Conservatives: Cancel BookPage subscription

By John Labriola - A large crowd of conservative citizens urged the Citrus County Library Advisory Board (LAB) last week to cancel the library system's annual subscription to BookPage, a woke magazine that recommends new books that push LGBT, CRT and witchcraft themes.

For about an hour and a half, residents argued that BookPage mocks and demonizes conservative Christian values and doesn't represent the county's views. 

"I was absolutely shocked at the preponderance of left politics and sexual adventures in that magazine," said Edna Bachman of Crystal River, an avid reader and longtime library patron who first came across the magazine several years ago. "Where is the right represented? The left complains about equity. This isn't equal."

The September 2025 edition of BookPage includes an interview with Charlie Jane Anders, a "transgender" author who discusses his book "Lessons in Magic and Disaster" about "a queer academic and secret witch." In the article, Anders, who is pictured in a pink wig and makeup, says his "favorite" witch stories "involve transgressive sex or naked rituals." The issue also includes a number of articles recommending books about lesbian vampires, witches' covens, and condemnations of the American police as the modern equivalent of "white slave patrols," and it features a Mexican cartoonist who supports abolishing ICE.

Dean Bales of Homosassa said the magazine's heavy promotion of transgenderism is not benign given the large number of transgenders among school shooters, as borne out yet again last week in the killing of two young children at a Minneapolis Catholic school by an anti-Christian, Trump-hating transgender shooter.

The discussion about BookPage came during the LAB's annual budget meeting on the $5.6 million proposed library budget for 2025-26. The budget includes a $3,300 line item to purchase a total of 500 copies a month of BookPage, stacks of which are available at each of the county's five libraries so patrons can take them home without having to check them out. 

Gill Phelan of Lecanto said BookPage's recommendations of books like "Gaysians" and "Hot Girls with Balls" celebrate "perversion and mental illness." He also cited recent reviews that complained about "restricted abortion access, homophobia" and other "woke whining points” and said library leadership should be fired for letting “woke idealism” run rampant.

But a smaller crowd of leftists argued taxpayer money should continue to be spent on the BookPage subscription. Among them was drag queen "Rhonda Santis" of Beverly Hills, whose real name is Tony Ayo. Wearing a red dress and black wig, Ayo said he would like to volunteer to perform Drag Queen Story Hours at Citrus County libraries and read blasphemous stories to little children. Another leftist stormed out of the room after shouting an obscenity at a speaker for arguing against sexualizing children. The outburst prompted LAB Chairman Justin Strickland to threaten to haul any disruptors out in handcuffs next time. 

"Do not play that nonsense with me," he said. 

Several residents noted that BookPage is available for free online, which means patrons who wish to read it can do so on any library computer at no cost. A number of residents wanted the LAB to cut the overall library budget to give some tax relief to residents, who are facing a large increase in the county fire fee. But the LAB ultimately voted to recommend no reductions in the proposed library budget, which the Citrus County Commission will be considering at its first budget hearing on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 5 p.m.

LAB members did agree to review BookPage and decide what to do about it at their next meeting on Oct. 28.