Banned book exhibit at library

WAUPACA – The Waupaca Public Library has an exhibit about censorship in the lower-level exhibition room. It is titled, “You Can’t Read This – Censorship is so 1984. Read for Your Rights.”
This is for the upcoming Banned Books Week that runs from October 5 to 11 and is promoted by the American Library Association (ALA).
The glass display cases are covered with a brown paper wrapping with the word CENSORED and there is a small peephole to look through to see a book that was once considered dangerous, provocative or disturbing.
On the walls are posters about the Bill of Rights, the First Amendment and famous books that were once banned such as Ulysses by James Joyce, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner.
There is also a list compiled by the ALA of the top 10 most challenged books of 2025. It states, “The most common reason for challenges were false claims of illegal obscenity for minors, inclusion of LGTQIA+ characters or themes; and dealing with topics of race, racism, inclusivity, equity, and social justice.”

One of these books is featured in the exhibit and available at the library (Call No. 306.766 KOB). It is Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe. She also illustrated the 2019 book. It is a graphic novel about a mentally troubled young person that is confused about his/her sexual identity and it explicitly depicts two youths performing sexual activity.
The controversy about the book is that the sexually explicit illustrations are inappropriate for minors. The book has been challenged in numerous communities across the country, political groups have demanded its removal from schools and libraries and it’s been the subject of three lawsuits.
According to Info Soup, the library’s online inter-library loan system, the book is on the shelf in Waupaca, Clintonville, Shawano, and other libraries in the Fox Valley area. There is an e-book version and also a downloadable deluxe edition that can be accessed via Info Soup.
There are 103 comments on the book’s Info Soup page and some for and some are against the book being included in a school or public library. Here are some examples:
• Amhurlburt: This book is a good exploration of the experience of discovering and coming out as a non-binary person. Contains very honest explorations of gender. The ending was a bit underwhelming but overall the book is a valuable look at what it means to be gender queer.
• Lilycc: “Sexually explicit graphic content -- highly inappropriate for young readers.”
mavis_green: “Doesn’t anyone know that giving a child porn like this is the first step that pedophiles take when they groom children? This book serves no purpose other than to promote porn to young kids and to encourage kids who are gender confused to be even more gender confused. This is of course is exactly what the gender cult medical industry wants, in its unending quest to turn healthy children into life-long medical patients.”
• ideaLAB_Mandy: “As someone without firsthand experience in being trans, I found this book helped me to understand the challenges they face, and the process of growing and accepting themselves; as well as the impact the rest of us have when we do or don’t accept people for who they are.”
• tracy_nice: “Graphic. Not intended for young audiences. XXX”
The ALA’s concept of what constitutes a banned book is obsolete and the exhibit is an empty gesture. Gender Queer can easily be ordered from many online booksellers or purchased at Barnes & Noble in Appleton. Also, the Book Cellar on Main Street in Waupaca can order any book upon request. It is also available as an e-book, an audiobook and the audio can also be streamed.