The February 2014 issue of Print Magazine — the Sex & Design issue — is a natural fit for a discussion on comics censorship because sexual is content is the dominant reason comics are challenged and banned. In the issue,…
Category: Features
Religious Satire Cartoon Sparks Death Threats
Earlier this month, Maajid Nawaz, the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Hampstead and Killburn in the UK, tweeted a Jesus and Mo comic strip, sparking a petition to deselect him from the running. Nawaz has also received death threats…
Palestinian Cartoonist Threatened After Criticizing Militant Group
A Palestinian cartoonist who shared a drawing critical of militant group Al-Quds Brigades on her Facebook page has apologized and deleted the post after receiving death threats and harassment from supporters of the organization. Last week, in response to recent…
Students Protest Draconian Classroom Library Policy in Pennsylvania
Recently, CBLDF joined a Kids’ Right to Read Project-led coalition protesting a proposed policy in the Muhlenberg School District in Pennsylvania that would require teachers to read every book in their classrooms and label or remove mature, sexual, violent or…
Graphic Novels, Challenged Books Score Big in ALA Awards
The American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards for 2014 were presented at the organization’s Midwinter Conference yesterday, and we were pleased to see challenged books and graphic novels figuring prominently among them! The complete roundup of winners and runners-up (Honor…
Using Graphic Novels in Education: SideScrollers
Welcome to Using Graphic Novels in Education, an ongoing feature from CBLDF that is designed to allay confusion around the content of graphic novels and to help parents and teachers raise readers. In this column, we examine graphic novels, including…
When Creative Expression Has Consequences, Is Censorship Far Behind?
The climate of the video gaming industry has long been riddled with controversy on the content of various titles: Are they too violent? Are they capitalizing on war as a form of entertainment? Are they objectifying women? While these may…
Anti-Video Game Propaganda Removed by South Australian Government
The video game industry scored one for free speech recently when it convinced the South Australian government to remove misleading anti-video game billboards. Despite research to the contrary, these billboards attempted to claim that video games are are a gateway…
Remembering MLK: The Silence of Our Friends
Martin Luther King, Jr., used his right to free speech to fight one of the most important battles in American history, often — and ultimately — at great personal risk. In an era when many thought African Americans should not…
Libyan Cartoonist Faces Sinister Form of Censorship
The work of Libyan cartoonist Nabil Fannoush is generally well-received in his home country. However, he still faces enough hostility from fundamentalist elements in his country that his editors have advised him to stay in Canada, where he currently resides.…