For a long time, the common wisdom among publishers, movie studios, and other gatekeepers of content has held that LGBT characters are verboten in mainstream all-ages material. LGBT content is a frequent target of censors, and as…
AZ Superintendent of Public Instruction Under Fire for Anonymous Online Posts
In stating that Tucson’s banned Mexican American Studies program “contained content promoting resentment toward a race or class of people” and that “materials repeatedly reference white people as being ‘oppressors….’ in violation of state law,” Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction…
Pakistani Political Cartoonist Mourns Free Expression
Pakistani political cartoonist Sabir Nazar is lucky. He’s currently in Washington, DC for a six-month fellowship at the National Endowment for Democracy, just as extremist attacks against journalists are ramping up in his home country. A few days ago he…
ALA Report Shows Internet Filtering Curtails Free Speech
In a few days we will mark the 11th anniversary since the Supreme Court decided in United States v. American Library Association that filtering of Internet access on school and library computers does not infringe on free speech rights. The…
Watch the Google+ Hangout Featuring Cory Doctorow!
Yesterday, free speech lovers around the country got to join Cory Doctorow, author of the novel Little Brother, for a Google+ Hangout on Air discussing the importance of fighting censorship and the value of Banned Books…
Raffle of Original 2000 AD Artwork Benefits CBLDF
We just heard that some lovely fans of the UK sci-fi comics weekly 2000 AD have organized a raffle of original artwork to benefit CBLDF! Full details can be found by joining the 2000AD Comic Artwork Facebook group, but some…
CBLDF Heads South for HEROES CON
CBLDF is returning to Charlotte, North Carolina, this weekend, where we are excited to be exhibiting at HeroesCon 2014 booth 1222! Heroes Convention was founded in 1982 by Shelton Drum, the…
CNN Spectacularly Fails To Understand Manga and Anime
As Japan prepares to implement a new law which bans the possession of child pornography but exempts manga and anime, CNN released an over-the-top sensationalist video report this week that demonstrates a profound…
Supreme Court Delivers Unanimous Decision in Key Free Speech Victory
On Monday, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous 9-0 ruling for Susan B. Anthony List v. Driehaus, upheld the right of people and organizations to preemptively challenge a law that infringes on First Amendment rights. The…
Join Us For a Google+ Hangout Featuring Cory Doctorow and More!
Heads up, free speech lovers! This Thursday, June 19, the Banned Books Week coalition presents a Google+ Hangout on Air featuring Cory Doctorow, author of the novel Little Brother, to discuss the importance of fighting censorship…
A Gamer Asks: Can Games Go “Too Far”?
The constant determined attempts of media outlets and others to draw some sort of connection between violence in…
This Compromise Is Not Acceptable: CBLDF Joins Coalition Condemning South Carolina Budget Provision
Today, CBLDF joined a coalition of free speech advocates led by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the ACLU of South Carolina in issuing a joint statement that condemns a recent budget provision “compromise” that penalizes two…
What Does Japan’s New Child Porn Law Mean for Manga and Anime?
Although production and distribution of underage pornography have been illegal in Japan for (only) 15 years, possession of it currently is not. That will change later this month, when a law passed last week…
Don’t Miss CBLDF At Special Edition: NYC
This weekend, CBLDF kicks off the summer convention season at Special Edition: NYC, a celebration of comics and their creators happening at the Jacob Javits Convention Center! CBLDF will be in Booth 202, where …
The Curious Incident of the Wilson County School Board
When books are challenged in libraries and schools, one of the most important things for governing boards and administrators to do is have a clear and complete challenge policy already in place–and to actually follow…