Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

Gender Queer: A Memoir is a graphic memoir by Maia Kobabe, published by Oni Press in 2019. Kobabe uses illustrated scenes from childhood through adulthood to tell the story of coming out as nonbinary and asexual. The book won an Alex Award from the American Library Association and a Stonewall Honor.

What makes Gender Queer so controversial?

Most objections focus on two things: the book’s LGBTQ+ subject matter and a handful of illustrated sexual scenes. Challengers say those scenes make it unsuitable for school libraries. Kobabe has said that many people who file complaints admit they have not read it. Librarians and many readers describe it as an honest account of identity that helps teens feel less alone.

How often has it been challenged?

The ALA ranked Gender Queer as the most challenged book in the US in 2021, 2022 and 2023, three years in a row. It also stayed among the top ten for 2024. In December 2023, police in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, responded to a custodian’s complaint by looking for a copy in an 8th-grade classroom.

Which school systems have removed it?

It is not banned nationwide. School systems in Florida, Texas and other states have removed it from their shelves, while public libraries in many places still carry it. Rules differ from one district to the next, so a book that is pulled in one county can sit on the shelf in the next one.

The same pattern shows up with other titles. Malinda Lo’s novel Last Night at the Telegraph Club is another award winner that has been pulled from US school libraries over LGBTQ+ content. You can also browse our full list of banned books.

Can you still read Gender Queer?

Yes. It is sold in bookstores and online, and many public libraries have it. Students in districts that removed it can usually still borrow it elsewhere or buy their own copy. For more stories on what gets pulled and who decides, visit the TabooWorld homepage.