Banned Books Week

We never thought about whether a book was banned when we selected the books in the magical Schwarzman Family Library on our second floor. We just wanted to feature great literature that speaks to a diverse array of experiences and bring books to life for new audiences. And yet, 11 of the books on our shelves have been subject to book bans across the nation.

According to the American Library Association, there have been more challenges to books this year than they have seen since they started tracking the practice in 2000. Many of the books banned and challenged in 2022 are related to LGBTQIA+ topics and most were written by Black or LGBTQIA+ authors. Some challenges have arisen from the objection that the books’ content is too sexually explicit for the age range recommended. Other objections state that these books “normalize homosexuality” or “encourage alternative lifestyles” or “lifestyle choices that counteract church teachings.” George M. Johnson, author of the frequently banned book All Boys Aren’t Blue, told NBC News, “It’s heavy. But at the same time, I’m witnessing parents buy this book for their teens. I’m witnessing parents and teens reading the book together. I’m also witnessing students find their agency and find their voice because I’m using mine.”

Religious book censorship can be traced back hundreds of years. Today, the “religious reasons” umbrella covers a broad range of objections to books. For instance, Bless me, Ultima has been challenged as anti-Catholic, since the main character struggles with his faith in Catholicism. Challenges to Nasreen’s Secret School stem from the fact that the characters are Muslim and pray to Allah. Some religious objections, such as those aimed at the wildly popular Harry Potter series, center around the exploration of witchcraft or magic. Other books are challenged because they are perceived to promote atheism.

This category is not just about swear words. It includes books that are challenged for blasphemous dialog, for instance using “God” or “Jesus” as profanity. And increasingly, parents’ and community members’ objections to the use of the N-word have targeted such classics as To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Sherman Alexie, author of the frequently-banned The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, says he actually enjoys getting banned, most often for offensive language. “It calls attention to the efforts of some people to control what we read,” he wrote on his blog. “Fight the censors who come from the right, middle, and left.”