,在職進修,碩士學位,推廣教育,DBA,進修課程,碩士學位,網路廣告,關鍵字廣告,關鍵字,課程介紹,學分班,文憑,牛樟芝,段木,牛樟菇,日式料理, 台北居酒屋,日本料理,結婚,婚宴場地,推車飲茶,港式點心,尾牙春酒,台北住宿,國內訂房,台北HOTEL,台北婚宴,飯店優惠,台北結婚,場地,住宿,訂房,HOTEL,飯店,造型系列,學位,SEO,婚宴,捷運,學區,美髮,儀器,髮型,看房子,買房子,建商自售,自售,房子,捷運,學區,台北新成屋,台北豪宅,新成屋,豪宅,學位,碩士學位,進修,在職進修, 課程,教育,學位,證照,mba,文憑,學分班,台北住宿,國內訂房,台北HOTEL,台北婚宴,飯店優惠,住宿,訂房,HOTEL,飯店,婚宴,台北住宿,國內訂房,台北HOTEL,台北婚宴,飯店優惠,住宿,訂房,HOTEL,飯店,婚宴,台北住宿,國內訂房,台北HOTEL,台北婚宴,飯店優惠,住宿,訂房,HOTEL,飯店,婚宴,結婚,婚宴場地,推車飲茶,港式點心,尾牙春酒,台北結婚,場地,結婚,場地,推車飲茶,港式點心,尾牙春酒,台北結婚,婚宴場地,結婚,婚宴場地,推車飲茶,港式點心,尾牙春酒,台北結婚,場地,居酒屋,燒烤,美髮,儀器,髮型,美髮,儀器,髮型,美髮,儀器,髮型,美髮,儀器,髮型,小套房,小套房,進修,在職進修,留學,證照,MBA,EMBA,留學,MBA,EMBA,留學,進修,在職進修,牛樟芝,段木,牛樟菇,關鍵字排名,網路行銷,PMP,在職專班,研究所在職專班,碩士在職專班,PMP,證照,在職專班,研究所在職專班,碩士在職專班,SEO,廣告,關鍵字,關鍵字排名,網路行銷,網頁設計,網站設計,網站排名,搜尋引擎,網路廣告,SEO,廣告,關鍵字,關鍵字排名,網路行銷,網頁設計,網站設計,網站排名,搜尋引擎,網路廣告,SEO,廣告,關鍵字,關鍵字排名,網路行銷,網頁設計,網站設計,網站排名,搜尋引擎,網路廣告,SEO,廣告,關鍵字,關鍵字排名,網路行銷,網頁設計,網站設計,網站排名,搜尋引擎,網路廣告,EMBA,MBA,PMP
,在職進修,專案管理,出國留學,EMBA,MBA,PMP
,在職進修,專案管理,出國留學,EMBA,MBA,PMP,在職進修,專案管理,出國留學,婚宴,婚宴,婚宴,婚宴,漢高資訊,漢高資訊,比利時,比利時聯合商學院,宜蘭民宿,台東民宿,澎湖民宿,墾丁民宿,花蓮民宿,SEO,找工作
住宿,民宿,飯宿,住宿,民宿,美容,美髮,整形,造型,美容,室內設計,室內設計,室內設計,室內設計,室內設計,漢高資訊,在職進修,漢高資訊,在職進修,漢高資訊,在職進修,漢高資訊,在職進修,漢高資訊,在職進修,住宿,民宿,飯店,旅遊,美容,美髮,整形,造型,設計,室內設計,裝潢,房地產,進修,在職進修,MBA,EMBA,羅志祥,周杰倫,五月天,蔡依林,林志玲,羅志祥,周杰倫,五月天,蔡依林,林志玲,羅志祥,羅志祥,周杰倫,五月天,蔡依林,住宿,民宿,飯宿,旅遊,住宿,民宿,飯宿,旅遊,美髮,整形,造型,美容,美髮,整形,造型,設計,室內設計,裝潢,房地產,設計,室內設計,裝潢,房地產,比利時聯合商學院,在職進修,MBA,EMBA,比利時聯合商學院,在職進修,MBA,EMBA,漢高資訊
現在來談談
台中搬家公司的未來展望，買新房子想從北屯搬到台中七期，當然要找台中搬家公司來執行台中搬家，明年台中縣市就要合併升格，到時候就無所謂台中縣搬家公司了，就只剩下台中市搬家公司。一搬來說大台中地區包括台中縣市，也包含彰化及南投，所以網路上找中部地區搬家公司，就會用南投搬家公司或者彰化搬家公司。
再來談行的問題，景氣不是很好很多人買不起新車只好買中古車囉!中古車買賣是需要技巧的，胡亂買中古車可能會吃大虧的，消費者可要睜大眼睛看清楚，免得買了後悔不已。如果買新車的話，就沒有剛剛的問題，新車業務員在交車時一般都會幫車主貼隔熱紙，就是我們所說的汽車隔熱紙，不過他們貼的隔熱紙品質都不是挺好的，相信很多車主有許多不愉快經驗吧!有了車之後免不了要學開車吧!一般學開車是要到駕訓班，當然也可以叫做汽車駕訓班，聽說學費不便宜喔!還是省一點好，不要亂花錢。
經濟不景氣，討論借錢的話題很多人應開有興趣，在台北想借錢或者汽車借款可以到台北當舖或者是台北市當舖，台北縣當舖當然也可以，如果是住在台北火車站到台北市當舖借錢比較方便。那我住在內湖就可以到內湖區當舖借錢融資囉!住在東區就找信義區當舖借錢，以此類推。一般支票貼現也有辦理，銀行有辦理票貼，當舖也有阿，而且比銀行更方便，利息雖然高一點不過時效性卻非常好，一般工商人士短期借款就很喜歡到當舖的原因。我家現在住在桃園想融資票貼就得到桃園當舖，住新竹的人往新竹當舖借貸是比較方便。來到台中手頭不方便，想週轉借貸一下台中當舖是有這樣的服務，報紙或者網路上隨時都可以查到台中
縣當舖的資訊，因為台中當舖是非常有名的，服務也相當好。往台灣南部走先碰到的是嘉義當舖，借錢票貼一樣容易，聽說嘉義還蠻好玩的，火雞肉飯不錯吃喔!再往南走將會遇到高雄當舖，高雄人是很熱情的，借錢當然也不囉唆，依據話就搞定。鳳山再過一點點就到達台灣最南邊的屏東，一樣有屏東當舖可以服務缺錢的人，住在台灣真方便，哪裡都可以週轉融資。
有錢之後男人花樣變多了，想輕鬆一下，台中大大有名的就是台中護膚，台中指油壓，不去體驗一下怎麼可以呢!食色性也這是孔老夫子講的，想找一些網路上情色消遣，只要關鍵字打上一夜情,視訊聊天,免費視訊聊天,免費視訊,視訊交友,情色貼圖，讓你看的眼花撩亂，爽快不已，E時代就是這麼方便，彈指可取情色
資訊。找女朋友到motel去休息，要挑好一點有情趣的汽車旅館，這種錢是一定不能省的，燈光美氣氛佳才能辦好事。
身體要強、要勇，買花旗蔘來補身一定有用，不過要用加拿大來的西洋蔘功效比較好，不信可以問一下專家的意見，相信他所給的答案就是粉光蔘。
Needless to say, just cool !Thanks for your nice blog and best wishes to you!
Truely a nice blog and excellent anylasisi. I like your blog and the style you talk! Thanks for your great work, faithfully.
Post a Comment
<< Home