This Sunday, September 18, marks the start of Banned Books Week 2022. As a proud Banned Books Week Coalition member, we hope you’ll join us!
CBLDF is hosting a virtual event Monday at noon Eastern with an exclusive look behind the recent victory defending Gender Queer in Virginia. Join Maia’s representation, Jeff Trexler and Steven Emmert, in discussion as they give an insider’s perspective of the obscenity case.
Thursday night, join us for The Censorship of LGBTQ+ Comic Books with Maia Kobabe and Mike Curato. CBLDF will be co-moderating this event with fellow Banned Books Week Coalition member PFLAG. Details for both events are below.
Banned Books Week runs from September 18 through September 24. The week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, students, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and express ideas. “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.”
Join CBLDF for the celebration with these events, and go to the Banned Books Week event page to find all the other offerings for the week!
Gender Queer in Virginia Beach: A Case Study
Monday, September 19, 2022 12 p.m. Eastern
Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer: A Memoir achieved resounding victory in the Virginia courts. Join CBLDF for an inside look at the case from Maia’s legal representation in Virginia Beach, Jeff Trexler and Steven Emmert. Learn the roots of the case, its progression through the legal system, and why the case was dismissed. This event is a great chance to learn about the legal process of defending books from censorship and how CBLDF can help protect our freedoms.
The Censorship of LGBTQ+ Comic Books with Maia Kobabe and Mike Curato
Thursday, September 22, 2022 5 p.m. Eastern
Livestream on Facebook (@BannedBooksWeek https://www.facebook.com/bannedbooksweek/)
Comic books have been targeted by censors for decades, from 1954 Senate subcommittee hearings about their alleged link to juvenile delinquency, to the implementation of a content code that nearly destroyed the industry, to today’s widespread attacks on comics, especially those that share the stories of LGBTQ+ individuals. Join the creators of two of today’s most acclaimed and frequently censored graphic novels — Maia Kobabe (Gender Queer) and Mike Curato (Flamer) — for a conversation about the attempts to censor their work and LGBTQ+ stories. Greg Rokisky, Social Media and Digital Content Manager at PFLAG National, and Jordan Smith, Digital Editor at Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, will lead the conversation.
The week is packed full of great events (digital and in-person) for any book interest. You can find the full schedule of events and all the helpful resources at the link below.
CBLDF and its partners have been battling ongoing and organized attempts to censor comics and other books in schools and libraries. You can join the struggle by making a donation or reporting censorship today!