Why We Must Fight to Stop HR 7661 Before It Destroys the Lives of American Children

Lately I’ve been calling my House rep and screaming about one zillion things, and maybe you have too. But today I want to talk about one thing in particular you should add to your list: H.R. 7661 is a bill brought by House Representative Mary Miller (Republican, Illinois) that seeks to remove any book that “involves gender dysphoria or transgenderism” from public schools in the entire United States. Seventeen of Miller’s colleagues in the House have cosigned it. We must stop this bill, each and every one of us.

Charmingly named the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act, the bill prohibits the use of funds from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 “to develop, implement, facilitate, host, or promote any program or activity for, or to provide or promote literature or other materials to, children under the age of 18 that includes sexually oriented material, and for other purposes.”

The bill defines “sexually oriented material” as any book that references “gender dysphoria or transgenderism,” which is a dangerous precedent. Maia Kobabe, a cartoonist who frequently tops the list of most banned authors, has created a very handy graphic to explain who the ban would affect. As Kelly Jensen put it at BookRiot: “It isn’t a stretch to see a bill like this used to outright ban all books by or about LGBTQ+ people under the guise of it being ‘sexually oriented.’”

The bill has the ignominious distinction of being the very first national-level attempt to ban books. Over the past several years there have been countless bills on the state and local level that purport to “protect children” by taking away their First Amendment rights. In fact, it’s difficult to keep track of all of the ways in which various state legislatures and individual school districts have sought to overrule the highly trained librarians who are experts in discerning what is appropriate for children to read.

I’ve watched as books bans on the state and local level have eroded the freedom to read, as well as threaten the well-being and livelihoods of authors whose books have been banned.

Book-banners have used state and local law to prevent children from learning about any topics, like gender fluidity, that make them feel a little bit uncomfortable or conflict with their “values.” This is egregiously unconstitutional. But this is the first time every single child in public schools across the country would be affected.

I serve on the board of Authors Against Book Bans, an organization of more than 5,000 authors and illustrators who’ve banded together to protect the freedom to read and to write. I’ve watched as books bans on the state and local level have eroded the freedom to read, as well as threaten the well-being and livelihoods of authors whose books have been banned. Bans tend to impact kid lit authors first, which is why so many of my colleagues are children’s and young adult books. But I am committed to convincing more adult authors to join the fight because book bans affect all of us, this new nationwide bill especially so.

It has been scary and infuriating to witness the many attempts in recent years to systematically erase our trans colleagues and friends, with even some factions of the Democratic party seeming perfectly happy to let it happen. As we watch the Supreme Court decide to block laws that protect transgender children in California public schools from being outed to their parents, and the state of Kansas invalidating the birth certificates and drivers licenses of trans people, we have a chance to make a difference in a small but substantial way.

It is the responsibility of anyone who cares about books and about reading to protect the rights of potential readers.

We can fight against this bill and for the right for children to see themselves in the books they read, or to learn to respect and value other people who are not like them. Children’s books that discuss gender ideology are not porn, nor do they sexualize children. They simply let trans children (who do exist no matter how much bigots want to pretend that they don’t) know that they are not alone.

It is the responsibility of anyone who cares about books and about reading (and we all know there are fewer and fewer of us every year, so we’re more important than ever) to protect the rights of potential readers. Book bans are nothing new, but this past year, as our country has descended into fascism, we’ve seen more attempts to harm LGBTQ+ readers and writers, and to erase Critical Race Theory and any other historically accurate narrative that paints America in a less than heroic light. Blocking access to books does not change our history nor does it change who we are. It simply prevents readers from understanding the complexity and beauty of the world we live in.

The American Booksellers Association has created this handy tool that anyone can use to quickly and easily let their reps know that they oppose HR7661. As the ABA so aptly puts it, this is the big one. It’s an all hands on deck situation. Let’s not let this reactionary and destructive  bill go any further.