1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose H.R. 7661, the so-called "Stop the Sexualization of Children" bill, which would create a nationwide book ban by blocking federal funding for schools or programs that provide access to broadly defined "sexually oriented material" to anyone under 18. This legislation is not about protecting children. It is a discriminatory measure designed to erase LGBTQ+ stories and voices from our schools and libraries. The bill's vague language targets content related to "gender dysphoria or transgenderism" alongside material featuring "nude adults, individuals who are stripping, or lewd or lascivious dancing." This sweeping definition gives politicians unprecedented authority to restrict whose stories are allowed in our communities. Recent book banning efforts have disproportionately targeted books featuring LGBTQ+ characters, particularly those with transgender or genderqueer characters and people of color. These campaigns have been driven by organized, well-funded groups with strong ties to conservative politics, not by individual parents or readers concerned about their children's education. H.R. 7661 includes exceptions only for certain "classic" works catalogued in four contentious lists, two of which come from a homeschooling company focused on teaching "a Biblical worldview." This narrow approach to literature discriminates against non-majority populations and uses access to materials as a weapon against already marginalized communities. The bill's vague language could allow Congress to expand these restrictions beyond schools and libraries, threatening access to information across society. Access to literature, art, and information is a human right. There is no place for book bans or governmental censorship in a free and democratic society. I urge you to oppose H.R. 7661 and instead support H.R. 6440, the Right to Read Act, which would fund education and increase student literacy across America. Our students deserve access to diverse stories that reflect the reality of our communities, not censorship that stokes fear and division.