The Layman's Guide to Banned Books

laying the groundwork

Next week, my post will be for paid subscribers only - a detailed reflection on the current state of banned books as I see and have experienced it. This is an introduction on the topic, and does not go into any ideological arguments - though I am, obviously, writing from a Catholic worldview. Having worked in a public library, earned my MSLIS from the University of Illinois, and thought in detail about my positions as both a mom and librarian, I have done my best to define terms and lay out statistics, in the aim of setting up the longer discussion next week. I’d love to hear your thoughts and am grateful for your support of my writing! 

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I used to love banned books week. In college, I bought pins from the American Library Association and handed them out to my friends. My favorite mug was (and still is) a banned books mug that sports the titles of many books banned in by-gone eras, partially covered with black bands that turn clear and reveal the writing underneath when you pour a hot beverage inside. As a librarian, and as a patriot, I am a firm believer in the first amendment. But book banning, as I see it, isn’t a first amendment issue anymore. 

Banned books used to refer to classic titles like Uncle Tom’s Cabin, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and The Catcher in the Rye - mostly books that were wrongly banned for containing discussions of race, and those targeted by McCarthyism, following the belief that they promoted socialism or communism. Today, “titles representing the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals made up 47% of those targeted in censorship attempts.”¹ What this statistic doesn’t point out, though, is that an overwhelming percentage of the most frequently challenged books contain sexually explicit content. Before we jump into the details, though, let’s define our terms. 

“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is best of all.” - Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis -

The American Library Association, or the ALA, is the primary professional organization for librarians in the nation. During my time in library school and the years I worked as a librarian, I was a member of the organization. Their Office of Intellectual Freedom is the main source for data on censorship available. That being said, the ALA is a very left-leaning organization, and much of the language they use in this conversation is inflammatory and biased. 

Me in front of the ALA offices in Chicago just after my freshman year of college…we went in hoping that I could talk to someone about my career goals and everyone at the reception desk was extremely confused, so we left :)

A challenge, according to the ALA is an “attempt to remove or restrict materials based on the objections of a person or group.” A ban is “the removal of [said] materials.” Following this definition, book bans only occur when, after investigation, a material is removed from the collection as a whole.² 

When a patron (in a public library setting) or a parent (in a school library setting) has an objection to a material in the library’s collection, they can file what is most commonly referred to as a “request for reconsideration.” These are not just requests for removal of material, they are also requests for moving material to a different (read: more appropriate) section of the library. The ALA does not differentiate these requests, though, and refers to them all as challenges, emphasizing that such actions “restrict the access of others,” as though this is always a bad outcome, even when it comes to children. The overwhelming majority of the ALA’s materials on book banning and censorship as a whole advocate for open access to information of every kind for every patron. ³

Now for some data: In 2023, the ALA reported 1,247 requests (which they term as demands) to censor library books and resources. These requests targeted 4,240 unique book titles, which is an all-time high. The make-up of the requesting party is divided largely between parents, patrons (which could be parents advocating at public libraries), and “pressure groups.” I am not exactly sure what constitutes a pressure group, but I know that Moms for Liberty⁴  is treated as a thorn in their side, despite the fact that the first section on their website dealing with books is titled “Moms for Libraries.” I would imagine that they are referring here to groups that release book lists for members to go and check their local and/or school libraries for. While I don’t find this a good strategy for requesting reconsideration of materials, these lists can be very useful if you are worried about what books your children have access to and want to keep an eye out for books you want to talk to them about. 

Finally, we have the books in question. The top three titles challenged in 2023 were: 

1. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe - Billed as “an insightful and moving coming-of-age discovery” by The Los Angeles Times, this graphic novel aimed at teens details the author’s (pronouns e/em/eir⁵) journey of self-identity. Though the ALA scoffs at claims that there is sexually explicit content in the novel, the description on Amazon mentions “bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction,” so I’m not quite sure how they can object.

2. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson - Again LGBTQIA+ content, but with “claims of sexually explicit scenes.” I have not read the book in its entirety, but can attest that there are indeed sexually explicit scenes far beyond what a teen should be reading.

3. This Book is Gay by Juno Lawson - Presented as “sex education” with LGBTQIA+ content, this book has less educational content than a Cosmo how-to article. There are also accompanying illustrations. 

Without even addressing the LGBTQIA+ content of these books, the sexual content in them would cause me to warn all readers away, much less teens. Like I said earlier, it’s no longer differing opinions on ideological issues (although many texts may be found duly objectionable by some) that are most prevalent in book challenges; it’s protecting our families from scandalizing, explicit material that not even adults should be reading. 

At times, encountering and reading about some of the materials that often come into question, I feel tempted to rush to my local library and demand such books be moved from the children or teen’s section. I feel like the person the ALA so detests - the mom with a list and a mission to protect her kids.⁶ But protecting my kids doesn’t always mean making decisions for other people’s kids. I have come to understand that in order to protect our right to free speech - and what an important right that is - I have to choose my battlegrounds carefully. I also have to recognize that I don’t get to control the world my children enter into, but I do get to prepare them for it.  

Books are one of our greatest tools, and just like any tool, we must learn how to properly use them. As Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis said, “There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is best of all.” 

Next week, I will lay out the proverbial hills to die on as I see them. In the meantime, check in on the books your kids are bringing home with them - and not just to look them over for worrisome content. Ask them what makes the stories interesting, encourage them to keep reading. With a book in hand, their world will get wider and more beautiful by the minute. 

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1. https://www.ala.org/bbooks/censorship-numbers

2. It sounds much better, though, to act as though angry parents are stomping through the library, wrapping beloved novels in chains, never to be accessible again.

3. An excellent-sounding notion, but it becomes easily abusive and uniquely undermines parents’ natural authority over their children. It is not censorship to protect your kids from harmful or scandalizing material. The ALA and librarians who follow them whole-heartedly refuse to believe that. 

4.  “Moms for Liberty is dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating, and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government.” https://www.momsforliberty.org/

5. Setting aside the ideological issues here, can we please talk about how grammatically incorrect this is??? How confusing it is to read??? Language was created to aid us in communicating with each other and this just causes confusion - I can’t see how it's a benefit to anyone.

6. Not a bad thing!!!! But as I will discuss next week, coming out guns a-blazing often does not produce the desired results.