• California – PRIVATE SCHOOL – “Even on our own campus, the book has been restricted from anonymous check out, making it required to specifically ask a librarian to borrow the memoir, a task that many could be embarrassed by. (The anonymous checkout system allows students to scan their own books in the library on the library computer and check them out without having to talk to anybody throughout the process)”[1]

• Illinois – Lake Forest High School – “… students under the age of 18 will need formal permission from a parent or guardian to check it out.”[2]

• Maine – Maine School Administrative District 52, Serving Turner, Greene, And Leeds – “Date of Challenge: November 2022, Decision Appealed December 2022; Status: Book Retained November 2022, Book Retained January 2023 – The initial review committee found the book to be perfectly appropriate at the high school level, noting that it would not be made available to those below 9th grade and that at no time, would the book be required reading.”[3]

• Maine – “In November, Tarasue Levesque of Turner requested that the district review and remove ‘Gender Queer’ from the high school, expressing concerns about graphic, inappropriate sexual content. A review committee formed to evaluate the book recommended it remain available in the high school library, but should at no time be required reading nor be available to students below ninth grade.”[4]

• Pennsylvania – Bucks County – “‘Book review committees were convened to reconsider five library books, including Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin, Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison, Me, Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews, and This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson. Educator-led review committees included teachers, librarians, and administrators. Committees determined that two of these books, Gender Queer and This Book is Gay, should not remain in the library. As outlined by the policy guidelines, our school librarians will now work to select two books on the same subject matter to replace each of these books on shelves for students.’”[5]

[1] The Unjustified Banning of Gender Queer: How One Act of Censorship May Snowball

Carlton Schell, Guest Writer, “The Unjustified Banning of Gender Queer: How One Act of Censorship May Snowball,” The Tower, thebishopstower.com, 3/19/2023

[2] Anna Pierson, “Age restriction placed on ‘Gender Queer: A memoir’ in school library,” Lake Forest High School, bestofsno.com, 3/3/2022

[3] Kelly Jensen, “WHY ARE SCHOOLS IN MAINE KEEPING GENDER QUEER ON SHELVES, DESPITE CHALLENGES? A CASE STUDY IN WHAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE,” bookriot.com, 5/31/2023

[4] Vanessa Paolella, “Turner-based school board keeping ‘Gender Queer’ in high school library,” Lewiston Sun Journal, sunjournal.com, 1/27/2023

[5] Beccah Hendrickson, “Central Bucks School District bans 2 books from libraries,” 6abc.com, 5/15/2023