Judge tosses suit that tried to deem books obscene for kids

By BEN FINLEY
Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A judge in Virginia has dismissed a lawsuit that sought to declare two books as obscene for children and to restrict their distribution to minors by booksellers and libraries. The books in question were “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe and “A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J. Maas. Both books describe or illustrate sexual acts that prompted the lawsuit. A Virginia Beach Republican, Tommy Altman, had petitioned the court, saying the depicitions were inappropriate for children. The suit was filed in April and dismissed before it could proceed trial. A judge struck down the suit on jurisdictional grounds, citing state law and the U.S. Constitution.