why is Everyone talking about book bans again
Book bans have been on the rise recently. As an avid reader, I am always incredibly disappointed to see book bans trending, especially when many of the books included have BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ representation. Book bans tend to do the opposite of what they set out to and tend to instead draw more attention to the books being banned.
But why are book bans bad? Why is everyone talking about them again? Let’s talk about it.
This conversation started up again with the graphic novel Maus by Art Spiegelman. Spiegelman’s novel tells the story of his father’s survival of the Holocaust. The story portrays the Holocaust victims as mice and the Nazis as cats. His novel is the only graphic novel to receive a Pulitzer Prize.
In Jan. 2022, the McMinn School Board in Tennessee made the choice to ban Maus in their middle school. Parents had complained about nudity and profanity in the graphic novel. Specifically, a scene in the book where Spiegelman depicts himself yelling profanities at his dead mother after she takes her own life. Including phrases like “Mommy! Bitch!” and calling his father a murderer. In the depiction of this scene, his dead mother’s bare chest is barely visible. This was the point of contention that caused the school board to ban Maus.
After further research, and a look at the transcript from when the school board ultimately decided to ban Maus, the copies of Maus being used in the McMinn school’s classrooms were already censored. Swear words had been crossed out, but this proved to be not enough for the parents.
Many people saw this as an act of antisemitism, and many comic book shops gave away free copies of Maus in protest of the book ban.
Spiegelman did an interview with Vulture, in which he says he “feel[s] like this wasn’t an actual anti-Semitic incident” (Riesman, 2022). Spiegelman goes on to express that parents would have been less upset if he did not show the true horrors that he and his family went through. They want to see the events through rose-tinted glasses, rather than what truly occurred.
Spiegelman also said that “they [schools] want to teach the Holocaust. They just want a friendlier Holocaust to teach.” (Riesman, 2022) He also expresses that he never intended for Maus to be used as an educational tool in schools or to be taught to children. He created Maus in order to tell his story.
Maus was banned in one school district in Tennessee. This may seem small, but if you have paid attention to book bans in recent years, this is sadly nothing new. Books are constantly being banned in school districts in America, particularly books with BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ representation.
Banning diverse stories
I chose to take a look at the Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2020 list by the American Library Association (ALA). I was not surprised that most of the books deal with racism or include LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC representation.
The list includes a couple of classics, most notably To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. As well as some newer popular titles, like The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds. A common thread connecting a lot of books on this list is that they deal with diverse characters and their stories.
Banning these stories is intended to protect children, but instead of protecting them we are sheltering them from the real world. Children do not yet know to seek out these stories on their own. Diversifying the media they consume is not the first thing on their mind.
The number one most challenged book on this list is George by Alex Gino, which features a transgender fourth-grader as the main character. It has been challenged for “not ‘reflecting the values of our community” (American Library Association, 2020). Which is telling children who identify as transgender that they are invalid and that they do not reflect the alleged values of the American community.
By banning books that feature LGBTQIA+ main characters and calling these books “inappropriate,” school boards are telling children who identify as LGBTQIA+ that they do not have space to exist as they are in this world; which is uncalled for and disgusting. By banning books that promote diversity, we are maintaining a standard of a very sheltered cisgender, white and straight childhood. This does not reflect everyone in the United States.
By hiding diversity and real-world events from children, we are obscuring the real world from them. We are assuming children are unable to handle or understand these topics, but are taking away the resources for them to learn about them.
Censorship
Book banning boils down to one word: censorship. Censorship is a word that invokes a lot of feelings in people, but the book banning conversation would be incomplete without mentioning censorship. Book banning is much more nuanced than saying: this book is inappropriate, do not read it. Book banning is one of the most widespread methods of censorship in America.
Censorship…what is it?
Censorship is the institutionalized act of censoring and suppressing information. It is incredibly important to note that censorship comes from a place of privilege. It is a ploy for power and not recognizing that it comes from a place of privilege would be showing an incomplete picture of censorship. What it boils down to is that banning books is a prime example of censorship.
By banning books by BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ authors, people are actively silencing their voices and saying their words do not hold the same weight as others. This is blatant discrimination and disregard for these authors’ experiences.
Taking these books out of schools takes away a whole audience of readers. Yes, could these books still be ordered online? Sure. But not all children have access to these materials outside of the school setting. Assuming these books could still be accessed
Combatting censorship is not simple. But it can be tackled nonetheless. An action as small, but powerful, as voting in local elections, can help combat censorship. Knowing who is serving on boards in your area is important. Things as simple as sending an email or a letter to your local library’s administration can make a difference.
Being aware of the censorship of diverse stories going on around us is the first step. Without realization, we cannot have action.
censorship vs trigger warnings
Banning a book because it features triggering scenarios can be “justified” by saying it could have negative effects on students. However, this is not reason enough to ban a book. Censorship is entirely different from trigger warnings.
Trigger warnings are becoming increasingly more normalized in the media. Triggers are scenarios that can produce emotional responses in people. Common trigger warnings can include self-harm, suicide or sexual harassment. Trigger warnings are important because these topics are sensitive and need to be treated as such. There are people who have experienced these things firsthand.
Trigger warnings are often abbreviated as TW or can also be called content warnings, abbreviated as CW.
Being offended by a topic is completely different than being triggered by a topic. Being triggered elicits emotional responses, including things like panic attacks. Trigger warnings can help to create media consumption, whether it be books or something else, a safer space for everyone. It gives a fuller picture of what to anticipate before diving into something.
Censorship completely takes something away, while trigger warnings are there to warn someone. When it comes to books, trigger warnings are important. They make readers more aware of what to expect and allow them to prepare themselves for what is to come.
Censorship via book bans can be perceived as taking books away because they approach heavier topics, but that is not the reality of book banning. Book banning has been used to silence authors, rather than protect readers.
Trigger warnings are not always presented on books, but people have compiled places to see these trigger warnings prior to reading. One of the most popular sites that present trigger warnings is Does the Dog Die? This site provides trigger and content warnings for topics like gaslighting, eating disorders and dogs dying (based on the namesake) in movies and TV shows. As for books, Book Trigger Warnings provides trigger warnings for books.
Overall, banning books because they explore triggering scenarios is completely different than warning people about books with triggering scenarios.
book bans…in conclusion
Fighting book bans sometimes feels like an uphill battle. But being aware of them going on around us is important. Books with important messages are being banned because people are not comfortable admitting that discrimination still exists in our world.
Our world is not anywhere near perfect, neither is the United States. Banning books that open up important conversations about topics like racism and homophobia is invalidating the existence of those topics in our world today. Therefore, portraying a skewed version of our world.
I would recommend taking a look at some books that are often banned in U.S. schooling systems. They’re often masterpieces. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is one of the most impactful pieces of literature I have ever read, and that experience is being taken from children. I also recommend diversifying the media you consume.
We, as a society, have a very hard time admitting that our world is not ideal. We try to shield our children from this, but at what cost?