Oregon school counselor faces backlash over 'chosen family' book for youths
An Oregon high school counselor is facing criticism after a children's book she authored about "chosen family" resurfaced online, with critics arguing it encourages children to prioritize chosen family over their biological relatives if they don't feel accepted at home.
The book, "A Kids Book About Chosen Family" by Madi Bourdon, a high school counselor at Milwaukie High School & Academy of the Arts, is intended for 5–9 year-olds, according to its Amazon listing.
It is about the concept of "chosen family," which the book’s description explains as "people who love, see, and support you for being your truest self. There are lots of people who can be a part of your chosen family, and you get to pick who makes you feel the safest and bravest."
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"This book is just the invitation to discuss the importance of finding your people, those who see and love you for you, biological or not," Bourdon said in a video clip shared Thursday by the X account, Libs of TikTok.
The re-shared clip sparked criticism from conservative accounts on X, including allegations that the book encourages children to distance themselves from parents who reject their gender identity.
"Members of one’s biological family are not always the people who are family in the ways that matter," Bourdon continued in the clip. "Given the tidal wave of legislation aimed at the erasure of underrepresented communities being passed across the country, not to mention the hateful rhetoric being normalized every day against marginalized communities, I wanted to highlight how during this time of what feels like very intense division that chosen families can offer a unique alternative."
In the video clip, Bourdon’s background features what appears to be a Pride flag and a "Black Lives Matter" sign displaying a Black power fist, along with other posters and illustrations.
The post by Libs of TikTok with the reshared clip read, "Meet Oregon High school counselor [Madi] Bourdon. She wrote a kid’s book about ‘chosen family’ which tells kids they can cut off their parents and find a new family if their parents aren’t ‘accepting’ of their gender identity."
In a Wednesday post on X, Jennifer McWilliams, co-founder of Courage Is A Habit, wrote, "Listen to Madi promote her book, ‘A Book About Chosen Family.’ It is a book that teaches children the ‘definition of family.’ Madi believes children should choose their family & the family they were born to is NOT more important than a ‘Chosen Family.’"
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Milwaukie High School & Academy of the Arts said, "As a general matter, the school district does not comment on the private activities of individuals, nor does it have any involvement in books authored or published by private individuals in their personal capacity."