Some people never seem to rest in their attempts to stop young people from knowing that queer people exist. And contrary to popular belief, this is not just a US-based problem in the West – and even if it was, what happens there seeps into the rest of the Western world at some point.
And while, of course, banning books is a particularly destructive form of censorship, when it’s LGBTQ+-related themes, there are other issues at stake.
LGBTQ+ young people face a number of challenges that can make it hard for them to thrive. These challenges include:
- Bullying and discrimination: LGBTQ+ young people are more likely to be bullied and discriminated against than their heterosexual and cisgender peers. This can lead to mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.
- Family rejection: LGBTQ+ young people are more likely to be rejected by their families than their heterosexual and cisgender peers. This can lead to homelessness, poverty, and other problems.
- Lack of representation: LGBTQ+ young people are often underrepresented in the media and invisible in schools, especially when visibility leads to bullying. This can make it difficult for them to see themselves represented and to feel like they belong.
- Heteronormativity and cisnormativity. Heteronormativity and cisnormativity are the belief that everyone is heterosexual and cisgender. This can lead to LGBTQ+ young people feeling like they are not normal or that they are not accepted. Heteronormativity and cisnormativity pervade every aspect of daily life, so feeling unseen and unheard is rife.
For this reason, when a young person can see themselves reflected in the pages of a novel or in the biographies in a history book, a little light comes on. They may not be able to tell their family and friends that they are queer, or that they think they might be, but that character who seems just like them, and thinks just like them, can create a lifeline for them to get through to adulthood.
Banning LGBTQ+ books sends a message that LGBTQ+ people are not welcome. LGBTQ+ youth are already at risk for bullying and discrimination. Not being able to read books that contain queer characters, when they are banned from libraries, can therefore make it difficult for LGBTQ+ people to find accurate information about themselves and their identities.
A ban on LGBTQ+ books can also lead to the erasure of LGBTQ+ history and culture. This is harmful to everybody, but especially LGBT+ people, who deserve to see themselves represented in history and culture.
And it deprives everyone of the opportunity to learn about the diversity of human experience.
Ultimately, banning LGBTQ+ books is too often based on stereotypes and misinformation about LGBTQ+ people. This can lead to misunderstanding and prejudice. And when it’s not based on stereotypes and misinformation, it’s even worse: it’s deliberate disinformation, it’s targeted hate and it’s outright discrimination.
All of this contributes to a society where it is difficult, or even impossible, for LGBTQ+ people to be accepted and affirmed by their families and communities.
So what can you do?
If you are concerned about the banning of LGBTQ+ books, there are things you can do to help. You can contact your local school or library and express your opposition to book bans. You can offer them your support if they are facing pressure to censor.
You can also support organisations that are fighting for the right for children to read any age-appropriate book. Talk to your friends and family about the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in books, films, history and real life.
And, if there are kids in your life, buy them books with queer characters, whether you suspect they are part of that community or not. Everybody benefits from seeing the full rainbow of life.
Image: Eliott Reyna