His comments come as figures from the American Libraries Association show there were 1269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022 – more than double the year before and the highest number of attemptedbook bans since the association began keeping records more than 20 years ago.
“It’s no coincidence that these‘banned books’ are often written by or feature people of colour,Indigenous people,and members of the LGBTQ+ community – though there have also been unfortunate instances in which books by conservative authors,or books containing ‘triggering’ words or scenes have been targets for removal,” Obama wrote.
“It’s also important to understand that the world is watching. If America – a nation built on freedom of expression – allows certain voices and ideas to be silenced,why should other countries go out of their way to protect them?”
Among the most banned books in the US isGender Queer,a memoir by Maia Kobabe about coming out as non-binary;The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison,which has been challenged over sexually explicit material,racial themes and “disturbing” language;andFlamer,a young adult book by Mike Curato,which deals with issues such as homosexuality,bullying and self-harm.
While book censorship is not a new phenomenon,the trend has risen recently as the culture wars have escalated. Not only have US school boards become more politically charged,many conservatives are now seeking state and federal office by campaigning against so-called “woke-ism”,pushing back against critical race theory in schools,and framing book bans as an issue of parental control.
In Arkansas,for example,Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders – a former spokeswoman for Donald Trump – has signed a bill that could impose criminal penalties on librarians who knowingly provide “harmful” materials to minors.