Despite the growing number of books being challenged and banned, most people in the USA don’t believe in banning books. The people banning books are a minority, and often it’s the same people over and over again. In one analysis by the Washington Post, 11 people were behind 60% of their studied 1,065 challenges. Last year, one person in Wisconsin challenged 400 books in an elementary school library, and all 400 books were removed for four months while they were reviewed. At the end of that time, most of the books were returned to the shelves, but for those kids in that school, they lost access to all of those books for an entire semester.
Most people (including parents) say they don’t want books removed from public libraries or school libraries. One study in Michigan found that “an 80% overwhelming majority of all respondents agreed with the statement that ‘individual parents can set rules for their own children, but they do not have the right to decide for other parents what books are available to their children’.”
In the face of this, three myths really need to be de-bunked:
Myth One: It is about the books.
Fact One: It is not about the books.
The point of the book bans is to create a chilling effect where teachers and librarians will be afraid to bring in any books with diverse characters and themes — even if they know they have students and patrons for whom those books will be life-changing and life-saving.
The content of the books is a distraction, and they want to focus there. They want to call an illustration of an exhausted two mom family rocking a baby in a crib “pornography” because then anyone arguing for the freedom to read that book is suddenly accused of supporting pornography. (I wish I was making that example up, but I’m not.)
As Cameron S., a student activist for the freedom to read put it, “Book bans that are taking place right now at record pace are not just about inappropriate content—that’s not what they are about. This is merely another way for people to target our identities, our core humanity, and strip us away from compassion.”
Books are empathy machines, and caring about others is maybe another reason books featuring diverse characters and themes are being targeted. If the people in power can keep the rest of us divided and fighting among ourselves, it will be harder for us to organize and fight them for diversity, equity, and inclusion — words that have themselves become banned in many spaces.
Myth Two: Getting your book banned is a fast-track to the best-seller list.
Fact Two: Getting your book banned hurts sales of your book and so many others. (See the chilling effect, above.)
Banning helps sales only if your book is on the “Top 10” most banned books list. For the thousands of other books and authors banned—and for many books beyond— it suppresses sales. At the Independent Book Publishers Association, we’re hearing from some publishers who focus on diverse books for kids and teens that their sales to schools and libraries are down 50%. The students who need those books haven’t gone away – but the freedom to bring in those books has been drastically curtailed.
As an author of kid and teen books that focus on Queer history, social justice, and empowerment, my books have been challenged and banned, too. When I tell friends, the response is often “congratulations!” but it doesn’t feel like something to celebrate. I know this isn’t about the content of my books, but about how my books help Queer young people know they have a legacy. My books let them and others know they belong. That our world is better with them being their authentic selves. That we are stronger when we stand together with those different from us to make our world better for all.
Myth Three: Those of us who believe in the freedom to read can only play defense.
Fact Three: We can go on the offense.
When my award-winning nonfiction for readers 11 and up, No Way, They Were Gay?, was banned the first few times, I met Dr. Tasslyn Magnusson. Tasslyn holds the book-banning data in the US, and hosts support zoom meetings with authors who found themselves in the same position as myself. We soon became friends, and talked about how it felt like we freedom-to-read folks were only playing defense—but that we needed to go on the offense.
That’s where we came up with the idea for WE ARE STRONGER THAN CENSORSHIP. The program buys two books to offset every one book challenge. With the idea that, if a potential book banner knew that challenging 400 books was going to lead to 800 books being purchased and donated, maybe that would slow their roll.
As of September 1, 2025, WE ARE STRONGER THAN CENSORSHIP has raised enough money to donate 2,500 books to offset 1,250 book challenges. The bigger we can make our numbers, the more we can pull the emergency brake on this runaway train.
We’re grateful for our new partnership with Technica Editorial, and everyone reading this. We hope you’ll spread the word about these myths/truths, and about We Are Stronger Than Censorship. If you can afford it, a $160 donation buys 20 books to offset 10 book challenges. Every shirt purchase (Check out our “Strong Like An Editor,” “Strong Like a Reader,” “We Are Stronger Than Censorship,” and other designs) includes a $16 donation to buy and donate 2 books to offset 1 book challenge. You can also get involved on the local level to stand up for the freedom to read, and there are many more ways to help as well.
Most of all, we hope you’ll join us. Because together, We Are Stronger Than Censorship!
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Lee Wind is the co-creator of We Are Stronger Than Censorship, and the Chief Content Officer of the Independent Book Publishers Association. He is also the author of eight books that aim to empower kids and teens to be their authentic selves and change the world. His picture book “Love of the Half-Eaten Peach,” inspired by a true gay love story from over 2,500 years ago, is a Lambda Literary Award finalist. Learn more about Lee’s books here.
