The mayor of West Virginia’s capital city has canceled her upcoming appearance at the West Virginia Book Festival over a presentation by an author with homophobic views.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin announced the cancellation Tuesday in a letter to the Kanawha County Public Library Board of Directors.
Goodwin says she objects to the financial support of “Ender’s Game” author Orson Scott Card, who she says has a “history of homophobic, transphobic and racist views.” She had unsuccessfully asked event administrators to cancel his presentation.
A festival statement says Card was invited because of his novels, not his opinions. Card previously sat on the board of the National Organization for Marriage, which opposes same-sex marriage, and has suggested that gay people were abused into their sexuality.