Reflection on Hyperlinked Environments

Censorship, an Uphill Battle

There has always been a history of censorship of books and narratives; however, as of 2025, an influx of individuals seeking to ban materials deemed unsafe for children has occurred (Oliver, 2022; Vasilogambros, 2025). The primary concerns of those who wish to censor books in the library pertain to subjects related to LGBTQIA+ issues and race (ALA, n.d.; CNN, 2021; Oliver, 2022). There is also the factor of how censorship is done, which is alarming to witness myself as a person who works in education. Censorship of contested topics encompasses either the downplaying of factors surrounding horrendous tragedies and prejudice, such as replacing Maus with less direct depictions of the Holocaust, and outright hate-mongering and lambasting LGBTQIA+ issues, which can cause entire sections of libraries to be emptied (Christopher Tackett (cjtackett on 🦋 &🧵) [@cjtackett], 2022; Gwen C. Katz [@gwenckatz], 2022). Not only is this an indication of a slippery slope toward banning topics that are perceived as unsightly to conservative religious households, but it also prevents those who may need a place of privacy and reading of perspectives to aid in healing from gathering necessary narratives to aid them in their lifelong journeys (Blair, 2020; Konigsberg, 2022; Kostelecky et al., 2023). There is already an indication that isolating those within LGBTQIA+ demographics can lead to the already horrendous tragedies of those taking their own life, but many still wish to censor for the sake of their own children’s safety (Konigsberg, 2022; Kostelecky et al., 2023; Villagran & Long, 2022).

Why Battling Censorship is Vital to Me

For the sake of transparency, I am a bisexual man who consistently questioned the validity of my own sexuality throughout my life, especially with the onset of a homophobic and evangelical father. Without the narratives I read and saw during my undergraduate years at San Diego State University, I think I would have also been added to another statistic (Konigsberg, 2022). Given my own personal perspective on this topic, it is a relief to see that many librarians and libraries are fighting back against the onslaught of censorship (ALA, n.d.; Red Wine & Blue, n.d.). They are doing this by speaking out, challenging perspectives through empathetic mindsets, and creating whole organizations to educate the public about censorship and book bans (ALA, n.d.; CNN, 2021; Gwen C. Katz [@gwenckatz], 2022; Konigsberg, 2022; Red Wine & Blue, n.d.). I still believe that there is a greater uphill battle to protect library collections during this presidential administration, as of 2025, and its push to censor many books and items in libraries (Baêta et al., 2025; Stine, 2025). What keeps me and others fighting against censorship going forward is the perspectives and tools gathered over decades and centuries of fighting against book bans, book burnings, and censorship (Oliver, 2022). It is not a new fight, but it needs to continue being waged through the words and actions we commit to, so that others know they are not alone in their struggles to find new narratives about the world (Blair, 2020; Villagran & Long, 2022).

References

ALA. (n.d.). Banned & challenged books | Banned books. https://www.ala.org/bbooks

Baêta, S., Magnusson, T., Markham, M., Meehan, K., & Latorre, Y. T. (2025). The normalization of book banning. Pen America. https://pen.org/report/the-normalization-of-book-banning/

Blair, T. (2020, July 24). The healing power of books: Using reading to address social and emotional needs. Gale Blog: Library & Educator News | K12, Academic & Public. https://blog.gale.com/the-healing-power-of-books/

Christopher Tackett (cjtackett on 🦋 &🧵) [@cjtackett]. (2022, January 27). Today in Granbury ISD, at the High School library, they came with a hand cart and carried away multiple boxes [Online forum post] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://x.com/cjtackett/status/1486788612511383553

CNN (Director). (2021, December 21). Librarians fight back against push to ban books from schools [Video recording]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M88WuMRNxoU

Gwen C. Katz [@gwenckatz]. (2022, January 29). There’s a phenomenon I actually see extremely commonly when literature is used to teach history to middle school and high school [Online forum post] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://x.com/gwenckatz/status/1487530360703361024

Konigsberg, B. (2022, February 18). An open letter to parents who wish to ban my books from school libraries. Author Bill Konigsberg. https://billkonigsberg.com/an-open-letter-to-parents-who-wish-to-ban-my-books-from-school-libraries/

Kostelecky, S. R., Townsend, L., & Hurley, D. A. (Eds.). (2023). Hopeful visions, practical actions: Cultural humility in library work. American Library Association.

Oliver, K. (2022, December 13). Banned book survival guide: Home. LibGuides. https://comminfo.libguides.com/BannedBookSurvivalGuide_548_FL22/Home

Red Wine & Blue. (n.d.). Book Ban Busters. https://redwine.blue/bbb/

Stine, A. (2025, April 16). What’s happening with book bans under Trump? Nonprofit Quarterly. https://nonprofitquarterly.org/whats-happening-with-book-bans-under-trump/

Vasilogambros, M. (2025, January 13). Librarians gain protections in some states as book bans soar • Missouri Independent. Missouri Independent. https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/13/librarians-gain-protections-in-some-states-as-book-bans-soar/

Villagran, M., & Long, B. (2022). Barriers to trans* service and outreach in public libraries. Young Adult Library Services, 20(2), 19–24.