Rightwing groups across US push new bans to limit 'obscene' books in libraries
Source: The Guardian
Rightwing groups across US push new bans to limit ‘obscene’ books in libraries
Critics say bans would hinder rights as proponents would impose their beliefs on others who don’t share their views
Eric Berger
Tue 1 Apr 2025 12.00 BST
Last modified on Tue 1 Apr 2025 12.02 BST
Rightwing groups around the US are pushing legislation that would place new limits on what books are allowed in school libraries in a move that critics decry as censorship often focused on LGBTQ+ issues or race or imposing conservative social values.
Caught up in the attempts at suppressing books are classics like The Color Purple and Slaughterhouse Five.
Opponents of such bills argue that they would actually hinder individual rights because the proponents would be imposing their beliefs on parents and children who do not share their views. Those campaigning for the restrictions say it would prevent children from being exposed to what they label sexually explicit and obscene content and increase parental rights.
There are at least 112 proposed state bills concerning school – and public – libraries that seek to expand the definition of what is deemed obscene or “harmful to minors” and to limit librarian staff’s ability to determine which books are in their collections, according to the American Library Association.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/01/new-book-bans-library-schools
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