1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

I write to firmly and publicly denounce any piece of legislation that seeks to censor LGBTQ+ content in books or to advance broader efforts to ban literature under the guise of “protecting children.” These measures are not only misguided—they pose a direct and dangerous threat to free expression, free speech, and the core principles of intellectual freedom upon which our democracy depends on. There is nothing inherently inappropriate about the existence of LGBTQ+ individuals. Stories that include gay or transgender people simply reflect the diversity and reality of the society we live in. To single out these narratives for removal sends a harmful and dehumanizing message: that certain identities are less valid, less worthy, or even unsafe to acknowledge. This is not protection; it is erasure. Furthermore, these efforts expose a clear and troubling double standard. If the true concern is shielding children from mature or complex themes, then consistency would require scrutiny of many widely accepted texts. For example: the Bible, one of the most widely read and distributed books in the United States, contains vivid passages involving violence, incest, and sexual assault among other dark themes. Yet it is almost never subjected to the same calls for removal. This inconsistency demonstrates that the issue is not about content, but rather about which perspectives and identities are being targeted. Book banning undermines education by limiting access to diverse ideas, perspectives, and lived experiences. It weakens critical thinking and replaces it with fear-driven decision-making. Public schools and libraries should be spaces of discovery, inclusion, and learning—not censorship, exclusion, or ideological control. I urge you to reject efforts that silence marginalized voices and instead uphold the right of all individuals to see themselves reflected in literature. Defending free speech means protecting it even when it challenges our comfort zones, not only when it aligns with our beliefs.