Record Number of Book Bans Target LGBTQ Themes and Authors of Color

The number of attempted book bans in 2022 nearly doubled from 2021, hitting a 20-year recordhigh.
Over 2,570 unique book titles were targeted for censorship, with a disproportionate number addressing LGBTQ themes or written by authors of color.
Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer” faced the most challenges for the second straight year, with 151 attempts to ban the graphic memoir.
The majority of book challenges originated from conservative parent groups and political organizations aiming to censor discussions of sexuality, gender identity, and race.
According to reports, the surge in book bans is part of a coordinated campaign to limit children’s access to diverse literature and frames of reference.