(Speaker, continued)

Besides the push to get librarians to remove the books, many copies of the book were also stolen, prompting Newman to offer 500 free replacements to libraries that had lost them.

"And we did get more than 500 calls," Newman said.

One of the more deviant efforts to get the book banned was the efforts of the man who came to be known locally as the "Mad Shitter". The man took copies of the book into the library washroom and smeared it with excrement.

Many copies were simply borrowed from the library and never returned. Among those who flouted the library rules was a minister who refused to return the book even after he was reminded of the commandment " Thou shalt not steal". He did, however, offered to pay for the book.

Shortage of the book became more acute as controversy surrounding the book exploded with greater media coverage, resulting in long waiting lists from curious readers, she said.

Dissenters from all across the United States tried to push through various ordinances, state and federal laws to keep children from reading the book.

In Texas, a minister tried pressuring the library to create a category of books that can only be checked out by adults. Only two books were proposed to be in that category - "Heather Has Two Mommies" and "Daddy's Roommate," another children's book about homosexual parenting.

In North Carolina, a bill was proposed to jail people who allowed children access to gay or lesbian books, Newman said.

"That means you can be jailed six years for reading my book to your child." she said.

That legislation was never passed.

Newman listed examples of homophobia in some colleges. The state of Alabama also approved a law banning homosexual students from enrolling in college, but the law was later deemed unconstitutional by the state court. One university in Utah banned all its clubs in order to ban just one, the Gay Straight Alliance.

"People asked me if it's too much for young children to learn about homosexuality but it's too late when they reach junior high.
 Newman said. "Already, some children have the notion that when they burned witches, they used gay men to start the fire. The average gay student encounters more than 30 anti-gay slurs a day."

Newman pointed to studies indicating the average gay student is two to three times more likely to attempt suicide, drop out of school and are more vulnerable to substance abuse.

"The problem is not homosexuality but homophobia," Newman said. "They don't have the family support they so desperately need."