Story perspectives

Over 6,800 Book Bans Target LGBTQ+ Titles Nationwide

10/5/2025

Summary

Story summary

PEN America reports over 6,800 book bans in the 2024-25 school year.
Bans affect 3,752 titles across 87 districts in 23 states.
Notable titles include A Clockwork Orange, Last Night at the Telegraph Club, and All Boys Aren’t Blue, concentrated in Florida, Texas, and Tennessee.
Since 2021, bans have risen, often targeting LGBTQ+ literature and social justice themes.

History

Historical Context

The 1982 Supreme Court case Board of Education v. Pico affirmed students' rights to access diverse literature, ruling that school boards cannot remove books simply due to disapproval of their ideas. This landmark decision has become increasingly relevant as recent book bans, particularly targeting LGBTQ+ titles, reflect ongoing tensions over intellectual freedom and the role of literature in education, with over 10,000 books banned in 2023 alone.

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Story summary

PEN America reports over 6,800 book bans in the 2024-25 school year.
Bans affect 3,752 titles across 87 districts in 23 states.
Notable titles include A Clockwork Orange, Last Night at the Telegraph Club, and All Boys Aren’t Blue, concentrated in Florida, Texas, and Tennessee.
Since 2021, bans have risen, often targeting LGBTQ+ literature and social justice themes.

1 / 2