Rayla Campbell, a Republican candidate running to become the next Secretary of State for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, claimed the book Gender Queer—which has been the subject of numerous challenges beginning in 2021 with objections focusing on a handful of explicit illustrations—is actually "child porn."
Campbell appeared on stage at a “Back the Blue” rally in Plymouth, Massachusetts last week where she reportedly displayed a copy of the book.
Given her accusation, it was only a matter of time before the tables were turned on Campbell, and sure enough, someone decided to report her for being in possession of it.
A video posted to social media showed Campbell flipping through the pages of the book with a police officer at her side.
@marcusjohn_ Is a transphobe and homophobe running for office in MA #massachusetts #raylacambell #ma #politics #police #predator #backtheblue #blm #liberal #creep
The clip fueled rumors Campbell was detained by police and her car was searched.
Some sources on Reddit, Twitter and elsewhere claimed she'd actually been arrested.
There was only a kernel of truth to those rumors, as Newsweek's fact-checkers found.
The news outlet contacted Captain Kevin J. Manuel of the Plymouth Police Department, who said Campbell "was not arrested by our department, nor am I aware of her being arrested anywhere else."
Manuel added Campbell "also has not been accused/investigated for any crimes in Plymouth.”
As for what actually happened, we can refer to the following statement from a Plymouth Police Department representative:
"An anonymous person accused her of holding a book containing child pornography. Officer asked to view it and she showed him the book."
"Officer found no child pornography in the book. She was not detained nor was she or her car searched."
Campbell has become rather infamous in Massachusetts for actively campaigning to censor books promoting LGBTQ+ rights and sex education for children.
Gender Queer is a graphic or comic book style memoir written and illustrated by Maia Kobabe. It recounts Kobabe's journey from adolescence to adulthood and the author's exploration of gender identity and sexuality, ultimately identifying as being outside of the gender binary.
Though highly acclaimed, its inclusion in libraries across the United States has often been challenged by parents, based on the presence of some sexually explicit illustrations. The book is recommended for teens, 15 and up.
Campbell has been heavily criticized following the news of her brief encounter with the local police department.
Campbell has long claimed children in Massachusetts schools are being exposed to sexually explicit content against parents' wishes.
Earlier this year, she stunned the state's Republican convention after she claimed schools are teaching 5-year-old children how to have oral sex.
Campbell could not provide evidence schools are actually teaching 5-year-olds about oral sex, even when pressed by reporters from The Boston Globe.
Instead, she pointed to a bill concerning sex education currently being debated by the Massachusetts state legislature that would create “medically accurate, age-appropriate” sex education programs in schools and include information about sexual orientation and gender identity.
