BBC discovers the controversial Croatian picture book for children
"My Rainbow Family", the first Croatian picture book featuring same-sex families, was launched at the French Institute on Thursday, January 18. The book's author Ivo Šegota stated the book was designed to "help bring the story of rainbow families and differences in the Croatian society closer to all who wanted it, as well as make it easier for parents to talk to their children about same-sex families".
The Rainbow Families association published 500 copies, and the entire first edition has since been sold out. A couple of days later, the innovative picture book made international headlines: BBC published a feature on "My Rainbow Family" on January 22, 2018.
The article describes the book as having the look of "many other publications aimed at pre-school children - heavy on full-page, colourful illustrations and light text. But it quickly becomes apparent that something different is going on here. For starters, it can be read from the back or the front - as there are two different stories which meet in the middle. And then there are the characters. A little girl with two fathers. And a young boy with two mothers." The feature continues with a raving review from a woman named Zrinka Znidarcic who has been in a civil partnership since 2014 and whose son Patrik was excited to pick up the first book to ever reflect his own family situation.
BBC also reported on the heated reaction the book has provoked among conservative organisations in Croatia, including Vigilare whose representatives urged Education Minister Blaženka Divjak to ban the book from schools. BBC reached out to Vigilare for an interview, but the organisation has not yet responded to their request.
Read the original article here.
