This week’s weekend reading rec is Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe, a graphic novel that documents Kobabe’s life as they navigate what it means to be non-binary and asexual. Described as a journey of self-identity told through comic panels and illustrations, Gender Queer has been banned, challenged, and restricted in public schools and libraries across the country for the past two years. The American Library Association ranked it the most challenged book of 2021, mainly for its LGBTQIA+ content and supposed sexually explicit images. It was also the most banned book from school districts in 2022, with 41 school districts removing it from their library shelves.
In response, Kobabe illustrated a comic in support of queer library books for teenagers. If you want to read Gender Queer, but it’s unavailable, try the Brooklyn Public Library which provides 13 to 21 year olds with free electronic access to banned LGBTQ+ books.