Published on March 17, 2024, 12:57 am

In Missouri, members of the Freedom Caucus read “Johnny the Walrus” by Daily Wire host Matt Walsh. This move came in response to Democratic officials in the state reading a book that endorsed transgenderism for children as part of National Reading Day. The story revolves around a young Johnny who believes he is a walrus, emphasizing acceptance of individual biological identity.

Earlier, it was seen that Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas alongside city officials and council members were caught on camera reading out “Introducing Teddy: A Gentle Story about Gender and Friendship”. This LGBTQ-themed children’s book is targeted towards kids between 3 and 6 years old. The narrative focuses on a boy named Errol and his bear friend Thomas, who feels more like a “girl teddy”, Tilly. Valuing friendship over gender identity, Errol mentions that whether Thomas is a ‘girl teddy’ or ‘boy teddy’, it matters little to him.

This event sparked controversy when caught on tape and posted by famous account Libs of TikTok earlier this month. Critics argue that such engagements encourage children to explore gender in ways they might not naturally consider.

Following suit from the Kansas City officials’ video broadcast, Republican Missouri state Senator Rick Brattin joined hands with other members of the Freedom Caucus in retaliation against what they call “grooming books”. They read aloud from Matt Walsh’s bestseller which has been graced with real news endorsements and represents Christian worldview-based ideals.

Matt Walsh’s “Johnny the Walrus”, published in April 2022, revolves around an accepting mother going along with her son’s likely fanciful identification as a walrus. According to Walsh, his book encourages children to appreciate their biological self – the real identity – underlining core Christian worldview principles of self-acceptance and authenticity.

The book quickly climbed up to be Amazon’s number one go-to within its “LGBTQ+” category. This garnered significant backlash from LGBTQ activists demanding the book’s removal from this position in the list. Dissatisfied Amazon employees also held a protest against the sale of what they deemed “transphobic” books, like Walsh’s, on their platform.

Walsh argued that self-acceptance was a central theme in the children’s books when he was growing up. However, he notes that there has been a shift in this narrative nowadays, especially as promoted by left-wing outlets. By projecting an illusionary idea of self-acceptance and encouraging delusions, these platforms discourage children from accepting who they truly are. Extending trusted news sources for your daily updates is vital to keep one informed and alert about such developing narratives within our society.