QUEER BOOKS SAVE LIVES: FIGHTING BOOK CENSORSHIP IN TEXAS
BY LESLIE LOPEZ
Book bans are a strategy used to censor and ultimately erase the stories of marginalized people. Recently, the LGBTQ+ community has been the face of book challenges across the country, but especially in Texas. Luckily, young people are jumping to action and fighting back.
The summer before I started college, my family moved into a little pale-yellow house right next to my city’s new public library. At first, I mostly saw it as a convenient place to live next to, with its loaded printers and free Wi-Fi. But once that Texas heat hit the triple digits, I began making daily trips to the air-conditioned building, occupying my time by reading anything that called to me. This time in my life was filled with lots of changes, yet one of the most transformative moments happened when I came across a book in the young adult section that changed my life.
Being raised in a Southern religious family meant that I was well accustomed to hearing hateful homophobic messages disguised as Christian values daily. Whether it was from a sermon playing on the radio in the kitchen or a snide comment spewed by a fellow churchgoer, I heard it all. In an effort to catch a glimpse of someone queer—someone like me—I would watch hours of TV shows and movies on Netflix. Even then, many of the LGBTQ+ characters shown were subject to minute roles embedded with stereotypes before being inevitably killed off by writers.
Between the harmful messaging I got from both the church and the media I sought out, I began to question whether there was something wrong with me; whether people like me should even exist.
I think this is why I didn’t seek out books with LGBTQ+ characters until that summer, when I accidentally discovered Nina LaCour’s We Are Okay. The young adult novel is as much about sapphic love as it is about grief, asking for help, and chosen family. The book’s ending filled me with so much joy and hope for my own journey. It was exactly what I had been subconsciously searching for all along.
When I say that I am alive because queer books like We Are Okay saved me, I mean every word. They allowed me to imagine the type of life I could create for myself—one where I could be a Loud Lesbian and rejoice in my identities. I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that books helped many of my queer and trans friends to imagine different futures for themselves, as well. And as much as this knowledge fills me with joy, I can’t help but feel panicked knowing that this experience is being taken away from many young people.
Thanks to the recent resurgence of book bans led by conservatives, titles with LGBTQ+ characters are being forced off shelves and out of reach for young people in Texas and across the country. As shocking as it may be, it’s essential that we understand how we got here and what we can do to stop these attacks from continuing in our respective communities.
The history of censorship is a long one; the first recorded banned book was Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, in 1852, for its pro-abolitionist views on slavery following the Civil War. Since then, many books have been deemed “immoral” and “obscene” for simply including themes around race and racism, politics, and a wide array of identities. While I was under the impression that banning books was a thing of the past, the revival of this strategy in recent years is proof that censorship isn’t dead. If anything, it’s on the rise.
In 2021, HB 3979 was introduced in the Texas House. Following the passage of this law that disallowed critical race theory in classrooms, Texas State Representative Matt Krause circulated a list of 850 books to school districts and public libraries, instructing them to pull said books. An explicit act of censorship, the list includes literature ranging from educational books on sexual health, to stories focused on race. One specific category, however, makes up more than half of the books listed: LGBTQ+ books for young adults.
In response to this law, various school districts have found themselves at the center of book challenges. The Keller Independent School District in North Texas was one of the first in the spotlight, after parents associated with the Tarrant County Moms for Liberty group raised concerns over Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe. Within a day, the graphic novel had been removed from schools, and shortly after, Texas Governor Greg Abbott began discussing the need for standards to block books deemed “explicit” in educational settings. It’s clear what they’re calling explicit. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer folks have continuously been told that our existence is inappropriate. Unfortunately, as the visibility of queer and trans folks increases, so do these hateful sentiments. It’s not surprising that Kobabe’s memoir is one of the most challenged books of recent years, but to see it talked about this way is disheartening.
Unfortunately, public libraries are not safe from these types of challenges, either. The ongoing fight happening in a small-town library outside of Austin is a clear example. Following the removal of books like Jazz Jennings’ Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen by the library director and library board members, seven residents of Llano County are suing the county judge, the library director, and other entities for violating their First Amendment rights. This attack is also notable for the poor treatment of librarians by the library director, board members, and the community members who want books removed. As a result of the mounting pressure and fear of retaliation, a handful of Llano librarians have been forced out of their positions. The consequences of these attacks create a domino effect, especially for communities where the library is at the center.
As devastating as these examples are, it is crucial that we remember that we are not powerless, and that there are calls to activism all around us.
Just as there are people trying to erase entire communities and their stories, there are also young folks pushing back every step of the way. After books were removed at Grapevine High School following a school board meeting last fall, a student started a club, approved by the school administration, where members read and discuss some of the very books that have been banned. In the Katy Independent School District, located near Houston, a queer student spoke up at a school board meeting against the censoring of online resources and banning of books. While they received zero support in that room, their bravery became a catalyst for activism across the school district. This resulted in many students, parents, and educators who were against the censorship coming together to lead a book drive of banned books. Some even created a petition that gained more than two thousand signatures. In other words, the young people most affected by these challenges are fighting back in more ways than one.
While there is no doubt that students are taking the lead, there are actions that we can all take locally. During the American Library Association’s (ALA’s) annual Banned Books Week campaign, I took to the streets with a friend to fill up Little Free Libraries near high schools with titles like Emily M. Danforth’s The Miseducation of Cameron Post and Becky Albertalli’s Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, both of which the ALA identified as being frequently challenged. There are Little Libraries located in neighborhoods all over the United States, so you’re likely to find a couple near you, if you’re interested in taking a similar action. Not only is this an easy way to show up for young people in your community, but it also serves as a way to purge your bookshelves and welcome new reads that you can pass along later.
Besides local action, advocacy at the state level is also essential, especially with legislative sessions set to begin in early 2023 in states like Texas. Groups like the Texas Freedom Network, a nonprofit of “more than 150,000 religious and community leaders who support religious freedom, individual liberties and public education,” are leading the charge against censorship in education. Joining their “Teach the Truth” campaign will ensure that you get notified about action steps you can take, like attending a last-minute board meeting in your local school district or showing up to the State Capitol to testify if bills that threaten our freedom of speech and access to books are gaining momentum. Many states have similar organizations that help the voices of their communities to be heard.
The rise of anti-queer and trans legislation, hate crimes, and protests at drag shows make it clear that the LGBTQ+ community is being targeted through violence and policy. These book bans are simply another strategy to try and erase us.
This has been the case for us throughout history. Yet, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer folks have found ways to overcome obstacle upon obstacle with help from our community and allies. Fighting back is how we will continue to proclaim that we are here, we are queer, and we will not be erased.