Skip to content 
Last week, as I was rereading one of my favorite books of all time, The Bluest Eye, I found out that several of Toni Morrison’s novels, including Beloved, The Bluest Eye, and Song of Solomon were banned across libraries in Georgia and Utah. Now this appalled me: Morrison’s writing was one of the richest I had ever encountered. The way she developed her storylines, family arcs, and setting with such intricacy was something I’d admired about her writing ever since I had read Beloved. Morrison, in my opinion, was an author every single high school student should have the opportunity of reading. So as I further researched the increased regulations upon adolescent reading lists, I realized that dozens of my favorite books were being banned in state libraries. Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, tells the story of Melinda Sordino, a high school freshman who was sexually assaulted at a party. Navigating her mental and physical health, Anderson does a beautiful job of portraying the “victim blaming” narrative society is accustomed to.
Now, the justification of banning both of these books was that they were “too sexually explicit” for young adults to read because they contained mentions of sexual assault, activity and rape. However, whether these books are publicly available at libraries or coveted on online websites, those who want to read them, will always find a way to read them. Banning two pieces of outstanding literature takes away from the diverse story lines they offer. Speak, was the top bestselling novel about sexual assault in 2022, affecting thousands of teens nationwide. Another example, The Hate U Give, about racial justice, has also experienced a long standing ban in several communities in Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina, with the same justification: sexually explicit material and violence. Ultimately, Book bans are consistently a way to deny access to free thought, specifically those of women, people of color and the LGBTQ+ community.
