The Washgton Post</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" fill="whe" d="M42.2 24.27l-4.28-4.32-3.28 3.32v26.65l7.47 6.62.08-.07v-32.2zm-17.25 1l-5.34-5.32-3.51 3.62V50l6.48 5.62 2.37-2.7V25.27zm59.4-13.49l8.65 8v33.76L79.61 63.78c-1.3-1.63-2.9-3.02-4.81-3.57v16.15l-.16.08-4.2-3.96-8.87 8.3-.16-.08V59.82a14.37 14.37 0 00-7.8 5.13l-.61-.39c.53-5.98 3.44-10.4 8.41-12.1V37.31h-1.6a4.03 4.03 0 00-4.06 3.26h-.91A9.64 9.64 0 0154.3 37c0-3.8 2.52-6.68 6.65-6.68h.46v-8.38l-2.75-2.48-2.14 2.17-1.07-1.01 8.49-8.85 7.19 6.68v7.6l2.22-2.4v-8.93h1.45v7.37l9.56-10.32zm-11 13.35l-2.22 2.33v43.7l2.22 2.1V25.12zM15.1 0l.68.62c-2.51 1.23-4.57 2.77-4.57 6.08 0 5.09 4.88 3.78 4.88 11.79v3.08l8.92-9.47 9.39 9.32 8.85-9.33 8.54 8.48v28.5L36.1 63.71l-10.6-9.25-8.1 9.25-10.98-9.55v-15.1H4.27c-1.9 0-2.82 1.15-3.13 2.7H.38c-.15-.62-.38-1.7-.38-2.93 0-2 .84-7.24 6.4-7.24V19.88c0-4.55-2.97-4.78-2.97-8.7C3.43 6.77 7.55 2.7 15.11 0zm63.74 19.16L74.8 23.5v28.18c3.6.46 6.27 1.7 8.49 4.11l.07-.08V23.35l-4.5-4.2z"></path></svg><div class="center ml-xxs">Exclive</div></div></span></div></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iPJLV-css grid-center w-100"><h1 id="ma-ntent" class="ml-to mr-to font--headle offblack headle mb-xs pb-xxs-ns">‘Racist,’ ‘groomg’: Why parents are tryg to ban so many picture books</h1></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iPJLV-css grid-center w-100"><h2 class="ma-to font--subhead font-light offblack subheadle mb-sm mb-md-ns">The culture war over what children n read has reached illtrated texts for the youngt rears</h2></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iPJLV-css grid-center w-100"><div class="flex prt-byle prt-mt-none jtify-center"><div class="byle-wrapper flex-lumn flex ems-ns-center"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ihSmMVC-css"><div class="PJLV PJLV-iPJLV-css mb-xxs overriStyl" style="gap:0.5rem" data-qa="thor-byle"><span class="wpds-c-PJLV"><div class="flex ems-center" data-qa="thor-byle"><div class="mr-sm flex lh-0"><div class="wpds-c-iTcer"><img src=" alt="" class="wpds-c-dgBqAZ"/></div></div><span class="left"><div class="flex"><div class="dib font-xxs" data-qa="name-wh-optnal-lk" data-cy="name-wh-optnal-lk"><span data-qa="attributn-text" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP">By <!-- --> </span><a data-qa="thor-name" href=" rel="thor" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP wpds-c-cNdzuP-ejzZdU-isLk-te">Hannah Natanson</a></div></div></span></div></span></div></div><div data-ttid="timtamp" class="wpds-c-kgabfe wpds-c-kgabfe-igLjcUH-css"><span data-ttid="display-date" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV">July 12, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EDT</span></div></div></div></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iPJLV-css grid-center grid-tablet-full-bleed"><div data-ttid="le-art" data-qa="le-art" class=""><figure class="overflow-hidn relative hi-for-prt center center mb-sm mb-md-ns ml-to-ns mr-to-ns"><div style="filter:blur(10px);transn:filter .1s;le-height:0" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="400"><img style="background-size:ver;max-width:1600px;background-image:url('data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http%3A//; xmlns%3Axlk='http%3A//; viewBox='0 0 1280 853'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' lor-terpolatn-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGssianBlur stdDeviatn='.5'%3E%3C/feGssianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA type='discrete' tableValu='1 1'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage filter='url(%23b)' x='0' y='0' height='100%25' width='100%25' xlk%3Ahref='data%3Aimage/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAGCAIAAACepSOSAAAACXBIWXMAAC4jAAAuIwF4pT92AAAAs0lEQVQI1wGoAFf/AImSoJSer5yjs52ktp2luJuluKOpuJefsoCNowB+kKaOm66grL+krsCnsMGrt8m1u8mzt8OVoLIAhJqzjZ2tnLLLnLHJp7fNmpyjqbPCqLrRjqO7AIeUn5ultaWtt56msaSnroZyY4mBgLq7wY6TmwCRfk2Pf1uzm2WulV+xmV6rmGyQfFm3nWSBcEIAfm46jX1FkH5Djn5AmodGo49MopBLlIRBfG8yj/dfjF5TUAAAAASUVORK5CYII='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E')" alt="A grid of 8 box show children's picture book vers alternatg wh handwrten plats about them." class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="400" srcSet=" 400w, 540w, 691w, 767w, 916w, 1200w, 1440w" siz="(max-width: 440px) 440px,(max-width: 768px) 691px,(max-width: 1023px) 916px,(max-width: 1199px) 1200px,(m-width: 1200px) 1440px,440px" dg="async"/></div><figptn class="ml-gutter mr-gutter mr-to-ns ml-to-ns font--subhead font-xxxs mt-xs left gray-dark">(Illtratn by Lucy Naland/The Washgton Post; Pengu Random Hoe; HarperColls Publishers)</figptn></figure></div></div></div></div><div class="wpds-c-cfCtfh"><div class="wpds-c-jUMcim wpds-c-jUMcim-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt mb-sm"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ieDMgMI-css flex ems-center" nfig="[object Object]" data-qa="article-actns"><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div class="wpds-c-jmMNTu"><div role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Listen" data-ttid="listen-button" class="PJLV PJLV-ieXqgLD-css"><svg xmlns=" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-kKAfCG wpds-c-bPOGbC"><path fill="currentColor" d="M12.29 3.88A6.13 6.13 0 0 1 14 8.24V11a3 3 0 0 1-3 3h-1V8h1a3 3 0 0 1 2 .78v-.54A5.118 5.118 0 0 0 8 3a5.12 5.12 0 0 0-5 5.24v.54A3 3 0 0 1 5 8h1v6H5a3 3 0 0 1-3-3 2.09 2.09 0 0 1 0-.5V8.24A6.13 6.13 0 0 1 8 2a6.13 6.13 0 0 1 4.29 1.88Z"></path></svg></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-uwUI">Listen</span><div class="wpds-c-jxWEMP">11 m</div></div></div></div><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div id="gift-share" data-ttid="gift-share" class="PJLV PJLV-ieGzigK-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-dTGBTO-placement-ActnBar foc-highlight"><svg xmlns=" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 16 16" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp wpds-c-fBqPWp-idCxsxc-css " aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg></button></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Share</span></div></div><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><button aria-label="Comment" class="wpds-c-gPbxFP"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-kKAfCG wpds-c-efqEZa flex ems-center jtify-center brad-lg poter transn-400 ease--out transn-lors" aria-label="Comment on this story"><tle>Comment on this story</tle><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg></button><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Comment</span><span class="wpds-c-fOvfhP wpds-c-fOvfhP-kshkDy-isCommentType-te none" aria-hidn="te"><span class="ment-unt font-xxxxs sc-ral-unt"><span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="teaser-ntent grid-center"><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Dangero.” “Groomg.” “Reckls.” “Racist.” “Lyg.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">All are adjectiv that adults applied to children’s picture books as they sought to ban the tl om schools last year. The illtrated texts, tend for the youngt rears, are a surprisg foc of the historic spike efforts to rtrict lerature classrooms and K-12 librari, acrdg to a first-of-s-kd Washgton Post analysis of schoolbook challeng.</p></div></div><div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The disntent wh children’s picture books overwhelmgly centers on tl wh LGBTQ characters and storyl, which were targeted 75 percent of such challeng, The Post found. The top motive, ced 64 percent of the picture-book plats, was a wish to prevent children om readg about lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, nonbary and queer liv. The next most-mon reason was books’ “appropriate” nature, ced 44 percent of challeng, and the third most-mon reason was that books were “anti-police,” a charge clud 25 percent of challeng.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-body grid-center" data-qa="article-body"><div class="wpds-c-SEUFi wpds-c-SEUFi-iblNTCR-css"><div data-ttid="re-roel-ntaer" role="group" aria-rolescriptn="roel" class="wpds-c-jQxwKe wpds-c-jQxwKe-ijDnrbR-css"><a href="#end-react-aria-1" class="wpds-c-iSKIAI wpds-c-iSKIAI-iedmEYU-css">Skip to end of roel</a><div class="absolute right-0 pa-md h-100 z-1 poter-events-none" style="top:0;background-image:"></div><div class="flex-ns jtify-between ems-center" aria-hidn="te"><h6 class="wpds-c-bcjwkI">About this seri and soarg book challeng the U.S.</h6><div class="PJLV arrows mb-sm jtify-center flex"><button ariaLabel="Navigate to the left" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hGNJMA-in-center wpds-c-kSOqLF-ijxySvO-css wpds-c-ktSrjS" dataQa="sc-roel-arrow-left" disabled="" tabx="-1"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp "><path d="m6.62 12.62.71-.71L3.91 8.5H14v-1H3.91l3.42-3.41-.71-.71L2 8Z"></path></svg><span class="wpds-c-iSKIAI">arrow left</span></button><button ariaLabel="Navigate to the right" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hGNJMA-in-center wpds-c-kSOqLF-ieFkEda-css wpds-c-iIeZAd" dataQa="sc-roel-arrow-right" tabx="-1"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp "><path d="m9.38 3.38-.71.71 3.42 3.41H2v1h10.09l-3.42 3.41.71.71L14 8Z"></path></svg><span class="wpds-c-iSKIAI">arrow right</span></button></div></div><div data-ttid="roel-ntent" data-qa="roel-ntent" class="wpds-c-cubdkx overflow-xscroll"><div data-qa="roel-em-0" data-ttid="roel-em-0" class="wpds-c-bYoKkr snap-start flex-none" role="group" aria-rolescriptn="sli" aria-label="1 of 3"><div class="wpds-c-iKoytf wpds-c-iKoytf-iduqwxX-css"><div class="wpds-c-iMKICq wpds-c-iMKICq-ihPoHKF-css"><div><div class="wpds-c-jIpZwk">Schoolbook challeng have risen to unprecented levels over the past three years. To unrstand what and who is drivg objectns to K-12 texts, Washgton Post K-12 Edutn reporter Hannah Natanson <a href=" target=_blank>filed rerds requts wh 150 school districts natnwi</a>, seekg pi of every book challenge they received the 2021-2022 school year. If your school is seeg book challeng and you have a story to share, please get touch by emailg — or fill out <a href=" target=_blank>this submissn form</a>.</div></div></div></div></div><div data-qa="roel-em-1" data-ttid="roel-em-1" class="wpds-c-bYoKkr snap-start flex-none" role="group" aria-rolescriptn="sli" aria-label="2 of 3"><div class="wpds-c-iKoytf wpds-c-iKoytf-iduqwxX-css"><div class="wpds-c-iMKICq wpds-c-iMKICq-ihPoHKF-css"><div><div class="wpds-c-jIpZwk">Natanson obtaed and read through more than 1,000 challeng totalg 2,500 pag. A Post analysis of the challeng found that books about LGBTQ people are fast beg the ma target of the challeng — and that the majory of book plats <a href=" target=_blank>e om a mcule number of hyperactive adults</a>. Jt 11 people were rponsible for filg 60 percent of the 2021-2022 challeng. The most monly ced reason for opposg books was a sire to shield children om sexual ntent.</div></div></div></div></div><div data-qa="roel-em-2" data-ttid="roel-em-2" class="wpds-c-bYoKkr snap-start flex-none" style="marg-right:0px" role="group" aria-rolescriptn="sli" aria-label="3 of 3"><div class="wpds-c-iKoytf wpds-c-iKoytf-iduqwxX-css"><div class="wpds-c-iMKICq wpds-c-iMKICq-ihPoHKF-css"><div><div class="wpds-c-jIpZwk">This seri employs large-sle data analysis to obta a clear picture of which texts are drawg objectns and why — you n read the first story the seri here — “<a href=" target="_blank">Objectn to sexual, LGBTQ ntent propels spike book challeng</a>" — and the send story here: “<a href=" target="_blank">‘Racist,’ ‘groomg’: Why parents are tryg to ban so many picture books</a>.” Forthg articl will center the perspectiv of those who are challengg books, those who oppose the challeng and the admistrators forced to rpond to the flurry of objectns, as well as thors of challenged tl.</div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="re-roel-pagatn-arrows"><p class="wpds-c-kvJCne">1<!-- -->/<!-- -->3</p></div></div><span id="end-react-aria-1" class="sr-only" data-ttid="sr-only">End of roel</span></div><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“This book … opens up nversatns that lead to groomg and do not separate tn om moral beliefs,” an Idaho woman wrote a filg agast “<a href=" target=_blank>Pri: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rabow Flag</a>.”</p><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">A Pennsylvania woman alleged that the book “<a href=" target=_blank>Julián Is a Mermaid</a>,” featurg a boy who drs as a mermaid, will “nfe a child … to e drag clothg and makp.”</p><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">And a man Virgia wrote that the book “<a href=" target=_blank>A Place Insi Of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart</a>,” which explor a Black child’s reactn to the police killg of a girl his hometown, has “very dark and sister parts,” cludg the fact “law enforcement is picted as villas throughout this work.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">Want to know more about my reportg on school book challeng? Subm your qutns for a live chat next week.</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The Post requted and analyzed roughly 2,500 pag of book challeng filed more than 100 districts natnwi throughout the 2021-2022 amic year. Picture books ma up nearly 10 percent of all the tl challenged the 1,000-pl plats, The Post found. The ee exprsn advocy group PEN Ameri, too, <a href=" target=_blank>nclud that more than 300 picture books</a> were challenged at school the 2021-2022 school year.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="mb-md"><iame tle="" aria-label="" id="datawrapper-chart-KgP2T" src=" scrollg="no" ameBorr="0" width="100%" height="500" style="borr:none"></iame></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Part of me is like, ‘Wow, people are really puttg all this emphasis on picture books?’” said Kaylani Juana, who illtrated “<a href=" target=_blank>When Aidan Beme a Brother</a>,” which featur a transgenr protagonist. The tle was the send most-challenged picture book intified by The Post. “They’re treatg the books like weapons.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">It is par for the urse that polil topics du jour are shapg a bate about kids’ books, said Carol Tilley, an associate profsor at the Universy of Illois at Urbana-Champaign who rearch children’s prt culture. She poted out that, the 1950s, adults Alabama <a href=" target="_blank">csad</a> agast “<a href=" target="_blank">The Rabb’s Weddg</a>,” which told the story of a black and whe rabb gettg married.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“That didn’t play well segregatnist stat at the time,” she said. “I thk that you see a long pattern: Concerns tend to mirror whatever the big social chang are at any particular time.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">Objectn to sexual, LGBTQ ntent propels spike book challeng</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">As nflicts rage over what and how children should learn about race, genr and sex at school, public opn seems spl.<b> </b><a href=" target=_blank>A late-2022 Post-KFF poll</a> found that more than 70 percent of adults feel is appropriate for teachers to discs trans inty krgarten through fifth gra, while slightly more than half of adults also believe the topic is appropriate for gras six through eight. At the same time, 77 percent of Amerins say they are “extremely” or “very” ncerned by book rtrictns schools, acrdg to a <a href=" target=_blank>March poll om Fox News</a>.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">It is also the se, said Skidmore College profsor Cathere Goln, who teach a class on 19th-century children’s lerature, that objectns are surgg bee the number of visual-rich picture books portrayg what ’s like to have gay parents or be transgenr has explod.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Picture books are now takg the LGBTQ issu on,” she said. “And the picture mak easier to jump on , the picture mak easier to cricize, bee visualiz somethg that people might see as objectnable.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="mb-md"><iame tle="" aria-label="" id="datawrapper-chart-mafZR" src=" scrollg="no" ameBorr="0" width="100%" height="500" style="borr:none"></iame></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Parent challengers argue some picture books mt be banned to spare children uncertaty, mental health problems and racist beliefs.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Readg about genr inty will yield “social isolatn, vlence, hypersexualizatn … rced enomic opportuni, anxiety, prsn, lack of self inty, and so much more,” wrote Sashell Dragich Florida’s St. Johns County School District. Dragich,<b> </b>who did not rpond to requts for ment, was objectg to “<a href=" target=_blank>Peanut Go for the Gold</a>,” a book about a nonbary guea pig by Jonathan Van Ns, star of the Netflix seri “Queer Eye.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Sylvia Loosveldt Washgton state wrote a challenge that Ibram X. Kendi’s “<a href=" target=_blank>Antiracist Baby Picture Book</a>” should be pulled om schools bee “is teachg young stunts to bee racist” by “tellg young children they should look at others only on the basis of sk lor.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Loosveldt said an terview that she beme aware of “Antiracist Baby” when a librarian iend wh the Kennewick School District flagged s prence two elementary schools. She read the book and grew disturbed, pecially by an image of a Whe kid climbg a plete ladr while a Black kid climbs a ladr that is broken at the top. Loosveldt, 64, is retired but said she spent more than three s teachg krgarten and first-gra, so she knows firsthand the stak of what go to children’s books.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Those kids jt believe everythg that you tell them,” she said. “If teachers tell you you n be any genr you want, or that you’re bad bee you’re Whe, kids are gog to believe you.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Reactn om picture-book creators, meanwhile, range om bemed to heartbroken to fiant. Illtrator Juana said, “at this pot, I’m jt so filled wh disappotment and rage.” Zetta Elltt, thor of “A Place Insi of Me,” said she believ adults’ fixatn on certa kds of picture books reflects a disfort wh darker moments Amerin history, pecially episos of racism and police btaly.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div id="gift-share-le" data-ttid="gift-share-le" class="PJLV PJLV-ilotWTr-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-goNocI-placement-Inle foc-highlight"><div data-ttid="gift-share-terstial-trigger" class="wpds-c-kPqOkS wpds-c-kPqOkS-jtSXsT-hasSubsText-false"><span class="wpds-c-hBJqc"><span class="wpds-c-dzSncg">Share this article</span></span><span class="wpds-c-eCvK"><span class="wpds-c-enedHQ wpds-c-enedHQ-cCdK-isShown-false">Share</span><svg xmlns=" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp wpds-c-fDHGth"><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg></span></div></button></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“It flows om a certa group of parents who are aaid of havg difficult nversatns,” she said. “But this ia that adults should not be permted to help children terrogate difficult subjects is jt ludicro.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">And Rob Sanrs, thor of “Pri,” the book about assassated LGBTQ rights activist Harvey Milk, said he is far om shocked: He expected the tle would draw plats as soon as he penned 2015. He was spired to wre the book when he saw the Whe Hoe illumated rabow lors the night after the Supreme Court stck down the Defense of Marriage Act, pavg the way to legal regnn of same-sex marriage. A schoolteacher, he wanted his stunts to unrstand how the rabow flag me to reprent LGBTQ rights.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Immediately after Sanrs’s book was published 2018, a parent his class plaed the tle was appropriate, preventg Sanrs om readg to his stunts for weeks. Siar plats have boiled up regularly across the untry sce, he said.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Sanrs said he has two msag for adults who dislike his books: First, parents should never make readg cisns for other people’s children. Send, he said, readg books about LGBTQ people will not turn young stunts gay, bisexual or transgenr.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Look at me. I’m almost 65, I grew up readg only books that featured parents who were heterosexual and characters who experienced the world genr-normative ways,” Sanrs said. “Those books did not make me straight.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="5TTQWX3UXNBITCI5COTHOFMYMI"><div>Worry over pictns of race, police</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">After books pictg LGBTQ liv, tl drawg the most objectns were those that alt wh race or policg — or both.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Twenty-five percent of challeng agast picture books targeted tl that have characters of lor or grapple wh racism. In addn to the 25 percent of challeng llg picture books “anti-police,” 12 percent of challeng alleged picture books were “racist,” makg that the seventh most-mon reason ced. Another 8 percent of challeng asserted picture books promoted “cril race theory” — a nservative tchall term for teachg about race emed polilly motivated — makg that the nth-most-mon reason.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="mb-md"><iame tle="" aria-label="" id="datawrapper-chart-Px5W4" src=" scrollg="no" ameBorr="0" width="100%" height="500" style="borr:none"></iame></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In Nebraska’s Wa-Palisa Schools,<b> </b>Vansa Fanng filed to remove “<a href=" target=_blank>The Unfeated</a>” — a <a href=" target=_blank>Caltt Medal-wng</a> poem by Kwame Alexanr about Black Ameri — due to her ncerns that the book sends an<b> </b>“anti-police msage” and bee “suat whe liv do not matter.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The book “divis children to two groups,” wrote Fanng,<b> </b>who cled to ment. “Those who look like the pictur and those who were ‘rponsible’ for those racial jtic. It keeps racism alive.” She add that the book “probably would make a child of a police officer unfortable.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In New Jersey’s Wtfield Public Schools, a challenger — whose name school officials redacted — wrote a filg that “<a href=" target=_blank>Our Sk: A First Conversatn About Race</a>,” by Megan Madison and Jsi Ralli, li to children. The challenger quoted a le om the book statg that “Racism is … the thgs people do and the unfair l they make about race so that whe people get more power.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Racism is not somethg that only whe people do or are pable of,” the challenger wrote. “As a Jewish Amerin, I have personally experienced racism based on my Jewish ethnicy, spe my sk lor beg what most would scribe as ‘whe.’ ”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">And Texas’s Prosper Inpennt School District, another anonymized challenger sought to elimate “<a href=" target=_blank>When Wilma Rudolph Played Basketball</a>,” a bgraphy of a Black sprter who overme childhood pol to w Olympic medals and bee the fastt woman the world the 1960s. The book “op prejudice based on race,” the challenger wrote, potg to page 15, which picts Rudolph as sayg of segregatnist Ameri, “There’s somethg not right about all this … Whe folks got all the luxury, and we black folks got the dirty work.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The book’s thor, Mark Weakland, said an terview that the quot on page 15 e om Rudolph herself: They are words she spoke.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Elltt, the thor of “A Place Insi of Me,” agreed that the subjects evoked that tle and other children’s books she’s wrten — cludg Ameri’s history of lynchg, gun vlence and btaly perpetrated by police agast Black cizens — are thorny. But that’s why her work is necsary, she said: There are lns of Black and Brown children the Uned Stat whose fai and muni do not have a healthy relatnship wh police.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“So what do you do wh this plited relatnship Black people have to the Uned Stat?” she said. “I wanted to wre somethg that would give a child an opportuny to honor all of their emotns.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Other reasons for challengg picture books varied.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">An adult Texas’s Plano Inpennt School District took issue wh “<a href=" target=_blank>Skippyjon Jon</a>,” by Judy Schachner, which tells the story of an adventuro kten who sgs, “My name is Skippo Frisko. / I fear not a sgle bando. / My manners are mellow, / I’m sweet like the Jell-O, / I get the job done, y ed-o.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“This book promot negative stereotyp towards Mexins and the Spanish language,” wrote the plaant. “Throughout the book -O is add to the end of the word to sound like Spanish.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Elsewhere the same state, an adult the Lamar Consolidated Inpennt School District objected to Col Hynson’s book “<a href=" target=_blank>You Wouldn’t Want to Be An In Mummy!</a>,” part of a seri which shows some of the ls wonrful aspects of ancient societi.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The book “talks about child sacrifice … as if to be sacrificed is a ‘great honor,’” the challenger wrote. It “mak the subjects glamorized or they try to make appealg. … It troduc topics that children should not need to thk about durg elementary years.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><i>Story edg by Adam B. Khner. Copy edg by Dore Bethea. Dign by Lucy Naland.</i></p></div><div class="wpds-c-dhzjXW wpds-c-dhzjXW-iPJLV-css mt-md grid-center grid-body"><div id="gift-share-end" data-ttid="gift-share-end" class="PJLV PJLV-idiqKOk-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-iIVoLq-placement-Shortcut foc-highlight"><div class="wpds-c-UazGY" id="gift-share-shortcut" data-ttid="gift-share-shortcut"><svg xmlns=" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fVfumU "><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg><div class="PJLV 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class=""><span>Protter opposed to book bans gets Bible pulled om some Utah schools</span></div></div><div class="wpds-c-bZNrxE"><div data-ttid="text-rd-timtamp-earlier" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV wpds-c-gWbYHj">June 3, 2023</div></div></div><div class="wpds-c-fvnsYS"><figure data-qa="sc-figure-image" class="relative wpds-c-kFsrtG"><div data-qa="sc-skeleton-image" class="font-0 aspect-ctom bg-gray-lighter filter transn" style="opacy:1;transn:opacy 400ms ease--out 0s;--aspect-width:3;--aspect-height:2"></div></figure></div></a></span><span class="wpds-c-CEJsw"><a href=" class="wpds-c-gfGApI remove-borr-bottom"><figure data-qa="sc-figure-image" class="relative wpds-c-kFsrtG"><div data-qa="sc-skeleton-image" class="font-0 aspect-ctom bg-gray-lighter filter transn" style="opacy:1;transn:opacy 400ms ease--out 0s;--aspect-width:3;--aspect-height:2"></div></figure><div class="wpds-c-eQfTfP"><div href=" alt="Protter opposed to book bans gets Bible pulled om some Utah schools lk" target="_blank" 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style="display:-webk-box;-webk-box-orient:vertil;-webk-le-clamp:4;text-overflow:ellipsis;transn:none" attribut="[object Object]" class=""><span>Public librari are the latt ont culture war battle over books</span></div></div><div class="wpds-c-bZNrxE"><div data-ttid="text-rd-timtamp-earlier" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV wpds-c-gWbYHj">July 25, 2023</div></div></a></span></li><li class="wpds-c-hzLuJf wpds-c-hzLuJf-ibYjAXf-css"><span class="wpds-c-boVztI"><a href=" class="wpds-c-hJmLeM remove-borr-bottom"><div style="width:66%;marg:0" class="wpds-c-fixGjY"><div class="wpds-c-eQfTfP"><div href=" alt="‘Racist,’ ‘groomg’: Why parents are tryg to ban so many picture books lk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" data-qa="text-rd-lk" style="display:-webk-box;-webk-box-orient:vertil;-webk-le-clamp:4;text-overflow:ellipsis;transn:none" attribut="[object Object]" class=""><span>‘Racist,’ ‘groomg’: Why parents are tryg to ban so many picture books</span></div></div><div class="wpds-c-bZNrxE"><div data-ttid="text-rd-timtamp-earlier" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV wpds-c-gWbYHj">July 12, 2023</div></div></div><div class="wpds-c-fvnsYS"><figure data-qa="sc-figure-image" class="relative wpds-c-kFsrtG"><div data-qa="sc-skeleton-image" class="font-0 aspect-ctom bg-gray-lighter filter transn" style="opacy:1;transn:opacy 400ms ease--out 0s;--aspect-width:3;--aspect-height:2"></div></figure></div></a></span><span class="wpds-c-CEJsw"><a href=" class="wpds-c-gfGApI remove-borr-bottom"><figure data-qa="sc-figure-image" class="relative wpds-c-kFsrtG"><div data-qa="sc-skeleton-image" class="font-0 aspect-ctom bg-gray-lighter filter transn" style="opacy:1;transn:opacy 400ms ease--out 0s;--aspect-width:3;--aspect-height:2"></div></figure><div class="wpds-c-eQfTfP"><div href=" alt="‘Racist,’ ‘groomg’: Why parents are tryg to ban so many picture books lk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" data-qa="text-rd-lk" 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Get ready to curl up and snuggle wh one of the bt gay romance novels om our list, and disver the bt male/male (MM) love stori wh excg

Contents:

THE 20 BT GAY ROMANCE BOOKS YOU SHOULD HAVE READ ALREADY BY NOW!

Here are the bt LGBTQ books wh gay characters or by thors who intify as LGBTQ+. Fd romance, spirg nonfictn and YA reads for adults and teens. * gay romance novels for adults *

On-page queer reprentatn: Bisexual ma character, gay ma character.

But Vghn seems to be the one gay guy Toronto who don’t do hookups, which is all Jonah n offer. Unfortunately apart om beg gay, sgle, and really, really need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothg mon. On-page queer reprentatn: gay leads, queer supportg characters.

On-page queer reprentatn: gay men as leads, lbian supportg characters.

18 BT GAY ROMANCE NOVELS: ROMANTIC READG YOU’LL LOVE

Disver the top 20 mt-read bt gay romance books. From obscure novels to morn btsellers, the books offer a powerful reprentatn of the gay experience. * gay romance novels for adults *

The book’s ma character is a rich, obliv gay who PINES for his smart and proper valet. On-page queer reprentatn: gay leads, lbian supportg characters.

And while you n always zy up on the uch and prs play on a movie about queer love, the LGBTQ books will take thgs one step of the classics, bt-sellers and new releas on this list put gay characters at the heart of the story — or at the very least, are wrten by thors who intify as LGBTQ+. As the end of his life draws near, Jab hop to the right the wrongs that ed his relatnship wh his gay son, Isaac. "How We Fight for Our Liv" by Saeed JonPoet Saeed Jon’ g-of-age memoir is a rehgly hont look at the realy of beg a Black gay man the south.

* gay romance novels for adults *

When Garrard Conley is outed by his parents, they make him attend a 12-step nversn therapy program to “cure” him of his homosexualy. "The Guncle" by Steven RowleyOnce-famo s star Patrick is a proud Guncle (Gay Uncle Patrick, actually).

You won’t fd a buttoned-up gay love story the pag: Purnell unearths the dysfunctn of Black, broke and queer men fallg and out of love (or, well, lt). In this royal rom-, the prce of England and heir to the throne is gay, and longs for the son of the first woman print of the U.

Anyone who is a fan of the genre n agree – gay romance books have somethg special. While the genre of gay romance fictn shar the same termted quanty of flawed exampl as other wrg styl and ocsnally suffers om bad taste, tacks, and sensive wrg om wrers experienced queer subject matters, the sheer amount of lerature gems on this particular shelf outweighs all opposn, and go whout sayg that wh a ltle b of foright, each book you read will leave you posively starvg for the next. But no matter what form tak, and no matter which shap the characters fill, one thg is always certa when to gay romance books – love, baby.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY ROMANCE NOVELS FOR ADULTS

18 Bt Gay Romance Novels: Romantic Readg You'll Love .

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