A new conservative publisher is launching with an anti-transgender children’s book.
Brave Books’ first book, called Elephants are Not Birds, follows an elephant named Kevin and a vulture named Culture that tries to convince him he’s actually a bird because he can sing well.
The vulture gives Kevin a beak and wings to wear – though the elephant struggles to live as a bird despite identifying as one, an obvious swipe at children who identify as another gender other than their own.
The book was written by right-wing commentator Ashley St. Clair, who was previously dumped as a brand ambassador by Turning Point USA when she was pictured with white nationalists and anti-Semites.
Brave Books’ first book follows an elephant named Kevin and a vulture named Culture that tries to convince him he’s actually a bird because he can sing well
The vulture gives Kevin a beak and wings to wear – as he transitions into his life as a bird
The elephant struggles to live as a bird despite identifying as one
The book is an obvious swipe at children who identify as another gender other than their own
The anti-trans book was written by right-wing commentator Ashley St. Clair
She was previously dumped as a brand ambassador by Turning Point USA when she was pictured with white nationalists and anti-Semites
‘I hope that the values taught in the book can curb what I call ‘transgender by proxy’ cases, where kids are presented the confusing idea of unlimited and interchangeable genders and get the idea that they are suddenly trans,’ St. Clair, 22, told DailyMail.com.
The term ‘transgender by proxy’ is not supported by scientific or psychological evidence.
When describing the book’s plot, St. Clair said that in the end Kevin ‘realizes he’s better the way he was made and he can like to sing and still be an elephant.’
‘But I believe that the entire concept of transgenderism is confusing to kids, and eventually damaging if they make life altering decisions such as gender transitioning when they may not necessarily be trans,’ she said.
When asked by DailyMail.com if the book could be seen as damaging to transgender children, she replied: ‘No, I don’t think a singing elephant will be damaging. And regardless, I don’t believe children should transition at all.’
‘The book really teaches, you’re best the way you were made, whatever way that may be,’ she said.
When asked by DailyMail.com about kids who believe they were made transgender, St. Clair simply replied: ‘Believing and being are two different things.’
‘If LGBTQ groups want to get upset, I’m not concerned. It’s a singing elephant. Definitely not pushing blatant propaganda messaging like The GayBCs,’ she said.
DailyMail.com has reached out to several transgender rights groups for comment about the new book.
In comments to the New York Post, St. Clair said: ‘You get special attention now in the classroom if you say, ‘Hey my name is not Billy, it’s Amanda’.’
‘I am going to have a little boy in November, and it’s scary to think he could come home and say, ‘My friends all identify as something else and that’s how I feel’ and have my son crying because he’s not put on hormone replacement therapy,’ St. Clair said.
The book is said to include a ‘top secret letter’, though the contents of the letter were not revealed
Trent Talbot, the company’s CEO, told the New York Post that he decided to start the company when he noticed the extent of America’s culture wars – hence the name of the vulture
He said other planned books include one on communism from Jack Posobiec and is trying to convince Congressman Dan Crenshaw to write one about cancel culture
According to its website, Brave Books will continue to exclusively focus on developing conservative propaganda targeting kids.
‘A progressive agenda is dominating today’s culture and teaching our kids all the wrong lessons. That’s why we created a book series that releases a new story book each month which teaches a foundational conservative value,’ the website reads.
Trent Talbot, the company’s CEO, told the New York Post that he decided to start the company when he noticed the extent of America’s culture wars.
‘There is a real war going on for the hearts and minds of our kids. And everywhere I looked was propaganda,’ he said.
He wanted to fight against books urging kids to ‘make equality a reality’ like Ibram X. Kendi’s picture book Antiracist Baby.
‘Once my eyes were open I was seeing it everywhere and I couldn’t unsee it. I thought there was a need for books that could help parents teach the values they hold dear,’ he said.
Talbot claims that the book has been ‘positively received’ by kids aged 4 to 12. The company is selling ‘Elephants are Not Birds’ on its website for $19.99.
‘I would love to see it taught in schools and on summer reading lists and we’re going to fight to make that happen,’ he said.
He said other planned books include one on communism from Jack Posobiec and is trying to convince Congressman Dan Crenshaw to write one about cancel culture.
St. Clair, a former brand ambassador, was dropped by Turning Point USA in 2019 when she was pictured at a dinner with white nationalist and anti-Semitic content creators, the Washington Examiner reported at the time.
‘TPUSA is a large national organization that touches hundreds of thousands of people all across the nation,’ the spokesperson said in a statement to the outlet.
‘Ashley is no longer one of our thousands of volunteer activists and ambassadors. Charlie [Kirk] and TPUSA have repeatedly and publicly denounced white nationalism as abhorrent and un-American and will continue to do so.’
Among those pictured in the photo was anti-Semitic podcaster Nicholas Fuentes, who attended the 2017 Unite the Right white supremacist gathering
Also pictured was alt-right influencer Tim Gionet, who goes by ‘Baked Alaska’ and livestreamed his storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6 and was later arrested.