How many LGBT books have been banned?

Hundreds, even thousands, of LGBTQ+ books are challenged or banned annually, with reports showing around a quarter to over 40% of all banned titles in recent years feature LGBTQ+ characters or themes, disproportionately impacting these stories due to anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, making them a primary target of censorship efforts in schools and libraries.

How many LGBTQ books have been banned?

The analysis found that 36% of the more than 4,000 banned titles featured characters or people of color and 25% included LGBTQ characters or people.

What is the #1 most banned book?

Most Commonly Banned Books

• The Color Purple by Alice Walker. ...
• The Great Gatsby by F. ...
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. ...
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding; E. M. Forster (Introduction by) ...
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. ...
• One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. ...
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Why are LGBTQ books getting banned?

Books that challenge traditional gender norms and heteronormativity are being removed from school settings, but not from public access overall, aligning with prior studies on modern book bans. This push seems to coincide with a societal shift toward reinforcing Western gender norms during the pandemic.

Is Gender Queer the most banned book?

The American Library Association ranked it as the most challenged book in 2021, 2022, and 2023. The book holds the Guinness World Record for "Most banned book of the year".

12 Banned Books (And Why You Must Read Them)

What is the #1 most stolen book?

The Guinness Book of Records records its own issues as the most stolen book from public libraries in the United States. It is followed in the ranking by the Christian Bible in its different languages and editions.

Why is Charlotte's Web banned?

Charlotte's Web has faced challenges and bans, primarily in a Kansas school district in 2006, due to religious objections to its talking animals, considered "unnatural" and "blasphemous," and for themes of death and the life cycle, which some parents found inappropriate for young children. Some objections stemmed from beliefs that only humans should speak, viewing talking animals as sacrilegious, while others found the spider's death too mature for kids.
 

Why is The Wizard of Oz a banned book?

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has been challenged and banned in various places due to its depiction of strong female leaders (like Glinda and the Wizard), its use of magic and witchcraft, and perceived socialist or "ungodly" themes, with major incidents in Chicago (1928) for female leadership and Detroit (1957) for lack of value/negativism, alongside later fundamentalist challenges for its witches. Ironically, its immense popularity also led some libraries to ban it because kids wore copies out too quickly. 

Are LGBTQ books allowed in schools?

The US supreme court has ruled that schools must give children the chance to opt out on faith grounds from listening to storybooks being read out loud that feature gay and transgender characters, in a landmark decision that will be seen as striking a blow for religious rights in education.

Why was my mom's having a baby banned?

It was the fourth most censored book in the United States in 2011, and was censored for nudity, sex education, and unsuitability to the age group. The book contains nudity in order to provide a detailed description of how babies are created.

What is the #1 selling book ever?

The best-selling book of all time is The Bible, with estimates over 5 billion copies sold, while the best-selling work of fiction is often cited as Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote or Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, though accurate tracking for older books and religious texts is difficult, with Mao's "Little Red Book" also having massive print runs.
 

What is the most unreadable book of all time?

Many call the fifteenth-century codex, commonly known as the “Voynich Manuscript,” the world's most mysterious book. Written in an unknown script by an unknown author, the manuscript has no clearer purpose now than when it was rediscovered in 1912 by rare books dealer Wilfrid Voynich.

Who is the most banned author in America?

Stephen King now holds an unsettling title: the most banned author in U.S. schools. PEN America reports 87 of his books were banned 206 times in the 2024–25 school year—part of nearly 7,000 bans nationwide.

What is the most popular LGBTQ book?

There's no single "most popular" LGBTQ+ book, as popularity shifts, but Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, and They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera consistently rank high, driven by strong BookTok presence, while classics like Oscar Wilde's works and James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room remain influential. Graphic novels like Heartstopper by Alice Oseman also dominate modern lists.
 

What is the number one most banned book?

The Most Challenged and Banned Books

• Gender Queer. by Maia Kobabe. ...
• The Bluest Eye. by Toni Morrison. ...
• Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Revised Edition) by Jesse Andrews. ...
• The Great Gatsby. by F. ...
• Between the World and Me. by Ta-Nehisi Coates. ...
• A Thousand Splendid Suns Illustrated Edition. ...
• The 1619 Project. ...
• The God of Small Things.

Are red, white, and royal blue banned?

This morning, for Banned Book Week, Bri Hyder is reading from Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, published in 2019. It has been banned in Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Tennessee, and Virginia for its depictions of a same-sex relationship and its portrayal of sexual activity.

What school is the most LGBTQ friendly?

There isn't one single "most" LGBTQ-friendly school, as different rankings highlight various institutions, but consistently praised colleges for their robust support include Ithaca College, Rutgers University, University of Maryland-College Park, University of Pennsylvania, and Northern Kentucky University, known for strong LGBTQ+ centers, inclusive policies, housing, and academic resources as per the Campus Pride Index and BestColleges. Liberal arts colleges like Macalester College, Oberlin College, and Vassar College also score highly for their inclusive environments. 

Why is 13 reasons why a banned book?

Thirteen Reasons Why is banned or challenged in schools due to its mature themes, particularly its graphic depiction of teen suicide, which some believe glamorizes it or risks "suicide contagion," alongside concerns about sexual content, profanity, and drug/alcohol use, making it seem unsuitable for younger audiences. The Netflix adaptation amplified these debates, bringing renewed focus to the novel's sensitive subject matter, leading to bans in districts across the US. 

What makes a book LGBTQ?

There must be a character who is identifiably lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender. The character must be defined by more than just their sexual orientation or gender identity. That is to say, they have the same sort of unique character traits commonly used to differentiate allocishet characters from one another.

Why is Great Gatsby banned?

The most notable was in 1987 when the book was officially challenged at the Baptist College of South Carolina, due to its sexual references and profane language. Other reasons cited to challenge or ban The Great Gatsby are due to its content of extra-marital affairs, or adultery, bootlegging and violence.

Why is Wizard of Oz associated with LGBTQ?

The Wizard of Oz is linked to LGBTQ+ culture due to its themes of finding chosen family, escape, and self-discovery, embodied by Judy Garland's iconic status as a gay icon, the film's camp aesthetic, and characters like the effeminate Cowardly Lion, with the phrase "Friend of Dorothy" even becoming a historical code for gay individuals. The film's journey from repression (Kansas) to liberation (Oz) mirrors the LGBTQ+ experience, making it a cultural touchstone for celebrating difference and queer identity.
 

Should Christians let kids read Harry Potter?

As always, it's important to use biblical discernment when reading a book, watching a film, or listening to music. Though Harry Potter is a fantastic series, not everyone may be on board with it and that is perfectly fine. Harry Potter isn't something Christians should avoid but certainly go into with caution.

Why was Brown Bear Brown Bear banned?

Texas State Board of Education banning

In 2010, the Texas State Board of Education removed Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See from the statewide social studies curriculum because board members mistook the author Bill Martin, Jr. with an unrelated philosopher, Bill Martin, due to their similar names.

What is the most stolen book from libraries?

The Guinness Book of World Records is widely cited as the most stolen book from public libraries due to its universal appeal, colorful content, and habit-forming facts that make people "forget" to return it, though other popular stolen items include test prep books (GED, nursing), books on sex/occult, and the Bible.
 

Why is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory banned?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Roald Dahl

This book was originally banned due to the fact that the depiction of the oompa loompas was seen as racist. Roald Dahl was taken aback by this and changed the description of the oompa loompas in a revised version.