Banned Books Book Club: All Boys Aren't Blue

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Bookshelf on Church

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Banned Books Book Club flyer

In the age of increasing book challenges and bans, we believe it's more important than ever to engage directly with the stories at the center of these conversations. Our new Banned Books Club will explore both classic and contemporary titles that have been challenged or banned, taking time to discuss not only the themes within each book but also why these works so often face opposition—and what may be lost when access to them disappears.

All Boys Aren't Blue is George M. Johnson's 2020 memoir-manifesto — a series of personal essays exploring their childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia, weaving together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys. The book addresses themes of consent, toxic masculinity, gender identity, structural marginalization, family, brotherhood, and Black joy, while also documenting two sexual encounters and an experience of statutory rape.

Despite its accolades, the book has become a flashpoint in the ongoing battle over what stories young people are allowed to read: it was the #1 most banned book in the United States in 2024, according to the American Library Association. Its removal from shelves makes it a powerful and timely choice for a banned books discussion — a reminder that the most challenged books are often the ones that speak most directly to those who need them most.