As reported by Hannah Natanson May 23 and 24 in the Washington Post, after analyzing more than 1,000 book challenges across 32 states, they found that 42 percent of the books were challenged for having LGBTQ characters or themes. 28 percent of the books were challenged for having characters of color or dealing with race. And then they found something really surprising: 60 percent of the challenges were filed by the same 11 people.

Let’s break that down. To me, it means a few things:

1) The current swell of book banning and challenges is a manufactured crisis by a small group of conservative activists. This is no groundswell of public concern.

2) Media are being manipulated into reactionary reporting (panic! book banning is happening everywhere!) rather than thoughtful investigative research. Props to the Washington Post crew for digging in and revealing the small number of people behind this, though I’d prefer the Post also be more careful with their language — in one sentence of the report, it sounds like the Post agrees that being queer is wrong. Here’s how they reported that line:

Eight percent of the challenges lodged against LGBTQ books said they would “groom” children, priming them to adopt an LGBTQ identity and/or to become sexually deviant.

I would have liked quote marks around “sexually deviant” as well.

3) What is really powerful for me about this 11 people behind 639 complaints reveal is the power of a single voice. Eleven people have, in effect, created this crisis. But we can flip the script.

There is no such thing as a silent ally, so let’s get LOUD. I hope you’ll join me in speaking up for the freedom to read, the freedom to be free from censorship, the freedom for teachers and librarians to bring in books that will help their students, and the freedom for students to read the books that reflect their own lives and give them empathy for those who may seem different on the surface, but who really aren’t that different, inside.

The freedom for books with Queer and Black characters and themes to be available for all. 11 people? We’ve got more than 11 people reading this right now.

I’m feeling empowered by this news, and I hope you are too!

The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee