Banned Books Week: Stories of Censorship
Students in the bridge experience course LI 202, Free to All: Public Libraries in U.S. Society, researched cases of censorships in public libraries over the last two centuries. Using primary sources they wrote short reports about these cases and designed corresponding posters for Banned Books Week. Browse this guide to learn about the variety of cases in libraries.
Course Instructor: Johanna MacKay
Poster and Report by Zonya Simon '26
Since being published, Flamer has made the ALA's Top 10 Challenged Books.
In recent years, book challenges have increased and often have particular themes that detractors attack in a coordinated manner; one such title is Flamer. This book is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel by Mike Curato, which is about a gay 14-year-old Boy Scout (Krosoczka, 2023). Aidan Navarro suffers from bullying and suicidal ideation but makes it out of the situation with a newfound sense of self-worth. One reader acknowledged there was “[...] some mild sexual content [...]” and suggested the book suitable for those 13 and up (Krosoczka, 2023).
In an interview, the author explains how he wrote this book to help kids like him feel validated and less isolated: “I was a chubby, mixed Filipino Irish, Catholic kid. Who did I have to look up to? So I think it’s important to note that when you don’t see yourself in media [...] it sort of incites a self-erasure” (Tolin, 2023). He goes on to explain that the book is not about sex, despite what its critics claim. Rather, Curato’s aim was to help prevent suicide, so it saddens him that his book has been at the center of this book challenge controversy (Tolin, 2023).
While challenges were primarily aimed at school libraries, the controversy did leak out into public library discourse, such as with public libraries in Lincoln City, Oregon (Reist, 2024). The title was not actually removed, but this action was requested by a number of patrons. In a separate library, the Rutherford County Library in TN, the library board voted to remove Flamer from shelves because they thought it put children at risk for accidentally viewing pornographic content (Mintzer, 2024).
In the Oconee County Library, discussions were more heated (Dowd, 2023). Most in the crowd were LGBTQ+ supporters, and a member of the right-wing Moms for Liberty group upset the crowd when she “accused the LGBTQ community of sheltering pedophiles” (Dowd, 2023). Those against the title staying in the YA section would claim they’re not for censorship or lack of LBGTQ representation, but rather for child safety. A dissenter against this view, Oconee resident Patrick Ferguson said that that LBGTQ titles do not “recruit straight children to be lesbian or gay or transgender” but are rather helpful for youth, particularly, LBGTQ youth because it makes them feel seen (Dowd, 2023). The book was ultimately moved from the YA section to the adult section.
While similar arguments were levied in the Ida Rupp Public Library, the library director did not move the book out of the YA section (Trusty, 2023). Similarly, in the Guthrie Memorial Library in Pennsylvania, the head librarian noticed the book banning in schools and decided to keep the book on the library’s shelves (Klinedinst, 2024). It seems that a protective force against book censorship is the will of librarians.
Sources:
Dowd, C. (2023, July 11). Oconee County Library to Remove LGBTQ Graphic Novel from Young Adult Section. Athens Politics Nerd.
Krosoczka, J. (2023, December 29). Banned book: Flamer by Mike Curato. Overlooked Books.
Tolin, L. (2023, April 25). Banned in the USA spotlight: Mike Curato. PEN America.