A Sydney Catholic school has cancelled a speaking engagement from an award-winning author, claiming that his novel is “not inappropriate”, just days after he revealed he was gay.
William Kostakis, 26, was booked a few weeks ago to speak at De La Salle College Revesby about his book Sidekicks in March and June.
After coming out as gay on his blog last week after his ex-boyfriend was diagnosed with cancer, William received a cancellation email from a school staff member who expressed concerns about how the book – which includes a gay character – would be received by parents.
It went on to say they wouldn’t promote the book, “as it is a Catholic school.”
The email also said: “We were reading over your blog and I think it might not be appropriate, and parents might not be happy.”
“I have nothing personally against you and it sounds like a touching story that [I] would love to read, however I feel it isn’t appropriate.”
In response to this, William published the whole email on his blog and wrote: “I had hoped, having spoken at some Catholic schools, those schools would be comfortable with my revelation knowing what I bring to my presentations and workshops. And that my sexuality, while it informs who I am, is not the subject of my presentations.”
In June last year, William spoke at the same school about his novel The First Third, which also contained gay themes.
“The First Third was acceptable, but now I have a blog post saying I like men, it’s not,” he said.
Telling Buzzfeed News, William said: “The most anyone [in The Sidekicks] does is kiss. It’s mostly a book about the fear of closets, and why teenagers in real life have to stay in the closet. And they just proved my thesis.”
For William, it was the recent debate over the Safe Schools Coalition, an anti-bullying program aimed at helping LGBTI kids, that encouraged him to come out publicly about his sexuality.
“I just need to stand up and go, look, actually, I am a positively contributing member of society. I like to inspire kids to creatively write. I am not a danger to anyone.”
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