‘Pride Puppy!’ Reference to Leather, Bondage Central in SCOTUS Arguments

Among the unusual clashes during this week’s Supreme Court case on Maryland LGBTQ school books involved “Pride Puppy!”

During the oral arguments Tuesday in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor, Justice Neil Gorsuch pressed Alan Schoenfeld, the laywer representing Montgomery County Public Schools, about the book, and its apparent reference to leather and bondage. 

“Pride Puppy!” is a children’s story book about a family dog getting lost in a Pride parade. The book was used in the school district’s pre-kindergarten curriculum. The oral arguments involved at least five LGBTQ-themed childrens books that spanned curriculum of pre-K through the sixth grade.

“And they’re being used in English language instruction at age three?” Gorsuch asked the school district’s lawyer. 

“‘Pride Puppy!’ was the book that was used for the pre-kindergarten curriculum. That’s no longer in the curriculum,” Schoenfeld told the justice.  

Gorsuch followed, “That’s the one where they’re supposed to look for the leather and things–and bondage–things like that.” 

Schoenfeld replied, “It’s not bondage. It’s a woman in leather.”

Gorsuch asked, “Sex worker?”

“No. That’s not correct. No,” Schoenfeld.

Gorsuch followed, “Gosh, I read it … drag queen?”

Schoenfeld said “one of the words is drag queen.”

The case involved a group of Maryland parents who sued to opt their children out of the instruction.

The book was a rhyming alphabet book that allows readers to find items starting with each letter of the alphabet during the search for the dog while offering “a joyful glimpse of a Pride parade and the vibrant community that celebrates this day each year.”

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