Maurice Sendak Comes Out

Maurice Sendak, author of beloved children’s classics such as Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen, has just come out. He revealed this in an interview with the New York Times in honor of his 80th birthday, which will be celebrated Monday by a benefit in Manhattan. Sendak has kept his sexuality a secret for his entire career; his partner of 50 years died last year.

I am delighted that Sendak feels able to come out now. He is a welcome addition to the pantheon of LGBT people who have enriched our world and that of our children.

Sendak’s In the Night Kitchen, a 1971 Caldecott Honor Book, is listed on the American Library Association’s list of 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000 because the young boy protagonist appears naked on several pages. This is ridiculous. The fact is, children get naked and play sometimes, and Sendak’s portrayal of the boy is full of nothing more than childlike exuberance. I just know the ultra-right is going to connect this with his sexuality, though, and roar their terrible roars and gnash their terrible teeth.

Sendak had the right response: “BE STILL!”

(Thanks, PageOneQ.)

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4 Responses to “Maurice Sendak Comes Out”

1. 
   Mouse
   on Sep 10th, 2008
   @ 8:35 pm: 

   “Where the Wild Things Are” is my favorite book to read out loud, and “In the Night Kitchen” is another favorite. I’d read them regardless of the author’s sexuality and hope that his books will be enjoyed for generations to come.

2. 
   Polly
   on Sep 11th, 2008
   @ 5:55 pm: 

   Love your last two sentences. And thank you for the links. A delightful imagination, massively beloved.

3. 
   Byron & Mariah
   on Sep 16th, 2008
   @ 8:28 pm: 

   Our sincerest congratulations today go out to George (Mr. Sulu) Takei, and his new husband Brad on the occasion of their nuptials in California. Takei was asked about the mean-spirited campaign to pass proposition 8 in California which would nullify the marriage vows of all gays married after a March 16th Supreme Court ruling that a ban against gay marriage was unconstitutional. Takei said it well, and said it best: summarizing, we live in a pluralistic society; I respect all other religious groups and their beliefs, I just don’t believe any one group should have the ability to make their view civil law. That is not Democracy.
   Brad & George have been together 21 years. They’re a couple. They’re in love with each other. Their values and commitment ought to be an example of what marriage should be, not a cause for division and narrow, cynical regression. In this case, and in all others, our belief is that love will win out. Mr. Sendak, in opening so many young minds to endless diverse possibility, I believe you helped us move closer to equality for all. Thank you!

4. 
   Mombian: Sustenance for Lesbian Moms » Blog Archive » Day Without a Gay (Parent)
   on Dec 10th, 2008
   @ 4:49 pm: 

   [...] so we’d all miss dinner. I thought about going to my local library and checking out all the Maurice Sendak books until tomorrow, but realized the library limits how many volumes I can check out at once in [...]