LGBTQ Stories Top Banned Books List

The American Library Association has released its annual list of the Most Challenged Books. This year’s list includes 11 titles, three quarters of which tell stories of LGBTQ characters. Despite hard-won progress towards equality for LGBTQ people, books with LGBTQ characters and themes face continued attacks in schools and libraries.

In collaboration with Lambda Legal, GLSEN, Human Rights Watch, National Council of Teachers of English, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice, NCAC launched the Uncensored Pride campaign to raise awareness of attacks on LGBTQ voices in educational spaces, educate on the dangers of LGBTQ censorship and empower youth to lead change in their communities and nationally.

Celebrate free expression during Banned Books Week (September 22 – 28, 2019). The theme of this year’s event proclaims “Censorship Leaves Us in the Dark,” urging everyone to “Keep the Light On.”

Banned Books Week is the most important opportunity during the year for advocates — publishers, booksellers, librarians, educators, journalists, and readers — to explain why we must defend everyone’s right to choose what they want to read and view. The 15 member organizations of the Banned Books Week Coalition will support your celebration with programming ideas, promotional materials, an events calendar, and other resources available at bannedbooksweek.org

Bestselling author, and NCAC board member, Judy Blume, a long-time target of censors, affirms the importance of Banned Books Week: “It’s a chance for all of us to celebrate the books we love and to make sure we continue to work to protect our intellectual freedom.”

How can you help defend LGBTQ voices?

• Learn more about Uncensored Pride. For example, did you know that 7 states still have laws that prevent “promoting homosexuality” in schools?
• Share your stories about LGBTQ books that matter to you and your support for LGBTQ stories on social media with #UncensoredPride.
• Use our resources to help defend LGBTQ stories.

Want to share on social media? Here’s a graphic to get you started!