More books are being banned than ever before, posing a real threat to the universal right to freedom of expression.
A demonstrator holds up a sign against book bans in the US. Craig Bailey. CC BY-SA 2.0
For decades, authors have written about the banning of books and censoring of literature in the context of dystopian societies dominated by harsh autocratic rulers. In a world that values the free exchange of ideas and uses the written word as a means to express and share ideas, beliefs and knowledge, the act of banning books stands as a paradoxical and deeply contentious practice. Nevertheless, 2022 saw a record breaking 2,571 unique titles banned in the US alone, compared to just 566 in 2019, not to mention the handful of other countries around the world with much stronger and infamous censorship policies. Banning books raises questions about the limits of authority, the boundaries of creativity and in some cases, the very nature of truth itself — without literature, those in power can freely rewrite history.
Almost all recently banned books have been targeted due to their inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters or racial themes. Mark Mulligan. CC BY-SA 2.0
Unfortunately, it is not just books that have come under fire: Many library workers across the US and beyond have reported being harassed or even threatened with legal action and violence if they do not take certain titles off the shelves. While some books have been singled out due to racist language and themes — Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” and Ralph Ellison’s “The Invisible Man”, to name a few — the undeniable majority of complaints have come from conservatives who take issue with literature that touches on LGBTQ+ or contemporary racial justice topics. This latter category includes books like “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe, “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas and even the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1619 Project, which chronicles the legacy of American slavery. While some books have returned to the shelves after being banned, many have been put to the side indefinitely, setting dangerous restrictions on the types of history and social commentary available for public consumption.
A display of books that have been banned over the past two years. Getty Images. CC BY-NC 2.0
Despite the obvious challenges this poses, writers have continued to find ways to defy unfair censorship laws and continue to publish their work. A recent example occurred when internationally renowned author Margaret Atwood published a new, fireproof edition of her award winning book “The Handmaid’s Tale”. First published in 1985, this novel has been banned in countries all over the world for reasons including its sexual content, prominent LGBTQ+ characters and anti-Christian themes. In a nod to the practice of book burning as a popular form of literary censorship, Atwood wrote in The Atlantic that trying to stop young people from reading “The Handmaid’s Tale” will, “only make them want to read it more,” and wished her critics luck. The special edition was auctioned off for $130,000 by Sotheby’s, the proceeds of which went to PEN America for their campaigns to fight literary bans.
82-year-old author Margaret Atwood aiming a flamethrower at her inflammable book, The Handmaid’s Tale. NPR. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Given the increased democratization of information due to the internet, Atwood’s words raise the crucial question of whether banning books is actually still an effective way to remove literature from the public sphere. In an effort to counter the effects of such bans, publishing houses, libraries and some academic institutions have compiled online databases of banned books to ensure that they are still available to the public. Another counter-movement saw PEN America join forces with National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman to challenge the banning of her inauguration poem “The Hill We Climb” at an elementary school in Florida. Even in the face of these efforts, however, the digital domain is still not safe from literary censorship. Just last year, a number of online library and reading apps used widely by students during the pandemic were targeted by parents who were uncomfortable with the titles available to their children; again, the reasons cited revolved around the inclusion of pro-LGBTQ+ themes and supposedly anti-religious content.
Banned books are made available to children at this school in the UK. St Benedict’s School. CC BY-NC 2.0
From the historic book burning bonfires to the rise of online censorship, the conflict over banned books reflects a struggle for control over narratives that challenge conventions and expand our understanding of the world. Literature has the power to challenge norms and provoke curiosity, but doing so has often put it at odds with those seeking to maintain the status quo. In a society driven by information and ideas, the censorship of literature raises a critical question: What does freedom mean if we are denied the opportunity to explore a diversity of perspectives, no matter how discomforting or provocative they may be?
Tanaya Vohra
Tanaya is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Public Health at the University of Chicago. She's lived in Asia, Europe and North America and wants to share her love of travel and exploring new cultures through her writing.