PUBLIC SCHOLARSHIP
special guest: Roxy Szal
prompt: Write a pitch to Ms.!
Referral from Dr. Julie Shayne - Challenged Books of 2024: The Disproportionate Levels of Silenced Stories
Hi Roxy,
We met in Dr. Julie Shayne’s class in the Power of Feminist Writing, where
My name is Levi and I am a senior at UW Bothell, graduating this spring with a degree in Educational Studies. As an avid learner and advocate for marginalized voices, while being part of select minoritized communities myself, I am excited about this opportunity to discuss my idea. This is tentatively titled: “Challenged Books of 2024: The Disproportionate Levels of Silenced Stories.”
My pitch to you is regarding the top banned and/or challenged books in the United States in 2024. Amid the rise of book banning in the United States, it has been continuously reinstated that the titles that are being directly challenged are those by or about BIPOC groups or those within the LGBTQ+ community. PEN America shares these overwhelming statistics in their article about banned books, saying that 41% of banned titles have queer content and 40% feature a protagonist or secondary character of color (linked here).
My piece would begin by laying out the facts and numbers about these disproportionate percentages of banned material affecting the classroom or school and public libraries. Advocates for banning books are often hiding under the guise of “protecting the children,” although, it is absolutely crucial to ask ourselves: Who are we protected when silencing whole groups of identities? Why does one story matter over the other? What are the repercussions of banning books that reflect real life? It is my hope that this story causes readers to pause and understand the undeniable harm of book banning, especially to younger readers who cannot advocate for themselves quite yet. Through a platform like Ms., it would be one step toward public advocacy for the young generation’s freedom to read.
Thank you, again, for your time and consideration.
Best,
Levi Gutierrez
(they/them)