Free speech in the United States is currently being attacked, as reported this month by the National Public Radio (NPR), and almost no one will acknowledge it. Most people know about book banning and understand it is a problem. However, they do not see that book banning and attacks on free speech are indistinguishable.
Banned Books Week, an annual event held to advocate for people’s right to read, was Oct. 5–11 of this year. As someone who is double-majoring in English and education, many of my professors have taken the time to talk about the importance of reading banned books. In light of this week, I want to share some of my thoughts on book banning and how it is a serious problem that more Americans need to pay attention to.
The history of book banning in the U.S. dates back to 1637, when colonist Thomas Morton wrote a book named “New English Canaan.” Puritan authorities banned the book due to the material criticizing the Puritans’ treatment of local Native Americans.
Colleen Connolly, a journalist who wrote a piece on the “New English Canaan,” said that the Puritans created “an environment of suppression.” Though it has been almost four centuries since the book’s publication, Morton’s situation rings true to the present.
The following list contains the top five most challenged books of 2023, according to the American Library Association:
– “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe
– “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson
– “This Book is Gay” by Juno Dawson
– “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky
– “Flamer” by Mike Curato
These banned books have one thing in common: their content. They all address LGBTQIA+ issues and were deemed to be sexually explicit. The increase in the banning of LGBTQIA+ content is related to “the rapid change in acceptance of LGBTQ people,” according to Michael Bronski, a professor of studies of women, gender and sexuality at Harvard University. Those in the U.S. who oppose LGBTQIA+ acceptance do not want books representing queer identities accessible to their children.
Interestingly, while the group of people that are banning LGBTQIA+ books seems large, the numbers tell a different story. According to an investigation done by The Washington Post, “11 people were responsible for filing 60 percent of the 2021-2022 challenges.”
It is shocking how such a small group of people is responsible for banning these books. This small group is able to challenge so many books at once due to “copycat challenging,” a term coined by Lesliediana Jones, associate director for public services at Harvard Law School Library. A small group of people is sharing a list of books that contain content that they do not want available in schools and libraries, and they use this list to challenge and ban books en masse.
This is alarming, considering the growing number of people who identify as LGBTQIA+ as societal acceptance rises. In a Gallup Poll done in February of this year, the percentage of people in the United States who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community has risen to 9.3%.
Having books readily available that represent a multitude of identities is essential for children to build empathy and understand people of differing situations. Limiting this opportunity for kids to build social and emotional skills will only be a detriment to their lives as they become contributing members of society.
A book being banned due to sexually explicit content is also concerning. I understand a parent’s hesitancy to have their child learn from a book that contains sexual material; however, I believe that leads literature down a slippery slope. While not always, LGBTQIA+ content is often framed as being sexually explicit in these books.
While there are queer characters that have sexual encounters, groups that are banning these books try to make these two out to be one and the same. For example, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in 2023 wrote about how a law was passed in Iowa where books that contained LGBTQ+ content could not be used in classrooms before a certain grade. Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) signed the measure into law, saying it protected “children from pornography and sexually explicit content.” If they can achieve this synthesis, then it would be even easier to ban books that talk about LGBTQIA+ topics, whether the book contains any sexually explicit content or not.
While this has not happened yet, if book banning continues, there is a possibility that this might become a reality. This would open a floodgate where people can deem what is inappropriate to read by equating it to another, separate subject they deem inappropriate. If this happens, that small group of 11 people may control what can and cannot be written or read, even if the majority of people do not want these subjects banned.
This reality is close. Just this year, in the Supreme Court case Mahmoud v. Taylor, it was decided that parents are entitled to have their children opt out of a reading of any book in class, as NPR writes, “when course material conflicts with their religious beliefs”. This could include reading stories that have LGBTQ+ characters or science classes that teach the theory of evolution.
The decision sets a scary precedent that can be carried over to other public schools, where parents can opt out of any reading in class if it conflicts with their religious ideals. I do not want to object to a parent’s right to their religion, but opting your child out of reading LGBTQIA+ books only deprives them of important learning. It can also perpetuate negative stigmas toward those in the queer community, reducing the progress that has been made in society.
This ruling also has scary implications for our freedom of speech. If queer topics become a subject that gets books banned, then publishers will not publish books that address LGBTQIA+ issues. This, in effect, reduces an entire community’s ability to exist. This kind of silencing is not new, as Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) signed the Parental Rights in Education bill in 2022, which many call the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, according to NPR. If the queer community cannot be talked about, then they are seen as taboo.
Though the situation might look bad, there is still time before suppression comes to fruition. The first step we can take is to try and fight against book banning by making noise.
Book bannings are often not reported in an effort to have the banning happen efficiently. In Missouri alone, the American Library Association reports that there were 11 attempts to restrict access to 146 books. Simply letting people know that bans are happening in their local community can help to bolster support against them.
Another way to support banned books is by directly supporting authors who write books that often get banned. Authors who personally identify as part of the queer community are most often the target for book bannings, as stated by the LGBTQ Nation. Buying their stories or even writing letters to them can show that their fight is a good one, and they should not stop their writing due to suppression.
You can also go and support large interest groups that are fighting against banned books across the nation, such as PEN America or Unite Against Book Bans.
It is also important to remember that while each reader is only one person, that does not mean one voice is insignificant. Anyone can make an impact. The fight against banned books will be a long fight, and our generation may never see the end of it, but the more voices surrounding the issue, the louder we can advocate for the right to read.
