''Gender Queer: A Memoir'' is a 2019 American

graphic memoir An autobiographical comic (also autobio, graphic memoir, or autobiocomic) is an autobiography in the form of comic books or comic strips. The form first became popular in the underground comix movement and has since become more widespread. It i ...

written and illustrated by

Maia Kobabe Maia Kobabe (, born 1989) is an American cartoonist and author who wrote the memoir '' Gender Queer: A Memoir'' (2019). Life and career Kobabe was one of the first students enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts in Comics program at California Col ...

. It recounts Kobabe's journey from adolescence to adulthood and the author's exploration of gender identity and sexuality, ultimately identifying as being outside of the gender binary. ''Gender Queer'' involves topics such as

gender euphoria Gender dysphoria (GD) is the distress a person experiences due to inconsistency between their gender identitytheir personal sense of their own genderand their sex assigned at birth. The term replaced the previous diagnostic label of gender ide ...

gender dysphoria Gender dysphoria (GD) is the distress a person experiences due to inconsistency between their gender identitytheir personal sense of their own genderand their sex assigned at birth. The term replaced the previous diagnostic label of gender i ...

, and

asexuality Asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent interest in or Sexual desire, desire for Human sexual activity, sexual activity. It may be considered a sexual orientation or the lack thereof. It may also be categori ...

using both narrative and illustrations. They begin telling their story from childhood to the present day and include many important experiences in their life: their first period, learning about what it means to be

transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...

, first relationship, and numerous others. ''Gender Queer'' initially received a small printing and was marketed toward older teens and adults. It increasingly entered the collections of high school and middle school libraries after receiving an

Alex Award The Alex Awards annually recognize "ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults ages 12 through 18". Since 2002, the Alex Awards have been administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of th ...

in 2020, an award given by the

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world. History 19th century ...

to "books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults ages 12 through 18." Since 2021, its inclusion in American libraries, particularly school libraries, has been frequently challenged, based on the presence of sexually explicit illustrations. The American Library Association ranked it as the most challenged book in 2021, 2022, and 2023. The book holds the Guinness World Record for "Most banned book of the year".

Composition and publication

After coming out as nonbinary in 2016, Kobabe (who uses the Spivak pronouns, e/em/eir) began drawing black-and-white cartoons about their experience with their gender identity, and publishing them on Instagram. They later used these cartoons as the basis for ''Gender Queer''. They stated that they were motivated in part by their difficulty in explaining their gender to their parents after coming out. ''Gender Queer'' was published by

Lion Forge Comics Lion Forge Comics was an American comic book publisher founded in 2011 by David Steward II and Carl Reed. The company published works by a range of creators and focused on storytelling influenced by specific cultures and ethnics. In 2019, it be ...

on May 28, 2019, receiving a small initial print run of 5,000 copies. The book was marketed to adults and older teens, and Kobabe has stated that their intended audience was 16-plus. Following Lion Forge's merger with

Oni Press Oni Press is an American independent comic book and graphic novel publisher based in Portland, Oregon, best known for publishing such series as '' Scott Pilgrim'' and ''Rick and Morty''. In 2019, it became an imprint label following the company's ...

in May 2019, Oni–Lion Forge Publishing Group (OLFPG) has continued to republish ''Gender Queer'' now under their Oni Press

imprint Imprint or imprinting may refer to: Entertainment * ''Imprint'' (TV series), Canadian television series * "Imprint" (''Masters of Horror''), episode of TV show ''Masters of Horror'' * ''Imprint'' (film), a 2007 independent drama/thriller film ...

. In July 2022, a new hardcover edition was released by Oni Press with a

foreword A foreword is a (usually short) piece of writing, sometimes placed at the beginning of a book or other piece of literature. Typically written by someone other than the primary author of the work, it often tells of some interaction between th ...

ND Stevenson Nate Diana "Indy" Stevenson (born Noelle Diana Stevenson, December 31, 1991), known professionally as ND Stevenson, is an American cartoonist and animation producer. He is the creator, showrunner, and executive producer of the animated televis ...

and an

afterword An afterword is a literary device that is often found at the end of a piece of literature. It generally covers the story of how the book came into being, or of how the idea for the book was developed. An afterword may be written by someone oth ...

by Kobabe.

Critical reception

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'''s February 2019 review stated that "this heartfelt graphic memoir relates, with sometimes painful honesty, the experience of growing up non-gender-conforming. ..This entertaining memoir-as-guide holds crossover appeal for mature teens (with a note there's some sexually explicit content) and is sure to spark valuable discussions at home and in classrooms." The graphic novel was also included in ''Publishers Weekly'''s December 2019 "''PW'' Graphic Novel Critics Poll" –

Heidi MacDonald Heidi MacDonald (born November 15) is an American writer and editor of comic books based in New York City. She runs the comics industry news blog '' The Beat''. Career MacDonald is a former editor for DC Comics' Vertigo imprint and ''Disney Ad ...

wrote that ''Gender Queer'' is "an immensely sympathetic memoir of self-discovery, rendered in clean, elegant art, that should become a queer comics classic." Tegan O'Neil, for ''

The Comics Journal ''The Comics Journal'', often abbreviated ''TCJ'', is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels. Known for its lengthy interviews with comic creators, pointed editorials and scathing r ...

'' in 2019, commented that "more than simply a memoir, the book is designed to explain the very concept of being non-binary, beginning with the author's first memories of gender and ending with the discovery of

Spivak pronoun The Spivak pronouns 'e/em/eir' are a set of gender-neutral pronouns in English promoted on the virtual community ''LambdaMOO'' based on pronouns used in a book by American mathematician Michael Spivak. Though not in widespread use, they have ...

s (e, em, eir) and eir first steps towards getting the people around em to accept and understand said pronouns. ..Part of the book details eir sexual history, as well as a series of terrifying and painful trips to the OBGYN, and even in the most sensitive areas Kobabe's art and storytelling remains both personable and clear." Jenni Frencham, for the ''

School Library Journal ''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, wi ...

'' in 2019, called the graphic novel a "great resource for those who identify as nonbinary or asexual as well as for those who know someone who identifies that way and wish to better understand" and stated that it "will resonate with teens, especially fans of

Alison Bechdel Alison Bechdel ( ; born September 10, 1960) is an American cartoonist. Originally known for the long-running comic strip ''Dykes to Watch Out For'', she came to critical and commercial success in 2006 with her Graphic novel, graphic memoir ''Fun ...

's ''

Fun Home ''Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic'' is a 2006 graphic memoir by the American cartoonist Alison Bechdel, author of the comic strip '' Dykes to Watch Out For''. It chronicles the author's childhood and youth in rural Pennsylvania, United States, ...

'' and Mason Deaver's ''I Wish You All the Best''." Jacob Roden, for '' The News-Gazette'' in 2020, wrote that "due to the format, the book is easily digestible in a single sitting, and Kobabe holds the reader's hand every step of the way into the weeds of gender construction. ..I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in learning the basics of gender identity. LGBTQ+ folks will especially appreciate the coming out/coming-of-age story and the frequent allusions to queer icons." Sophie Brown, for GeekMom in 2022, commented that "''Gender Queer'' isn't an especially easy book to read but it is a powerful one" and that for someone questioning their identity, "''Gender Queer'' will be a comforting voice from someone who has walked the same paths." ''Publishers Weekly'' viewed Kobabe as "a straightforward cartoonist who uses the medium skillfully (if not particularly stylishly), incorporating ample cheery colors, with a script that's refreshingly smooth and nondidactic for the topic". Roden called the art style "economical, demonstrative, unpretentious, colorful" and highlighted that the writing conveys Kobabe's "experiences with purpose and candor in every panel." O'Neil commented that the "art is very readable and, above all, ''accommodating.'' E lays out eir personal history with an enviable degree of candor" and that "Phoebe Kobabe's colors are strong throughout, a palette of soft pastels and earth tones to communicate a range of emotions." Frencham noted that "the muted earth tones and calm blues match the hopeful tone and measured pacing. Matter-of-fact descriptions of gynecological exams and the use of sex toys will be enlightening for those who may not have access to this information elsewhere." Brown also highlighted some "harrowing moments" in the book – "Kobabe's first experience going for a

pap smear The Papanicolaou test (abbreviated as Pap test, also known as Pap smear (AE), cervical smear (BE), cervical screening (BE), or smear test (BE)) is a method of cervical screening used to detect potentially precancerous and cancerous processes in ...

was especially traumatic and resonated with me more than I expected, as I suspect it might for many of us who have had to undergo that procedure while uncomfortable with our bodies and sexualities. Other difficult moments included shopping for undergarments, exploring masturbation, and dating. While all these moments are difficult to read, they are handled beautifully and with a sense of both solidarity and the knowledge that things will eventually get better."

Awards

In 2020, ''Gender Queer'' was one of ten books to receive an

from the

, for "books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults ages 12 through 18." In the same year, the book was also a finalist for the

Stonewall Book Award The Stonewall Book Award is a set of three literary awards that annually recognize "exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience" in English-language books published in the U.S. They are sponsored by the Rainbo ...

for non-fiction. These awards led to the book becoming more widely available in school libraries.

Sexual imagery

''Gender Queer'' includes a handful of sexually explicit illustrations which have been used to argue that the book is inappropriate for minors. The age recommendations for the book vary – the American "

in 2019, in one of several reviews, said it can be appropriate for students in grades 9 and up — typically ages 14 to 15. Barnes & Noble says it's appropriate for ages 15 and older. Amazon recommends it for ages 18 and older". The

Australian Classification Board The Australian Classification Board (ACB or CB) is an Australian Government of Australia, government Statute, statutory body responsible for the classification and censorship of films, television programmes, video games and publications for ex ...

(ACB) does not recommend the book for those under 15. In one commonly cited panel, a 14-year-old Kobabe fantasizes about a scene in which an older man touches the penis of a youth. The illustration is based on a piece of painted ancient Greek pottery depicting a "courting scene." Detractors have described this as a depiction of pedophilia. Another illustration frequently cited by critics depicts Kobabe's girlfriend performing oral sex on Kobabe while Kobabe wears a

strap-on dildo A strap-on dildo (also simply a strap-on) is a dildo designed to be worn, usually with a harness, during sexual activity. Harnesses and dildos are made in a wide variety of styles, with variations in how the harness fits the wearer, how the d ...

. The book also includes depiction of masturbation. The ACB found the book's "descriptions and depictions of sexual activity" as "an integral part of the story on the author's struggle to understanding gender identity and sexuality, and the sex is highly stylised and containing little or no realistic detail, as well as infrequent". On the Plato's Symposium image, the ACB noted that it was "highly stylised" and no sexual activity is depicted "in a detailed or realistic manner, and it is not possible to determine the age of the two male figures in the image", noting "the most that can accurately be said is that the panel contains a depiction of an older-looking male and a younger-looking male". These sexually explicit illustrations have been widely reproduced (sometimes in censored form) by critics of the book on social media, at school board meetings, and on conservative television programs. The

American conservative ''The American Conservative'' (''TAC'') is a bimonthly magazine published by the American Ideas Institute. The magazine was founded in 2002 by Pat Buchanan, Scott McConnell and Taki Theodoracopulos to advance an anti- neoconservative perspect ...

advocacy group

Independent Women's Forum The Independent Women's Forum (IWF) is an American conservative, non-profit organization focused on economic policy issues of concern to women.Mother Jones'', argues that critics of the book have misrepresented the book as pornographic by focusing on a small number of explicit illustrations, which are generally presented without context.

Censorship and controversy in the United States

''Gender Queer'' has been described as being at the center of a larger wave of challenges to books with LGBT content that began in 2021, which has included other books like ''

Lawn Boy ''Lawn Boy'' is the second studio album by the American rock band Phish. It was released on September 21, 1990, by Absolute A Go Go Records in the United States, with distribution by Rough Trade Records. The album was reissued on June 30, 1992, ...

'' and ''

All Boys Aren't Blue ''All Boys Aren't Blue'' is a young adult non-fiction "memoir-manifesto" by journalist and activist George M. Johnson, published April 28, 2020, by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. The book consists of a series of essays following Johnson's journey g ...

''. The

ranked it as the most challenged book in 2021, 2022, and 2023, and the second-most challenged book in 2024. Kobabe has stated that the book's sales have increased following the challenges, and that the controversy has raised their profile. They have urged those who would challenge the book to read it in its entirety, rather than passing judgement based on a small number of images. Tara Lehmann, publicity director at Oni Press, said to ''Publishers Weekly'' in June 2022 that "selling more copies doesn't fix the intrinsic problem: people are trying to police what others read. We are against the banning of books, of any kind" and she added "that Oni supports schools, libraries, and organizations as best it can, but 'our main focus is being supportive of Maia and making sure we're doing the most we can to ensure ''Gender Queer'' is available to any and all people who want to read it'."

Community censorship in public and school libraries

Schools

The book challenges to ''Gender Queer'' gained national attention after a September 2021

Fairfax County School Board The Fairfax County Public Schools system (FCPS) is a school division in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. It is a branch of the Fairfax County government, which administers public schools in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax. FCPS's h ...

meeting, when parent Stacey Langton spoke out against the inclusion of ''Gender Queer'' and ''Lawn Boy'' in the library of her teenager's high school. Langton brought posters bearing enlarged sexually explicit illustrations from ''Gender Queer'' and read from a scene in which Kobabe's girlfriend sends them sexually explicit text messages such as "I cannot wait to have your cock in my mouth." Langton had her microphone cut mid-presentation, which elicited jeers from audience members. Langton's testimony was censored in the official footage of the meeting uploaded by the board, but uncensored footage was captured and uploaded to social media, where it went viral. The story was widely covered by conservative media, such as ''

The Daily Wire The Daily Wire is an American conservative media company founded in 2015 by political commentator Ben Shapiro and film director Jeremy Boreing. The company is a major publisher on Facebook, and produces podcasts such as ''The Ben Shapiro S ...

'', which used the headline "WATCH: School Board Squirms as Mom Reads Them The Gay Porn In Books Available To Students," and on

Fox News The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conservatism in the United States, conservative List of news television channels, news and political commentary Television stati ...

, which interviewed Langton on its morning show ''

Fox & Friends ''Fox & Friends'' is an American daily morning conservative news and talk program that airs on Fox News and reruns on Fox.Thompson, Ethan, and Jason Mittell. "Fox & Friends: Political Talk." ''How to Watch Television.'' 168-76. Print. It premie ...

''. Soon after the meeting, the Fairfax County School Board pulled the book from its library collections, but reinstated it months later following an investigation of the book's content. According to a report from

PEN America PEN America (formerly PEN American Center), founded in 1922, and headquartered in New York City, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose goal is to raise awareness for the protection of free expression in the United States and worldwide th ...

, school library book bans grew to a "full-fledged social and political movement powered by local, state, and national groups" in the 2021–22 school year. While this censorship movement originally focused on "discussions of race and racism, over the past year, it morphed to include a heightened focus on LGBTQ+ issues and identities". The report identified ''Gender Queer'' as the most frequently challenged book, banned in 41 school districts. Moms for Liberty, a conservative group founded in Florida in 2020 with chapters around the country, have been leading many of the school board debates about ''Gender Queer'' and other LGBTQ+ books. In response to Moms for Liberty, a group called Defense of Democracy was formed in New York in 2022 and has since spread to eight states.

Library responses to censorship

In response to the growing book censorship movement in the United States, the

Brooklyn Public Library The Brooklyn Public Library is the public library system of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is the sixteenth largest public library system in the United States by holding and the seventh by number of visitors. Like the two Brooklyn Publ ...

opened their library ecard to any individual, ages 13–21 for a limited time under the program Books Unbanned starting in April 2022. In August 2022, 62% of Jamestown Charter Township, Michigan residents voted to defund their public library system after librarians refused to remove three books from the library's shelves: ''Gender Queer'', '' Kiss Number 8'' by Colleen A. F. Venable, and ''

Spinning Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...

'' by

Tillie Walden Tillie Walden (born 1996) is an American cartoonist who has published several graphic novels and a webcomic. Walden won the 2018 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work for her graphic novel ''Spinning'', making her one of the youngest Eisner A ...

. Prior to the vote, two librarians quit after being harassed about the book ''Gender Queer''. Community activists claimed that the presence of these books in the library's young adult and adult sections meant the library was trying to "groom" young children. According to Library Board President Larry Walton, without fund renewal, "the library will run out of money in 2023, jeopardizing its existence." In response to the threat of defunding the library, at least two GoFundMe accounts were started to fund the library through 2023; and by Sunday, August 28, approximately 4,000 people had donated to the campaign, including a $50,000 donation from romance author,

Nora Roberts Nora Roberts (born Eleanor Marie Robertson on October 10, 1950) is an American author of over 225 novels, known for romance novel, romance published under her own name. She also writes police procedurals which have elements of science fiction ...

. Attached to Roberts' GoFundMe donation was a note that said, "Libraries and librarians should be valued and celebrated, never attacked and demeaned." In total, $250,000 was raised, which would support keeping the library open for a year or more. A second vote to fund the library for a decade failed in November 2022. After the second vote, two local business owners donated $100,000 to keep the library open. In early December the library closed early one day in response to threats against library staff. In Bonner's Ferry, Idaho, the public library director resigned in August 2022 after harassment related to banning books, and ''Gender Queer'' in particular. At a

Meridian, Idaho Meridian is a city located in Ada County, Idaho, Ada County, Idaho, United States. The population was 117,635 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Idaho, 2nd most populous city in the county and Idaho a ...

, library board meeting in the fall of 2022 the library director stated, "I'm a fourth-generation Idahoan. I've worked in libraries for over two decades. I have never seen this level of vitriol, hate, and thinly veiled threats of violence at libraries." In February 2023, a group of residents in Meridian, Idaho filed a petition to eliminate the Meridian Library District in order to restrict access to books they deemed offensive, including ''Gender Queer''. A public hearing allowed comments from Meridian residents on March 20, 2023. The library board for the Ada Community Library in

Ada County, Idaho Ada County is located in the southwestern part of Idaho, United States. As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 494,967, which by 2024 was estimated to have risen to 535,799. Ada County is by far the state's most populous county ...

, (a separate library system from the

Boise Boise ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 census, there were 235,685 people residing in the city. Located on the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and nor ...

and Meridian library systems which are also located within the county) in March 2023 voted to remove six books from circulation, including ''Gender Queer'', for being "harmful to minors." However, the decision was reversed in April 2023, as the board had violated the Idaho Open Meeting Law because the vote occurred "without noting an action item on the agenda."

Politics

Numerous conservative politicians in the United States have challenged ''Gender Queer'' and other books, including

Ron DeSantis Ronald Dion DeSantis (; born September 14, 1978) is an American politician, attorney, and former United States Navy, naval officer serving as the 46th List of governors of Florida, governor of Florida since 2019. A member of the Republican Pa ...

, Republican governor of Florida.

Henry McMaster Henry Dargan McMaster (born May 27, 1947) is an American politician and attorney serving since 2017 as the 117th governor of South Carolina. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he was the 50th List of Attorneys Ge ...

, Republican governor of South Carolina, called for an investigation into "obscene and pornographic" material such as ''Gender Queer'' in the state's schools. The book was seen as having a significant impact on the

2021 Virginia gubernatorial election The 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2021, to elect the next governor of Virginia. The election was concurrent with 2021 Virginia elections, other elections for Virginia state offices. Incumbent Democratic Party (U ...

race between Republican

Glenn Youngkin Glenn Allen Youngkin (born December 9, 1966) is an American politician and businessman serving as the 74th governor of Virginia since 2022. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he spent 25 years at the Private equi ...

and Democrat

Terry McAuliffe Terence Richard McAuliffe (born February 9, 1957) is an American businessman and politician who served as the List of governors of Virginia, 72nd governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat ...

. During the last debate between the two candidates, Youngkin referred to the viral Fairfax County School Board meeting incident which had occurred just five days earlier:

What we've seen over the course of this last 20 months is our school systems refusing to engage with parents. In fact, in Fairfax County this past week, we watched parents get upset because there was such sexually explicit material in the library they had never seen. It was shocking. And in fact, you vetoed the bill that would have informed parents that they were there.

The bill referred to by Youngkin applied only to assigned reading, not books like ''Gender Queer'' which were merely present in a school's library. In his response to Youngkin, McAuliffe stated "I don't think parents should be telling schools what to teach." This was widely interpreted as a critical

gaffe A political gaffe is a mistake or blunder in speech or action made by a politician that attracts media attention and public scrutiny. While often unintended, political gaffes can have significant consequences, as they may reveal the politician's p ...

which contributed to McAuliffe's ultimate loss. Soon after the debate, Youngkin's campaign began running a campaign advertisement which juxtaposed McAuliffe's statement with footage from the Fairfax County board meeting. In the summer of 2022, Patriot Mobile Action – a conservative

political action committee In the United States, a political action committee (PAC) is a tax-exempt 527 organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation. The l ...

(PAC) – backed the elections of 11 school board members in Texas's Carroll, Grapevine-Colleyville, Keller, and Mansfield School districts. In addition to monetary support, they contracted with top conservative political consulting firms and helped these 11 candidates win school board seats. Following the wins, the Patriot Mobile Action's executive Director stated that their aim is to eliminate "critical race theory" and "LGBTQ indoctrination" from schools. In August and September 2022, the Keller Independent School District made national and international headlines when it removed 42 books from library shelves, including ''Gender Queer'', the day before school began. In September 2022, the Maine Families First political action committee and the

American Principles Project The American Principles Project (APP) is a socially conservative 501(c)(4) political advocacy group founded in 2009 by Robert P. George, Jeff Bell, and Francis P. Cannon. It is chaired by Sean Fieler. It is led by Terry Schilling, the son of ...

launched efforts in the

2022 Maine gubernatorial election The 2022 Maine gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Maine. Incumbent Democratic governor Janet Mills won re-election to a second term, defeating Republican nominee and former governor, Paul LePage ...

focused on banning ''Gender Queer''. The American Principles project described these efforts as a multimillion-dollar effort to "hold Democrats accountable for grooming our kids." A spokesperson for

Janet Mills Janet Trafton Mills (born December 30, 1947) is an American politician and lawyer serving since 2019 as the 75th governor of Maine. She previously served as Maine Attorney General. A member of the Democratic Party, Mills was first elected a ...

, the

incumbent The incumbent is the current holder of an office or position. In an election, the incumbent is the person holding or acting in the position that is up for election, regardless of whether they are seeking re-election. There may or may not be ...

Democratic governor, stated, "Maine parents don't want a governor interfering in that process, to dictate what books should or shouldn't be in their kids' classroom." In October 2022, the American Principles Project paid for TV ads against the Michigan Democratic governor,

Gretchen Whitmer Gretchen Esther Whitmer (; born August 23, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 49th governor of Michigan since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, she served in the Michigan House of R ...

, that feature a narrator reading passages of ''Gender Queer'' while red letters display "stop grooming our kids." On March 22, 2023, the Illinois House of Representatives passed a bill prohibiting libraries from banning books. Anne Stava-Murray specifically mentioned ''Gender Queer'' and attempts to remove the book from shelves by the

Proud Boys The Proud Boys is an American far-right politics, far-right, Neo-fascism, neo-fascist militant organization that promotes and engages in political violence.Far-right: * * Fascist: * * * * * Men only: * * * Political violence and militancy: ...

and others while debating the bill.

Legal challenges

In June 2022, Virginian politicians Tim Anderson and Tommy Altman sued Kobabe and Oni–Lion Forge Publishing Group (OLFPG) over ''Gender Queer'' by "citing an obscure state obscenity law" and alleged that the graphic novel is "obscene for unrestricted viewing by minors." In response, OLFPG filed a "

Demurrer A demurrer is a pleading in a lawsuit that objects to or challenges a pleading filed by an opposing party. The word ''demur'' means "to object"; a ''demurrer'' is the document that makes the objection. Lawyers informally define a demurrer as a ...

and

Motion to Dismiss In United States law, a motion is a procedural device to bring a limited, contested issue before a court for decision. It is a request to the judge (or judges) to make a decision about the case. Motions may be made at any point in administrativ ...

" which "argues that the petition 'grossly mischaracterizes the nature and subject' of Gender Queer, and that the arguments that the petition submits are irrelevant to the suit and contradicted by the rest of the book. ..Overall, Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group argues that the petitioner 'lacks standing' and has not made a strong enough case to establish standing in their argument." The

ACLU The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit civil rights organization founded in 1920. ACLU affiliates are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The budget of the ACLU in 2024 was $383 million. ...

, "which is representing a group of local bookstores, as well as library and free speech organizations," has also filed a "Motion to Dismiss" – the ACLU's motion highlights "if the court decides that the book is obscene, then selling or distributing it anywhere in the state would be a crime. Retailers could be prosecuted for selling the book without being officially informed that it is obscene. In addition, retailers outside of

Virginia Beach Virginia Beach (colloquially VB) is the List of cities in Virginia, most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in southeaster ...

could be prosecuted for selling a book that was only determined to be obscene in one county." On August 30, 2022, a Virginia Beach

circuit court Circuit courts are court systems in several common law jurisdictions. It may refer to: * Courts that literally sit 'on circuit', i.e., judges move around a region or country to different towns or cities where they will hear cases; * Courts that s ...

judge dismissed the petition against ''Gender Queer''; Judge Pamela S. Baskervill wrote that the cited obscenity law was "unconstitutional on its face in that it authorizes a prior restraint that violates the First Amendment and the Constitution of Virginia". In November 2022, ACLU Texas filed an

Office for Civil Rights The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is a sub-agency of the U.S. Department of Education that is primarily focused on enforcing civil rights laws prohibiting schools from engaging in discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex ...

(OCR) complaint over the Keller Independent School District's ban on books about gender fluidity. The district's policy bans any library book that includes or mentions a transgender or non-binary person, including fictional characters or historical figures; ''Gender Queer'' was banned by the district in August 2022. The OCR complaint states that "to assert that the mere presence of a transgender or non-binary character would render a book sexually explicit or age-inappropriate is inflammatory, inaccurate, and discriminatory." On December 6, 2022, The US Education Department's Office of Civil Rights notified

Granbury Independent School District Granbury Independent School District is a public school district based in Granbury, Texas (USA). In addition to Granbury, the district serves the eastern Hood County cities of DeCordova and Stockton Bend (formerly Brazos Bend), and the ma ...

in Northern Texas that it had opened an investigation following a July complaint from the ACLU accusing the district of violating federal law,

Title IX Title IX is a landmark federal civil rights law in the United States that was enacted as part (Title IX) of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receiv ...

, that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender. The complaint came after the school district superintendent was secretly recorded talking to district librarians and telling them, "There are two genders. There's male and there's female" and then he went on to say, "there's no place for it in our libraries." In the same meeting he told librarians to remove "the 850 books that were put forth by Representative Krause...plus any that that we think that do not conform." ''Gender Queer'' is among the 850 books on Krause's list. This is the first federal investigation tied to the nationwide movement in the US to ban library books dealing with sexuality and gender.

Censorship in Australia

On March 9, 2023,

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

police flagged ''Gender Queer'' to the Department of Communications and Art, which oversees the

(ACB), for review after a complaint by a conservative activist. The ACB has the power to censor, restrict, or ban literature, film, and other content. Mark Saunokonoko, for '' 9News'', highlighted on March 20 that "a decision is likely in the next 25 days, and there are several routes the ACB may choose to take, ranging from age restrictions on who can read and buy the book through to an outright ban." The complaint also led

Logan City Council The City of Logan is a local government in Australia, local government area (LGA) located in the south of Greater Brisbane in South East Queensland (SEQ), Australia. Situated between the City of Brisbane to the north and the City of Gold Coast ...

to remove the book from library shelves, however, ''Gender Queer'' was still available by request. Jane Sullivan, ''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuous ...

'' book columnist and reviewer wrote, "If there's one thing I hope Australia never imports from the US, it's that country's raging appetite for banning books. But there are signs the culture wars have reached our shores." She went on to say that she hopes the ACB will "resist" the effort to censor ''Gender Queer''. In early April 2023, the ACB gave ''Gender Queer'' an "unrestricted classification" but with "consumer advice" of "M (Mature) — Not Recommended for Readers Under 15 Years". The consumer advice does not constitute a legal restriction on its sale or availability. Classification Board Director Fiona Jolly said, "within the context of the publication, the treatment of themes is not high in impact or offensive," and, "the treatment of sex and nudity is also not high in impact and is not exploitative, offensive, gratuitous or very detailed." Rightwing activists appealed the board's decision leading the board to collect additional public "submissions on the classification"; the board received over 500 submissions, leading to a delay in the appeal review. In July 2023, the review board decided to keep the M classification stating that:

The content of the publication is justified in context, is appropriate for its intended audience of people who are interested in the author or interested in the subjects of gender identity and asexuality, and has a positive tone and character as well as many layers of positive messaging.

The ''

Guardian Australia ''Guardian Australia'' is the Australian website of the British global online and print newspaper, ''The Guardian''. Available solely in an Online newspaper, online format, the newspaper's launch was led by Katharine Viner in time for the 201 ...

'' noted that "the review board found the depictions of sex and nudity in the book were justified in the context of a nonfiction memoir describing the author's lived experience". This assessment was then challenged in court by "rightwing activist Bernard Gaynor" and in October 2024, the review board was ordered to re-review "its assessment of the book Gender Queer, after the federal court found the board had ignored, overlooked or misunderstood public submissions for it to be censored". A newly assembled board, none of whom participated in the original decision, then ruled in April 2025 that ''Gender Queer'' "was approved for distribution in Australia on the same classification as the earlier ruling". This board highlighted that of the 526 public submissions received, "the 'significant majority' of submissions called for the book to be banned"; however, the board noted that this included "82 identical submissions made from a Citizen Go online petition" and "some submissions used concerns that Gaynor had sent out in an email to his supporters, with 50 appearing to have been cut and paste directly from Gaynor's email". As a result, the board commented that these submissions cannot "be assumed" to be "representative of the broader community's views".

of ''The Beat'' noted that they "also downplayed the claims that the book is pornographic".

Censorship in Poland

''Gender Queer'' has been available in Poland since 2021. In January 2025,

Telewizja Republika Telewizja Republika or TV Republika is a Polish Television station, whose editor-in-chief is Tomasz Sakiewicz. The channel can be received via satellite, via the Internet and terrestrial in the DVB-T system (Katowice and the surrounding area), as ...

ran a news report accusing the

Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw The Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw (, MSN), also known as MSN Warsaw, is a modern and contemporary art museum in Warsaw, Poland. The museum was founded in 2005 and the director of the museum since June 6, 2007 has been Joanna Mytkowska. MSN was ...

of "depravity" for stocking the book in its store. The following month, the opposition

Law and Justice Law and Justice ( , PiS) is a Right-wing populism, right-wing populist and National conservatism, national-conservative List of political parties in Poland, political party in Poland. The party is a member of European Conservatives and Refo ...

(PiS) party reported the museum to prosecutors for alleged child pornography.

Karol Nawrocki Karol Tadeusz Nawrocki (born 3 March 1983) is a Polish historian and politician who is the President of Poland, president-elect of Poland since 1 June 2025. Since 2021, he has headed the Institute of National Remembrance. Previously, he was the ...

, the PiS-backed candidate in the

2025 Polish presidential election Presidential elections were held in Poland on . As no candidate received a majority of the vote, a second round was held on . The Term limit, outgoing president Andrzej Duda was ineligible for re-election. The election saw the largest number of ...

, shredded a copy of the book's cover on the campaign trail in an attack on rival candidate

Rafał Trzaskowski Rafał Kazimierz Trzaskowski (born 17 January 1972) is a Polish politician and political scientist specializing in European studies who has served as List of city mayors of Warsaw, Mayor of Warsaw since 22 November 2018. He served as a Member ...