News

Proposed Book Ban in Texas Schools Targets Feminism, Gay Rights, and Racial Justice

Two of Texas’ largest school districts –Austin and Dallas– are battling representatives of the Republican party’s requests to investigate books kept in Texan libraries and classrooms. The request is made under the guise of safe-guarding children from pornography, including obscenity. However, titles under topics such as feminism, gay rights, and racial justice, are considered “obscene.” 

An email was forwarded to the districts, warning the initiation of an “inquiry into Texas school district content,” was written by Matt Krause, Chairman of the Texas House Committee on General Investigating, in November, 2021. Attached to the email was a list of around 850 titles deemed ban-worthy.

Which titles made the list was based on the claim that “students, parents and taxpayers,” had requested them. Titles include: What is the Black Lives Matter Movement by Hedreich Nichols, Roe v. Wade: Abortion by Susan Dudley Gold, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and LGBTQ Rights by Susan Henneberg.

The email requested “preliminary information” regarding these titles, including how many copies of each title exist in the district, the campus locations, the amount of funds spent on the titles, and any other content on particular topics. It also asked the districts to “identify any other books or content in your District” that “address or contain the following topics.”

What are the particular topics? “Human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), sexually explicit images, graphic presentations of sexual behavior that is in violation of the law, or contain material that might make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or sex or convey that a student, by virtue of their race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.”

It’s easy to read between the lines here. Krause wants to ban LGB material. He wants to ban material on race, where white privilege or white involvement in the oppression of other races is involved. He wants to ban feminist books, because that makes males feel “guilty” or “uncomfortable.”

Like in Russia, where gay media is equated to pornography–and therefore obscene –”sexually explicit material” is apparently the main focus of the investigation. Texas Governor Greg Abott has called to investigate “criminal activity” related to “the availability of pornography” in public schools, according to the Texas Tribune

This came straight after he announced the intention to develop statewide “standards,” preventing “obscene content in Texas public schools.” Abbott wrote a letter to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), saying “more immediate action is needed to protect Texas students” against inappropriate content, which he believes is “a clear violation” of state law.

Most titles in on the “obscene” list simply discuss feminism, gay rights, and racial injustice. These topics are masqueraded as being equally inappropriate to children as pornography is. Power-holders behind the push to ban the titles are doing so under the guise of safeguarding children. 

Pornography, which definitely should not be around children, is upheld as the rightful enemy that it is, but only to gain support from the community. Republican representatives behind the move are sneakily loosening the definition of pornography to become about general “obscenity,” which, to them, includes topics children need to be educated on in order to become compassionate, critical-thinking adults.

Lesbian Apparel and Accessories Gay All Day sweatshirt -- AE exclusive

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button