Lambda Literary is deeply disappointed in any restriction that is placed on the reading experience of children and young people in our schools. This specific Supreme Court 6-3 ruling ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in Mahmoud v. Taylor sends a troubling message that not everyone’s lives are seen as authentic experiences in the classroom. Everyone deserves to see themselves in a book—at our schools and in our libraries. Reading helps us understand ourselves, our world, and each other. Regardless of where we live or how we love, our stories are very valid and real.
While many of us have the resources and knowledge to navigate access to books through our local booksellers and libraries, schools remain a primary and obvious access point for school-aged children, young adults, and their families. Taking books out of schools will not make LGBTQ+ stories any less true or valid, but adding barriers to access only harms families and children in under-resourced homes. Books like Uncle Bobby’s Wedding by Sarah S. Brennan, which is referenced frequently both in the Opinion of the Court and Justice Sotomayor’s dissent, in the classroom provide a platform for dismantling oppressive structures and queerphobia both today and in the future. Whatever our color, background, or ZIP code, we want our children to have an education that imparts honesty about who we are, integrity in how we treat others, and freedom to pursue our dreams.
At Lambda Literary, we are aware of how the books and authors named in the case may be uniquely impacted by this ruling. While many of our community members and authors will be affected by the decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, Charlotte Sullivan Wild’s Love, Violet was a Lammys Finalist in 2022, and Robin Stevenson was a Lammys finalist in 2020 for an earlier work, Pride Puppy, which was not named in the case.
Lambda Literary is engaged with and supportive of the Right to Read workgroup and Authors Against Book Bans and continue to offer a Book Bans Resources page on our website. We are also launching a Discord server in mid-July to establish community channels for networking and mobilization alongside our traditional programming meant to uplift and support LGBTQ+ authors.
We encourage you to remain informed, utilize our resources, and engage with us by supporting LGBTQ+ authors and by reading and heralding their work in your local community.
With hope and solidarity,
Jozie “J. Clapp” Clapp
Executive Director
