Banned Books.
Who’s silencing the librarians?
From the top-down, conservatives are racing to outdo each other in a mad dash to keep American youth from accessing book titles that even slightly question the white hetero status quo. From governors like our infamous asshat Abbott to P.T.A boards, they’re witch-hunting down librarians who dare to keep these books on their shelves. While they continue to push their agenda down school boards' throats, they can’t touch the private sector.
We stand firm against the onslaught of censorship students face when looking for a good queer book to read and see themselves represented between their pages. From titles that continue to spark controversy across the country to reads that our home state has a particular push to punish, these titles stay safe inside our Little Gay Shop.
Lawn Boy
As seen on TikTok, an out-of-context passage riled up a wave of hate towards Lawn Boy’s author, Jonathan Evison. In the viral clip, a Texas woman reads a passage out of context, causing shock and horror to the conservative audience targeted by it. Ignoring the fact this book was never written for children, the outrage towards the passage is a result of no one reading the entire story. Get the full story and see why their outrage is overtly misinformed by reading Lawn Boy yourself.
Gender Queer
Making Abbott's eyes turn red, and sparking outcry even in blue states, Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer leaves conservatives clutching their pearls. Like Lawn Boy, a viral moment of a parent outraged at perceived pornographic material has left Kobabe defending eir work against these degrading claims. The illustration causing a commotion at PTA meetings and having Abbott start a witch hunt is simply a reminder of the backward censoring young adults face in a country still pushing for abstinence-only sex ed. For everyone else with a brain, they feel Gender Queer would have made all the difference in the world for growing up non-binary in a two-gender world. See if you feel scene by checking out Gender Queer.
All Boys Aren't Blue
Landing at the top of the American Library Associations Top 10 Teen Titles and 10 Most Challenged has to be the litmus test for a great queer novel. Written by George M. Johnson as a series of essays, uptight parents across several states took issue with the passages that cover taboo topics like sexual abuse. Hiding these stories do nothing to prevent them from entering the reality of our lives. Providing access to books like All Boys Aren't Blue arms our youth with the kind of knowledge necessary to break these cycles of abuse.
The Black Flamingo
Once again confusing sexual identity for sex, a story about a queer kid finding a home in drag is being dragged through the mud for offering insight into “alternative lifestyles”. The absurd push to ban Dean Altas coming of age story by parents masquerading their bigotry as a valiant effort to protect children is a tried and true effort to silence queer storytellers. Confirming what we know about heteros living sexless lives, this disconnect between queerness and sex continues to bring to light just how in the dark people are about what sexual preference means.
Risk being turned queerer by ordering The Black Flamingo for yourself.
Landing at the top of the American Library Associations Top 10 Teen Titles and 10 Most Challenged has to be the litmus test for a great queer novel. Written by George M. Johnson as a series of essays, uptight parents across several states took issue with the passages that cover taboo topics like sexual abuse. Hiding these stories do nothing to prevent them from entering the reality of our lives. Providing access to books like All Boys Aren't Blue arms our youth with the kind of knowledge necessary to break these cycles of abuse.
The Black Flamingo
Once again confusing sexual identity for sex, a story about a queer kid finding a home in drag is being dragged through the mud for offering insight into “alternative lifestyles”. The absurd push to ban Dean Altas coming of age story by parents masquerading their bigotry as a valiant effort to protect children is a tried and true effort to silence queer storytellers. Confirming what we know about heteros living sexless lives, this disconnect between queerness and sex continues to bring to light just how in the dark people are about what sexual preference means.
Risk being turned queerer by ordering The Black Flamingo for yourself.
Felix Ever After
There needs to be a word for the level of irony of transphobia targeting a story about transphobia. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender woke the beast of the binary by daring to have top surgery scars on the cover of a book. Sparking righteous parents to demand it pulled from library shelves out of fear the very image would cause a Kerri Colby level of trans awakenings. Find out if a book cover can change your life and maybe you’ll accidentally get past it enough to read about Felix combating his own battles with the phobes.
There needs to be a word for the level of irony of transphobia targeting a story about transphobia. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender woke the beast of the binary by daring to have top surgery scars on the cover of a book. Sparking righteous parents to demand it pulled from library shelves out of fear the very image would cause a Kerri Colby level of trans awakenings. Find out if a book cover can change your life and maybe you’ll accidentally get past it enough to read about Felix combating his own battles with the phobes.
King and the Dragonflies
Texas keeps finding its way on this list, and this time it’s literally due to the book having a gay kid in it. That’s it. That’s the perceived sin of the story that landed it in hot water, the audacity that a child might be questioning their sexuality. Since all of us queers are lab-grown, we can only imagine a world where you grow up to be gay, but clearly, we must keep such outlandish fantasies far away from library shelves. Let your imagination run wild with the idea of fearing coming out as a kid with a copy of King and the Dragonflies.
Texas keeps finding its way on this list, and this time it’s literally due to the book having a gay kid in it. That’s it. That’s the perceived sin of the story that landed it in hot water, the audacity that a child might be questioning their sexuality. Since all of us queers are lab-grown, we can only imagine a world where you grow up to be gay, but clearly, we must keep such outlandish fantasies far away from library shelves. Let your imagination run wild with the idea of fearing coming out as a kid with a copy of King and the Dragonflies.
Hurricane Child
Kacen Callander went too far the other way and wrote a story too straight for a group of Virginia Parents. Just kidding. It’s a story about a girl having a crush on a girl so we once again have queers confused over the existence of queer youth trying to rewrite reality. See why the outrage storm is overblown by checking out Hurricane Child.
Kacen Callander went too far the other way and wrote a story too straight for a group of Virginia Parents. Just kidding. It’s a story about a girl having a crush on a girl so we once again have queers confused over the existence of queer youth trying to rewrite reality. See why the outrage storm is overblown by checking out Hurricane Child.
Mighty Heart of Sunny St James
Had to scour reviews of this novel to find where exactly it went wrong to earn the wrath of Matt Krause, and all that was found in the passing mention of same-gender attraction. That was apparently all it took to land it on the exhausting 2019 list of books that might make students “uncomfortable”. If you’re looking to get over your general Bibliophobia, start by facing down Ashley Harring Blake’s Mighty Heart of Sunny St James.
Had to scour reviews of this novel to find where exactly it went wrong to earn the wrath of Matt Krause, and all that was found in the passing mention of same-gender attraction. That was apparently all it took to land it on the exhausting 2019 list of books that might make students “uncomfortable”. If you’re looking to get over your general Bibliophobia, start by facing down Ashley Harring Blake’s Mighty Heart of Sunny St James.
The Ship We Built
Matt Krause is at it again with his busy body bullshit list, this time aiming at a book that dares to question the gender binary and that maybe we should protect kids that are going through more than the “normal” childhood. Build up your confusion as to why Krause can’t handle more than the binary with The Ship We Built.
Matt Krause is at it again with his busy body bullshit list, this time aiming at a book that dares to question the gender binary and that maybe we should protect kids that are going through more than the “normal” childhood. Build up your confusion as to why Krause can’t handle more than the binary with The Ship We Built.
The Last Night at the Telegraph Club
Bi-racial romance?
Lesbian teens?
In the 50s?
No wonder Texas had to ban this book, everyone knows Lesbianism wasn’t invented until the 60s to sell more denim. Question your understanding of history and identity during The Last Night at the Telegraph Club
Bi-racial romance?
Lesbian teens?
In the 50s?
No wonder Texas had to ban this book, everyone knows Lesbianism wasn’t invented until the 60s to sell more denim. Question your understanding of history and identity during The Last Night at the Telegraph Club
PET
Oops. A fictional story with a Trans lead? That’s a banning. Literally this is on the list solely for having a trans kid leading the story. The story, if you can look past this lunacy of transphobia, is all about how you can fight monsters in a world where no one admits they exist. Bravely overstep the phobic monsters and read PET.
Oops. A fictional story with a Trans lead? That’s a banning. Literally this is on the list solely for having a trans kid leading the story. The story, if you can look past this lunacy of transphobia, is all about how you can fight monsters in a world where no one admits they exist. Bravely overstep the phobic monsters and read PET.
Julian at the Wedding
The gender police are back and attacking a child who dares to wear a dress. Isn’t putting the pressures to conform to the binary exposing kids to the concept of sexual identity, even if its hetero? Oh what’s that, this is actually an exercise to keep conformity and not about keeping consistent? Got it. Get Julian at the Wedding.
The gender police are back and attacking a child who dares to wear a dress. Isn’t putting the pressures to conform to the binary exposing kids to the concept of sexual identity, even if its hetero? Oh what’s that, this is actually an exercise to keep conformity and not about keeping consistent? Got it. Get Julian at the Wedding.
My Rainbow
Krause once again can’t handle the idea of a fictional trans kid gracing the cover of a book. It could be because he believes only wearing your natural hair and not wigs, but that seems unlikely. Try My Rainbow on for size.
Krause once again can’t handle the idea of a fictional trans kid gracing the cover of a book. It could be because he believes only wearing your natural hair and not wigs, but that seems unlikely. Try My Rainbow on for size.
Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and The Rainbow Flag
A story about a queer civil rights? Obviously that marks any book for a good ole banning. Virginia must not want anyone to know that standing up for human rights can actually positively affect the world. Fight for your right to read with Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and The Rainbow Flag
A story about a queer civil rights? Obviously that marks any book for a good ole banning. Virginia must not want anyone to know that standing up for human rights can actually positively affect the world. Fight for your right to read with Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and The Rainbow Flag
Sewing the Rainbow: The Story of Gilbert Baker
Now this story rightfully should be kept out of anyone’s hands. Heaven forbid we reveal how exactly we stole the rainbow from God. Learn about the modern day queer Prometheus by getting your hands on Sewing the Rainbow: The Story of Gilbert Baker.
Now this story rightfully should be kept out of anyone’s hands. Heaven forbid we reveal how exactly we stole the rainbow from God. Learn about the modern day queer Prometheus by getting your hands on Sewing the Rainbow: The Story of Gilbert Baker.
And Tango Makes Three
Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell made the classic queer children's book mistake of depicting a loving pair of same gender penguins adopting without warning that this is propaganda for the gay agenda to invade Antarctica. Make your way to the dark side of the Zoo with And Tango Makes Three
Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell made the classic queer children's book mistake of depicting a loving pair of same gender penguins adopting without warning that this is propaganda for the gay agenda to invade Antarctica. Make your way to the dark side of the Zoo with And Tango Makes Three
This Book is Gay
In Texas, we believe in the rules of the Wild West. We toss away all guidelines and rule books. That must be the reason the coming-out guide by Juno Dawson extensively covers the insider knowledge needed for those looking to live opening queer because we’re outlaws. Not outlawing human rights. Right?
If you can’t live by your own rules and need help coming out, This Book is Gay.
In Texas, we believe in the rules of the Wild West. We toss away all guidelines and rule books. That must be the reason the coming-out guide by Juno Dawson extensively covers the insider knowledge needed for those looking to live opening queer because we’re outlaws. Not outlawing human rights. Right?
If you can’t live by your own rules and need help coming out, This Book is Gay.
Angela Davis an Autobiography
It’s the real-life story of a queer woman of color actively fighting for civil rights in America. Of course, this is getting banned. Throw in prison reform and you’ve secured your books place in the bad books club. Rebel against this idiocracy with Angela Davis an Autobiography.
Beyond the Gender Binary Pocket Change Collective
The title threatening the binary alone is reason enough to suspect this is going to outrage all the families with live laugh love hanging on their walls. Add Beyond the Gender Binary Pocket Change Collective to your arsenal of bite-sized stories that pack a wallop against the cis-hetero norm.
We're fighting to ensure access to these banned books, no matter how loud the right gets about them. Our little shop will always have plenty of space for this mistreated reads.
The title threatening the binary alone is reason enough to suspect this is going to outrage all the families with live laugh love hanging on their walls. Add Beyond the Gender Binary Pocket Change Collective to your arsenal of bite-sized stories that pack a wallop against the cis-hetero norm.
We're fighting to ensure access to these banned books, no matter how loud the right gets about them. Our little shop will always have plenty of space for this mistreated reads.