Book Bans and Mental Health
Rebecca Bauer
I was scrolling through Instagram when I saw news of the latest conservative group proposing book bans at a public library. Stories like these have flooded my feed for months, so why was this one different? It was happening less than a mile from where I grew up, in what I considered the safely blue region of northern New Jersey.
I read on to learn more about this specific instance, which books were currently being threatened, and what the next steps were. As I parsed through the details, it reminded me what a toll these bans take on our mental health. Whether its book bans or violent protests at drag story hours, the attack on LGBTQ+ rights is inescapable. And if it’s affecting me, a reasonably well-adjusted adult living in a liberal city, it breaks my heart to think of the ways it is affecting our youth nationwide.
According to the Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ+ Mental Health, nearly three quarters of LGBTQ youth experience anxiety, and more than half experience depression. Even more notably, the percentage of LGBTQ+ youth who have experienced anxiety or depression and those who have considered or attempted suicide have all risen since 2020. Many of us hoped that the end of Trump’s term would signal a return to the LGBTQ+ progress we’d seen under President Obama, but that simply hasn’t been the case.
The report also highlights how politics are taking a toll on our nation’s youth. Nine out of ten nonbinary or transgender youth have worried about accessing gender affirming health care, as well as being permitted to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity. But what does all of this have to do with book bans, you ask? LGBTQ+ youth in the United States, particularly transgender and nonbinary kids, are being told, again and again, that their existence is inappropriate.
Even LGBTQ+ adults are struggling to navigate these new realities. A recent UCLA report revealed that more than half of LGBTQ+ parents in Florida are considering moving due to anti-LGBTQ legislation. One in five of them have chosen to be less visibly “out” in their community. Queer millennials, like myself, grew up on the “It Gets Better” mantra, but that is not what’s currently playing out in large pockets of our country.
So what can we do? It only seems fair to accompany these depressing statistics with some action items. It’s going to take our whole community (and vocal allies!) to keep the needle moving forward for LGBTQ+ rights.
Attend a Drag Story Hour at your local library or neighborhood bookstore.
Speak out against anti-LGBTQ school policies at a school board meeting.
Research anti-LGBTQ legislation in your state and connect with groups that are fighting back. The Human Rights Campaign and the ACLU are great places to start.
Donate to Pride & Less Prejudice to help us get LGBTQ+ books into more classrooms nationwide.
