Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Disney is refusing to cut LGBTQ scene in Doctor Strange 2, Saudi Arabia says; The Guardian, April 25, 2022

 and agencies, The Guardian ; Disney is refusing to cut LGBTQ scene in Doctor Strange 2, Saudi Arabia says

"Saudi Arabia has asked Disney to cut “LGBTQ references” from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness before it can be screened in the kingdom, an official said on Monday – but denied earlier reports that the film has been banned.

Disney has so far declined the requested edits to the Doctor Strange sequel, slated for release around the world next week. The cuts amount to “barely 12 seconds” in which a lesbian character, America Chavez, played by the actor Xochitl Gomez, refers to her “two moms”, according to Nawaf Alsabhan, Saudi Arabia’s general supervisor of cinema classification.

“It’s just her talking about her moms, because she has two moms,” Alsabhan said. “And being in the Middle East, it’s very tough to pass something like this.”

Sunday, April 10, 2022

After the Audit | PLA 2022; Library Journal, April 1, 2022

 Meredith Schwartz , Library Journal; Library Journal;After the Audit | PLA 2022

"Collection Diversity audits, while crucial, can present a daunting challenge. What can tip the balance toward deciding the work is worth it is a concrete plan for how the knowledge gained can be directly translated into action. At the “After the Collection Diversity Audit” session at PLA, a mixture of in-person and virtual panelists—including Celia Mulder, head of collection management and system administration, Clinton-Macomb Public Library, MI; Sarah Voels, community engagement librarian, Cedar Rapids Public Library, OH; Anitra Gates, technical service manager, Erie County Public Library, PA; and Amberlee McGaughey, children's librarian, Erie County Public Library—shared their experiences and strategies."