A Call For Action

    As a Queer person of color, I never fit in with the other kids in grade school. I used books to escape from reality, and looked for comfort in the stories I read, but I never fully saw myself in them because they weren’t “made for me.” It wasn’t until college that I found books by BIPOC and Queer authors that made me feel seen, and I found my “safe space” in literature. I want kids to find a “safe space” within books at an early age, but for this to happen, we must stop banning diverse books in American schools. 

Across the United States, K-12 schools are banning books that are deemed “inappropriate” and “unethical” by administrators, parents, and community members. Books such as George M. Johnson’s All Boys Aren’t Blue, Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give, and Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer, discuss matters of racial, sexual and gender identities, and shed light on the experiences that marginalized communities face. Conservative parents portray these topics as part of a “radical liberal” agenda that they should shield children from, and then, urge schools to remove them from the curriculum. This is supported by state politicians, like the governor of South Carolina, who urged a superintendent and law enforcement to investigate the “obscene and pornographic” materials, like Kobabe’s Gender Queer, in public schools. Therefore, several states are being forced to have an exclusionary curriculum in their schools. 

The education system is traditionally structured to promote a whitewashed, heteronormative version of American history that excludes the continuous oppression of marginalized groups. By parents, politicians, and educators agreeing to remove diverse books from curriculums, they are telling children that these identities are shameful and abnormal. When racism and homophobia are discussed, they are treated as issues of the past that have little impact on present day society. Consequently, BIPOC and Queer voices are consistently silenced in classroom discussions, and children are denied the opportunity to explore their own identities and perspectives. The education system should promote intersectional teachings to give visibility to underrepresented groups and expose America’s oppressive reality. 

By having an inclusive curriculum, students can discover an entirely new worldview and understand that there is not one way to live life. Learning about marginalized identities shifts perspectives, and helps kids understand how people may perceive the world differently. For students who identify as BIPOC and Queer, reading a book centered on the exploration of race and identity is like looking in a mirror. We can find community and solidarity with authors we have never met based on a shared experience. We can learn about our identities and histories and heal from trauma that has been terrifying to face. By learning from a young age, we can prevent further traumas for ourselves and loved ones because we were taught lessons by those who came before us. Our books encourage outsiders to recognize our existence and how their actions impact our everyday lives. Without our stories being told, there is no chance for societal attitudes to change.  

Finding a sense of community in grade school can be difficult as a marginalized person. The negative ideologies people have associated with BIPOC and Queer communities create isolating environments, especially for youth who feel pressured to fit in. For many students, our only “safe spaces” in schools are in classrooms where teachers make it apparent that they are supportive of marginalized groups. Having an inclusive curriculum of BIPOC/Queer narratives shows students that diversity matters, and that we have a place of belonging in classrooms. This positively impacts marginalized people’s mental health. According to a 2021 survey conducted by The Trevor Project, having a designated safe space led to decreased depressive episodes and suicidal ideation in queer youth. This is especially important for queer students of color, as the Trevor Project reported that up to 31% of Queer BIPOC youth are impacted by depression and suicide, compared to 12% of Queer white youth. Having an intersectional class curriculum where both race and queer histories are taught ensures that a safe space is created for all students. Queer youth report finding their sources of strength and joy through “support in schools, escaping through reading and writing, learning more about LGBTQ history, and educational opportunities.” Therefore, inclusive curriculums and diverse books liberate marginalized students and save their lives in the process. 

The education system believes that by not talking about marginalized identities, we will simply stop existing, but the push to ban diverse books is making our voices stronger. Now more than ever, marginalized people and our allies are fighting for our histories to be shared with younger generations that have the potential to change the future. Books keep our legacies alive and allow children to find community and understanding in our stories. 

Books to Read

 There are many books that can provide students with knowledge about diverse populations, and give visibility to people from those marginalized groups. Here, I am providing a list of my personal favorite books that I feel students should read. While some of these are banned and others aren't, they are each powerful tools that can liberate any student.

1. The Henna Wars- Adiba Jaigirdar

2. All Boys Aren't Blue- George M. Johnson

3. Felix Ever After- Kacen Callender

4. The Hate U Give- Angie Thomas

5. Dear Martin- Nic Stone

Resistance in Colleges: Women's and Gender Studies/Africana and Latinx Studies Programs

With diverse and intersectional books and educational tools being banned across the United States, people are not given the opportunities to understand society beyond the binaries that were are socialized into. For many people, it's not until college that they begin to learn how the world "really works," and that is largely due to the creation of Gender Studies, Cultural Studies, and Ethnic Studies programs. In these programs, students are encouraged to challenge what they think they know about society, and be open to learning about alternatives to binary systems, different identities, how institutions function to oppress marginalized individuals, and much more. 

A popular piece that is read in many Women's and Gender Studies courses is bell hooks' "Theory as Liberatory Practice," where she explains the impact that feminist theory has had on her life and how she heals from past trauma. She recalls her childhood, stating, "Whenever I tried in childhood to compel folks around me to do things differently, to look at the world differently, using theory as an intervention, as a way to challenge the status quo, I was punished" (59). This quote perfectly demonstrates what is happening to children across the United States. By simply existing, and wanting access to stories that highlight their lived experience, politicians are punishing them by removing some of the only creative outlets they might have. She continues to state, "it must have seemed to them that some monster had appeared in their midst in the shape and body of a child- a demonic little figure who threatened to subvert and undermine all that they were seeking to build. No wonder then that their response was to repress, contain, and punish (60). Today, society is threatened by the fact that younger generations are open-minded and willing to make necessary changes to oppressive structures, so that everyone can have a chance to succeed in their life. Although bell hooks' piece was written in 1994, the messages are still relevant today, and that is what makes Gender/Ethnic/Cultural Studies programs so valuable and transformative.

Diversity and intersectionality based college programs uplift students, and provide them with the voices that they were denied in their grade school years. Many people will come into college feeling lost in their identity or feeling hopeless about the political state that America is in. However, these programs help build communities of likeminded individuals, who push each other to expand their own knowledge, and continue to learn about the world even when they are outside the classroom. These programs allow students to become critical thinkers, and analyze why their life has functioned the way it has. They were created out of a desperate need to have marginalized voices be heard. It is a shame that young children are being denied these learning opportunities in their youth- so much trauma could be saved if the world was willing to learn and accept change. Thankfully, many colleges give students the opportunity to learn about the realities of the foundations of the United States, but these opportunities should be given to all students, despite their age.

Yorktown High School: Book Banning

As stated in a previous post, Conservative Southern states are not the only places where people are attempting to ban books. My hometown, Yorktown Heights, has been in the process of banning a variety of books from both the middle school and high school. The district began questioning "political stances" being taken in the schools during June 2020, when a group of conservative parents found out that a guidance counselor supported the Black Lives Matter Movement. Parents attempted to get the counselor fired, claiming that he was "indoctrinating children," and pushing a "liberal agenda" onto kids that was filled with hate for white people. 

This past February, the Yorktown Community was notified in the Newspaper that the middle and high schools had nine books removed from the library and under review. They were removed because parents and community members complained that the books were "vulgar" and were not appropriate for schools. According to the paper, the books under review were:

“Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out” by Susan Kuklin

 “Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts)” by L.C. Rosen

“The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas

“Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe

"All Boys Aren't Blue" by George M. Johnson

Although the district did not provide a full list of books, the books listed above show that race, gender and sexuality are being portrayed as "inappropriate" in the community. The district claims that they did not "completely remove" the books from the library, however the libraries only had one copy per book to begin with. When the board decided to put the books up for review, they removed them from the library so that they could be read and a decision could be made, causing them to be removed "temporarily." It has been three months, and the books are still not accessible to students. Yorktown schools are already predominantly white, conservative institutions, so removing these intersectional books further isolates marginalized students. They are being denied access to representations of their lives in schools, and also, students outside of those marginalized identity groups do not have the access to learn and educate themselves about groups different from their own. 

As a country, we need to recognize that the problem does not simply lie within the conservative south. Racism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of prejudice are prominent across the country, and are negatively impacting the experiences of students in schools, and threatening their safety.

Works Cited

“Complaints Prompt Review of Yorktown High School Library Books.” TAPinto, https://www.tapinto.net/towns/yorktown/sections/education/articles/complaints-prompt-review-of-yorktown-high-school-library-books.  

Critical Race Theory

 Critical Race Theory has also come under attack from Conservative states and communities. Critical Race Theory is an academic and legal framework that acknowledges the fact that America was built on the foundation of racism, and still maintains these racist structures today. Many states are banning Critical Race Theory from their curriculum in order to protect the ideology that America is the "land of the free," where "everyone is created equal." Conservatives claim that Critical Race Theory only "separates the human race," and further divides individuals, rather than bring them together. Additionally, many conservatives argue that teaching Critical Race Theory promotes "reverse racism," meaning that white people are being unfairly discriminated against because of their race. However, what CRT is intended to hold white society accountable for their participation in the oppression of the Black community.

Although some educators have seen minimal changes in their schools, several have been creating policies that could get their teaching licenses taken away if they teach America's racist history in the classroom. Consequently, many educators have become fearful to teach a historically accurate curriculum. According to the Washington Post, "New Hampshire law bars teaching that people of one age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, marital status, family status, mental or physical disability, religion, or national origin are inherently superior or inferior to people of another." However, the law does not have a clear definition of what it means to be "inherently" superior or inferior. Thus, educators are fearful to teach any material that implies that Black folks are discriminated against the U.S. This is problematic because teachers would need to remove books that educate students on Blackness and racial identity from their classrooms. This lack of representation is extremely harmful to Black students, especially for those who attend predominantly white schools.

Works Cited

Meckler, Laura, and Hannah Natanson. “New Critical Race Theory Laws Have Teachers Scared, Confused and Self-Censoring.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 15 Feb. 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/02/14/critical-race-theory-teachers-fear-laws/. 

"Don't Say Gay" Bill

 Many conservative states are beginning to ban books that have themes relating to race, gender, and sexuality. One of the most high profile cases right now is in the state of Florida, since they introduced and passed the "Don't Say Gay" bill back in February. Originally named the Parental Rights in Education bill, this piece of legislation "prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in the state's primary schools" (Lavietes 2022). Legislators claim that the bill is meant to empower parents and protect children from what is deemed as "inappropriate" in schools. Although the bill does not explicitly prevent teachers and students from discussing LGBTQ history in classrooms, it uses vague enough language that could allow parents and families to sue the school district for any discussion of queer history and queer identities. According to House Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, "This bill goes way beyond the text on its page. It sends a terrible message to our youth that there is something so wrong, so inappropriate, so dangerous about this topic that we have to censor it from classroom instruction" (Lavietes 2022). This bill is extremely dangerous, because not only can queer students internalize the homophobia that will come from this legislation, but other students will be more likely to bully and torment queer students since they are being taught that queerness is "wrong." Other states have similar policies put in place, as well as State Senators who urge police to investigate school districts for having "pornographic," or, queer material in the classrooms. Many are worried that this will inspire a series of "copy cat" legislation, and that more states will be eliminating queer content from their curriculum. Consequently, there have been many protests against these bills, in hopes to make change and protect queer children in schools. While most may think this is only happening in Southern, Conservative states, there are some Northeastern states that are eliminating queer books as well.

Works Cited

“Florida House Passes 'Don't Say Gay' Bill.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 24 Feb. 2022, https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/florida-house-passes-dont-say-gay-bill-rcna17532. 

What is Intersectionality? Why Do Diverse and Intersectional Books Matter?

Before we discuss why books are being banned across the U.S., we need to understand what it means for a person to have an intersectional identity, and how this relates to reading material in schools. Intersectionality is a term coined by feminist scholar and activist, Kimberlé Crenshaw, that explains the ways in which people's identities interact with one another to shape their lived experiences. Due to the intersections one has within their identity, they may experience privilege in some spaces, while have less privilege in others. It is important to understand how our identities impact one another, so that we can not only recognize our own privilege, recognize that because of that privilege, we need to allow those with less privilege to have the space to voice their personal experiences.

So, you might be asking yourself, "what does this have to do with books?"

One way for authors to express their voices is through writing. When people may not have the opportunity to express themselves in other ways, seeing their words on paper allow them to acknowledge their feelings and validate their experiences. However, writing is not just impactful for authors, but to readers. Reading a book from an author with marginalized identities can help other people from marginalized communities feel a sense of community and understanding of why they experience life the way they do. For youth who may feel isolated for their marginalized identities, such as Queer and BIPOC children, reading stories about people of color and queer folks can help them feel less alone. According to the Trevor Project's National Survey conducted in 2021, "LGBTQ youth who had access to spaces that affirmed their sexual orientation and gender identity reported lower rates of attempting suicide." Additionally, the survey also found that "LGBTQ youth of color reported higher rates of attempting suicide than their white peers in the past year." Based on these statistics, it is extremely impactful when marginalized folks have access to intersectional books. Having these books in classrooms can help marginalized students feel safe and secure at school, and allow them to feel comfortable in their bodies. 

Works Cited

“The Trevor Project National Survey.” The Trevor Project, https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2021/.