The Alarming Surge of Book Bans in America: A Threat to Free Expression and Diversity
Introduction:
The right-wing forces in media and politics are advocating for free speech, but their actions reveal a different story. The wave of book bans sweeping across the nation is getting worse, according to a report published by PEN America on Tuesday. This troubling trend, which started in early 2021, has affected public school systems from coast-to-coast, with over 4,000 instances of book bans in the first half of this school year alone.
Background:
The book ban crisis began as a backlash against Nikole Hannah-Jones’s 1619 Project at The New York Times. Conservatives claimed that schools were using books to indoctrinate young students with critical race theory, an academic concept that became a culture war flashpoint. Since then, the bans have expanded to include other topics, particularly gender ideology.
Media and the Book Bans:
The right-wing media machine, which positions itself as pro-free speech, has fueled this censorship wave. Entities such as “Libs of TikTok” have targeted specific school systems and waged pressure campaigns against administrators to remove certain works from library shelves.
Impacted Books:
Some of the books removed from schools include acclaimed dystopian novel “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood, Amy Reed’s novel “The Nowhere Girls,” Rupi Kaur’s NYT bestseller “Milk and Honey,” and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ memoir “Between the World and Me.” The bans disproportionately target books by women and nonbinary authors, notably those dealing with sexual violence, LGBTQ+ topics, and racial themes.
Worst Affected States:
The most severe book bans are in the red states of Florida and Texas. In Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law leading to the removal of books from public school shelves, more than 5,100 books were banned between July 2021 and December 2023. In Texas, the number was over 1,500.
Impact on Authors:
The book bans have resulted in harassment and contact threats against authors like Abdi Nazemian, a gay Iranian-American author whose book was banned. He shared his experience during a press call organized by PEN America, expressing heartbreak over the message it sends to young queer kids and fear of contact threats.
Hope Amidst Harassment:
Despite the challenges, there is a growing resistance to the book bans. Every major publisher is now supporting a legal case to halt book banning in Iowa. Furthermore, students are leading protests and read-ins against censorship, and advocates are joining the efforts to oppose these attempts at educational censorship.
Conclusion:
The book bans represent an unprecedented threat to free expression and diversity in modern American history. By targeting books, particularly those dealing with sexual violence, LGBTQ+ topics, race, and racism, these bans aim to silence voices that challenge the status quo. However, the growing resistance from students, authors, and advocates offers a glimmer of hope in this fight for intellectual freedom.
