For some people, books are very important artistic, educational and emotional worlds for us to indulge in. Imagine going to your local library, looking to check out your favorite book series, only to hear, “Sorry that book is banned.” This is the dilemma some people are facing today. Books are banned for a variety of reasons, from silly to serious.
Books are banned for a variety of reasons, from silly to serious. Captain underpants? A book about a guy running around in his underwear and punching toilets out into space? Banned because it encourages bad behavior in children. And it celebrates not wearing pants.
Like many books, “Drama” was banned because it involves a gay character and a depiction of a gay kiss. This one little peck challenged “family values” and has been described as “sexually explicit” despite having far less romantic content than works like “Romeo and Juliet.”
It’s important for people, especially young LGBTQ+ kids and teens, to have access to resources such as this to better understand who they are. Banning books based on representation of gender and sexuality is harmful. As you hurt every person you take that book from, maybe even your own kids. It harms those who are and will be in the LGBTQ+ community, leading to more confusion as they learn about who they are.
Book banning is so rampant today that people are fearing regression, losing rights, not being safe. How pearl-clutching do you have to be to ban a book over a single kiss? Parents will throw a fit with people giving a crumb of representation to LGBTQ+ people but turn a blind eye to the real LGBTQ+ issues that are out there.
“All American boys”, a story on police brutality and the difference between the two characters, one black, one white, this story was heart wrenching and truly makes us understand how bad the circumstances can be, a great education opportunity for students and adults alike.
This reading was accused of Anti-Police messaging. Instead of focusing on the tragedy that comes with racial police brutality. Instead, parents chose to focus more on the fear and anger people have for police and the world.
A question we must ask such parents is did you read any of these books listed here? Or did you just focus on the parts that ‘bothered’ you most? Such as a gay kiss, representing LGBTQ+ figures? The anger and fear characters have for the police force, showing the issues people may have with it? Even a man in underwear punching toilets into outer space, saving the world around him? It may be ridiculous but, it’s still a true question we must ask the parents who feel the need to peel the shelves of such beloved books.
