‘Gender Queer,’ ‘Flamer’ among the most banned books of 2023

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe was once again the most challenged book in libraries in 2023, as reported today by the American Library Association. This makes the third year in a row that the graphic novel about gender identity has topped the list.

Gender Queer was one of seven books in the top 10 that was challenged based on LGBTQIA+ content, along with two other graphic novels — Flamer by Mike Curato, which was the fifth most challenged book, and Let’s Talk About It by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan, which was the ninth.

“In looking at the titles of the most challenged books from last year, it’s obvious that the pressure groups are targeting books about LGBTQIA+ people and people of color,” said ALA President Emily Drabinski. “At ALA, we are fighting for the freedom to choose what you want to read. Shining a light on the harmful workings of these pressure groups is one of the actions we must take to protect our right to read.”

Gender Queer was published by Oni Press in 2019 and went on to receive a Stonewall Honor Award and an Alex Award. Oni republished it in 2022 as a deluxe edition.

Flamer is a Lambda Literary Award-winning book about a teenage boy at Boy Scout camp coming to terms with being gay. It was published by Henry Holt and Co. in 2020.

Let’s Talk About It is described as a “comprehensive, thoughtful, well-researched graphic novel guide to everything you need to know but might not know how to talk about.” It was published by Random House Graphic in 2021.

“These are books that contain the ideas, the opinions, and the voices that censors want to silence – stories by and about LGBTQ+ persons and people of color,” said ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom Director Deborah Caldwell-Stone. “Each challenge, each demand to censor these books is an attack on our freedom to read, our right to live the life we choose, and an attack on libraries as community institutions that reflect the rich diversity of our nation. When we tolerate censorship, we risk losing all of this. During National Library Week, we should all take action to protect and preserve libraries and our rights.”

Here’s the full list of the most challenged books:

1. “Gender Queer,” by Maia Kobabe
Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

2. “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” by George M. Johnson
Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

3. “This Book is Gay,” by Juno Dawson
Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, sex education, claimed to be sexually explicit

4. “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, LGBTQIA+ content, rape, drugs, profanity

5. “Flamer,” by Mike Curato
Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

6. “The Bluest Eye,” by Toni Morrison
Reasons: Rape, incest, claimed to be sexually explicit, EDI content

7. (TIE) “Tricks,” by Ellen Hopkins
Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, drugs, rape, LGBTQIA+ content

7. (TIE) “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” by Jesse Andrews
Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, profanity

9. “Let’s Talk About It,” by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan
Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, sex education, LGBTQIA+ content

10. “Sold,” by Patricia McCormick
Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, rape

The list follows a more extensive report from the ALA on statistics on attempts to ban books, of which graphic novels typically make up a significant portion. Per the ALA, titles targeted for censorship grew by 65 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, with 4,240 unique book titles being targeted in both schools and public libraries. That’s a new record, following two previous record-setting years.