1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to vote no on H.R. 7661, the so-called Stop the Sexualization of Children Act. This bill is fundamentally a book ban that gives politicians broad authority to restrict whose stories are allowed in libraries. H.R. 7661 would prohibit federal funds for programs or materials deemed sexually oriented for minors, but its vague language creates a dangerous framework for censorship. No one is better off when information is restricted. The bill's sweeping restrictions would harm students by limiting their access to information and stories that help them understand themselves and others. Making books available to students that represent the diversity of their experiences and showcase the numerous ways to be a person in the world is not sexualizing them. Discussion of gender is not sexualization. Such an interpretation says far more about the adults and the perspectives they're applying to books than it does about the books or their intended audiences. Library materials are currently selected by trained literacy professionals who understand child development and community needs. Parents, not politicians, should guide their children's reading choices without government interference in library collections. Instead of supporting H.R. 7661, I urge you to consider the Right to Read Act, which would support well-staffed and well-resourced school libraries, strengthen evidence-based literacy instruction, and protect library professionals who help young people discover books.