In 2023, the United States is on pace to exceed the record highs set in 2022 for attempts to restrict access to books, with nearly 700 attempts affecting almost 2,000 different books in just the first eight months.
The number of unique book titles challenged has surged dramatically, from 223 in 2020 to 2,571 in 2022, indicating a significant rise in censorship efforts.
Book challenges are primarily initiated at the local level, with private citizens petitioning to have books removed from public, school, and academic libraries.
The majority of book challenges target titles written by or about people of color or members of the LGBTQIA+ community, highlighting a focus on restricting diverse narratives.
Among the most challenged books are “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe, “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson, and “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, often cited for their sexually explicit content and LGBTQIA+ themes.
As of 2023, 11 states have recorded attempts to challenge more than 100 book titles within their communities, a sharp increase from previous years.