During the last school year, more than 10,000 instances of books being banned in schools were reported, affecting 4,218 titles. The analysis found that over half of the banned books featured people of color or LGBTQ characters, with 36% featuring people of color and 25% including LGBTQ characters, with a high percentage featuring transgender and/or genderqueer characters. Additionally, 10% of the banned titles featured characters with disabilities. This targeted censorship is seen as erasing the stories and history of historically marginalized populations, with harmful consequences for young people. Book challenges and bans have been on the rise in recent years, particularly in schools, with over 1,600 books being banned during the 2021 school year.
The top banned genres last year were realistic fiction, dystopia/sci-fi/fantasy, history and biography, mystery and thriller, educational, and memoir and autobiography. More than one-third of banned titles with LGBTQ characters also featured people of color, showing an intersectionality in the censorship of marginalized identities. Critics argue that restricting access to information harms students’ abilities to learn and hinders representation for students of color and LGBTQ students. Sex-related content is one of the most criticized subjects in book-banning efforts, with accusations of explicitness being exaggerated.
Overall, the analysis by PEN America highlights the disproportionate impact of book bans on people of color and LGBTQ individuals, as well as the importance of allowing students access to a diverse range of stories and experiences in literature.
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