From Rachel Holcomb

Monroe

To the Editor:

“Those who begin by burning books, will end by burning people.” — Heinrich Heine 

Book banning is a huge issue in America right now. The American Library Association reports that book ban attempts nearly doubled from 2021 to 2022, with 2,571 attempted book bans last year. It is even worse this year, with several new attempts happening every day. (For context, there were 377 in 2019.)

Many of the targeted books contain characters of color or pertain to race and racism. But 41% are being targeted due to LGBTQ+ content.

As recently as fifteen years ago queer representation was almost non-existent and often insulting if not downright harmful. It’s so different now. We are in a golden age of queer literature. But the current political climate has led to a golden age of book bans as well. 

Librarians are being called pedophiles for providing LGBTQ+ books and hosting inclusive programs. They are dealing with bomb scares and death threats and are losing their jobs. They spent years getting Masters Degrees that trained them, among other things, how to select age-appropriate materials for the public and now the public is saying that they can do it better — a select untrained few making decisions for all. 

These book bans are happening alongside the dismantling of our freedoms. The Human Rights Campaign is tracking 340 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in statehouses this year alone. And don’t get me started on the Don’t Say Gay bill. Everything that is happening in America right now is a clear, hateful statement that the queer community does not deserve equal rights or to see ourselves reflected or represented in our own country. 

A small but vocal minority is threatening access to much needed materials. Ensuring that queer youth, who are three to seven times more likely to consider suicide than straight youth, can read queer books will let them know that they are not alone and that they have value. These books teach them about their identity and community and can even offer a glimpse of a joyful future where the tired trope ‘it gets better’ is true and attainable. 

After years of slow progress it feels like the long road to justice has made an abrupt u-turn as the LGBTQ+ community is once again being attacked and erased. We need people paying attention. We need allies. And we need queer books. 

Because representation matters and books save lives.