More than half of 2023’s most challenged books have LGBTQ themes

The American Library Association, a nonprofit organization that tracks efforts to ban books nationwide, released a list Monday detailing the 10 most challenged titles of 2023 — seven of which deal with LGBTQ themes, according to the group.

Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer,” a graphic memoir that chronicles the author coming out as nonbinary, topped the list for the third year in a row. The other LGBTQ-themed titles on the list include George M. Johnson’s “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” Juno Dawson’s “This Book Is Gay” and Mike Curato’s “Flamer.”

In recent years, school districts and state legislatures across the U.S. have been roiled by fierce debates over what reading materials are appropriate for kids and teenagers. The moves to restrict or withdraw books have been driven in part by conservative activist groups such as Moms for Liberty as well as Republican elected officials.

Meanwhile, the American conservative movement has increasingly coalesced around initiatives to curb lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer visibility, including Florida’s restrictions on LGBTQ education in public schools and wider efforts to prevent trans athletes from competing in school sports.

“In looking at the titles of the most challenged books from last year, it’s obvious that the pressure groups are targeting books about LGBTQIA+ people and people of color,” American Library Association President Emily Drabinski said in a statement accompanying the list.

“We are fighting for the freedom to choose what you want to read,” Drabinski added. “Shining a light on the harmful workings of these pressure groups is one of the actions we must take to protect our right to read.”

The American Library Association announced last month that the number of books challenged in libraries across the U.S. in 2023 spiked 65% over the previous year, reaching the highest level ever documented by the nonprofit organization.

In a report released March 14, the association said that 4,240 individual book titles were targeted for removal from schools and public libraries — a dramatic uptick from the previous high of 2,571 in 2022.

The most challenged books of 2023 — the top five of which all had LGBTQ themes — also included Stephen Chbosky’s “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye,” Ellen Hopkins’ “Tricks,” Jesse Andrews’ “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan’s “Let’s Talk About It,” and Patricia McCormick’s “Sold.”

Three of the titles on the list were not specifically flagged for LGBTQ themes. “The Bluest Eye,” widely considered a literary classic, drew complaints because it features depictions of rape and incest, according to the library association. It was also “claimed to be sexually explicit” and flagged for “EDI content,” an acronym that refers to equity, diversity and inclusion.

The list of challenged books was released Monday to kick off National Library Week, an observance co-sponsored by the library association, which was founded in 1876.

The library association, which has monitored attempted book bans since 1990, compiles data on challenges from two sources: reports from library professionals and news stories. The association said the 2023 data “represents only a snapshot of book censorship,” partly because many attempts to challenge books are not formally flagged or covered by the news media.

“Each challenge, each demand to censor these books is an attack on our freedom to read, our right to live the life we choose, and an attack on libraries as community institutions that reflect the rich diversity of our nation,” said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.

“When we tolerate censorship,” she added, “we risk losing all of this.”

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