A Nationwide Book Ban?! That Very Bill Has Been Introduced in Congress.

By This Book is Banned Staff | Categories: Banned Books, On Censorship

H
ouse Republicans have advanced legislation to ban books from public schools nationwide. You read that right… a nationwide ban. School boards and individual states banning books is problematic enough. But, needless to say, this puts us in precarious new territory.

House Resolution 7661 (HR7661) would modify the Elementary and Secondary Education act of 1965, banning the use of funds:

to develop, implement, facilitate, host, or promote any program or activity for, or to provide or promote literature or other materials to, children under the age of 18 that includes sexually oriented material, and for other purposes.[1]

Also known as the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act, this bill defines “sexually oriented material” as anything that “includes any depiction, description or simulation of sexually explicit conduct.” It also expressly mentions anything that “involves gender dysphoria or transgenderism,” fallaciously equating trans identity with explicit conduct. [2]

To be clear, the discussion of gender is not sexualization. Neither is making books available to students that represent the diversity of their experiences, and speak to the numerous ways to be a person in the world. [3]

Only Books Listed In
Great Books Of The Western World
Are Allowed.

The bill points out that this prohibition doesn’t apply to “standard science courses” like biology, anatomy, genetics, human health, etc. Or, teaching “the texts of major world religions, classic works of literature,” as well as “classic works of art.”[4]

However… it further states that “classic works of literature” are restricted to works included in Great Books of the Western World (published in 1990). As well as two reading lists titled Classics Every Middle Schooler Should Read (from Compass Classroom).[5]

Take note that Great Books of the Western World was published before the recent increase in availability of LGBTQ+ literature.[6] If passed, this bill would prohibit all public schools across the country from teaching LGBTQ+ literature. Or having books that even mention trans people in their libraries. This ban would also apply to some federally funded sex education programs, as well as clubs and support groups.

As Sabrina Baêta, senior manager of PEN America’s Freedom to Read program, points out:

This targeted censorship amounts to a harmful assault on historically marginalized and underrepresented populations — a dangerous effort to erase their stories, achievements and history from schools. [7]

In Conclusion

It’s pretty clear that bills like H.R. 7661 aren’t fundamentally about protecting kids. They’re about efforts to restrict whose stories are allowed to be told – and more importantly, whose stories are not allowed to be told.

Whether you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community or not, as ALA President Sam Helmick asserts, “That should concern anyone who believes in the freedom to read and the right of families to make decisions for themselves.” [8] And let’s not forget the right for everyone to see themselves represented in an authentic manner.

Today, it’s the LGBTQ community who is effectively being excised from the national narrative. Who will it be tomorrow? What’s to stop it from being you?

So, be sure to call your congressional representatives and tell them to vote NO on HR7661. The number to the Capitol switchboard is: 202-224-3121.

And, get organized. Groups like the American Library Association, EveryLibrary, andAuthors Against Book Banscan help you get started.

Pair this with

Who’s Magnus Hirschfeld?
And What Does He Have To Do With Book Banning?

#Banned Books #On Censorship #LGBTQ+ authors

Endnotes:

[1] H.R.7661 – Stop the Sexualization of Children Act. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7661/text

[2] H.R.7661 – Stop the Sexualization of Children Act. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7661/text

[3] Jensen, Kelly. “A Nationwide Book Ban Bill Has Been Introduced in the House of Representatives.” Feb 26, 2026. Book Riot.
https://bookriot.com/hr7661-book-ban-legislation/

[4] H.R.7661 – Stop the Sexualization of Children Act. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7661/text

[5] H.R.7661 – Stop the Sexualization of Children Act. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7661/text

[6] Christine Larson and Ashley Carter. “What’s behind the astonishing rise in LGBTQ+ romance literature?” The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/whats-behind-the-astonishing-rise-in-lgbtq-romance-literature-223159

Patton, Elaina. “A ‘renaissance of gay literature’ marks a turning point for publishing.” NBCNews. https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/lgbtq-fiction-gay-literature-publishing-turning-point-rcna127922

“The Evolution of LGBTQ+ Literature.” NumberAnalytics. https://www.numberanalytics.com/blog/evolution-of-lgbtq-literature

[7] “Book Bans in Schools Sweep Across Reading Levels, Genres and Topics, While Censorship Erases Stories about People of Color and LGBTQ Topics Most Often.” February 27, 2025. PEN America. https://pen.org/press-release/book-bans-in-schools-sweep-across-reading-levels-genres-and-topics-while-censorship-erases-stories-about-people-of-color-and-lgbtq-topics-most-often/

[8] Yorio, Kara. “Anti-Censorship Advocates Respond to H.R. 7661: “Discriminatory at Its Core.’” February 27, 2026. School Library Journal. https://prod.slj.com/story/Anti-Censorship-Advocates-Respond-HR-7661-Discriminatory-Its-Core