Clarification: An earlier version of this story mischaracterized Lily Freeman鈥檚 struggles in 5th grade. She was revealing her gender identity to her family that year, not making a social transition.
When Lily Freeman was in 5th grade in the Central Bucks School District in Pennsylvania, she was revealing her gender identity to her family. When her parents told her teacher about Lily鈥檚 struggle, the teacher suggested Alex Gino鈥檚 book Melissa (previously called George), an award-winning novel about a trans 4th grader, as a resource for Lily and her family.
The gesture and the visibility the book provided was valuable to the family, said Lily鈥檚 mom, Mindy Freeman. Two years later, Lily鈥檚 social studies teacher offered books about LGBTQ people on his classroom shelves, making it easier for Lily鈥檚 classmates to learn about her experience and that of her community, Mindy Freeman said.
鈥淲e were working with the school district to help them understand trans identities, and the difference between orientation and gender identity, because Lily was bullied in elementary school, before she had socially transitioned,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o she wanted to help the younger generation of kids, so that they didn鈥檛 have to go through what she went through. The school wasn鈥檛 perfect, but before the pandemic, more people were listening.鈥�
However, this year, after parents complained against commonly banned books about LGBTQ characters or people of color, such as Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison, Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe, and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, and new school board members were elected, the school environment became much worse for LGBTQ and specifically trans students, including Lily, who is now 16.
In the last few months, Bucks County passed two vaguely worded policies about and banning 鈥渟exual content.鈥� The policies were passed in response to parents complaints鈥� about books like Gender Queer and The Bluest Eye.
That鈥檚 just one part of what the American Civil Liberties Union describes as a 鈥渉ostile environment鈥� for LGBTQ students in the Central Bucks school district according to a lawsuit filed last week that alleges the district has violated Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The district has issued directives to remove Pride flags from classrooms, according to the lawsuit. Some school administrators have directed their staff to only use students鈥� names and pronouns as they appear in the school databases and to reach out to parents if students ask to be identified differently and have punished employees who have supported LGBTQ students and spoken out against the anti-LGBTQ environment the district is creating, according to the lawsuit.
District disputes allegations
The Central Bucks district issued a statement on its website saying its library policy was mischaracterized. The district argues that the policy is not designed to remove books from libraries, should not be construed as a book ban, and that all books containing sexual content will not automatically be removed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to emphasize at the outset that the board, alongside administration, faculty, and staff, begins its work in all cases with the premise that every single student in Central Bucks Schools deserves to be seen, heard, cared for, included, accepted, respected, loved and, most especially, educated,鈥� the statement by Superintendent Abram Lucabaugh and Board of Directors President Dana Hunter says.
鈥淥ur students also deserve access to the great diversity of ideas that are part of the human experience,鈥� the statement goes on. 鈥淭hat is a tremendous responsibility鈥攐ne that we deeply embrace and share with the parents of the district, and one that extends to our school libraries.鈥�
Hunter also addressed the ACLU lawsuit at the Oct. 11 board meeting, calling on the organization to release the redacted names of the teachers, students, and parents who shared their stories about Bucks County in the lawsuit, saying the anonymity 鈥渕akes it impossible for our administrators, school counselors, and teachers to do the critical work of connecting with these unnamed individuals to intervene and address any possible bullying or problematic situations, to activate support and resources, and to implement corrective actions with the goal of bringing about positive change.鈥�
But because of these policies, teachers have been self-censoring and removing books from their classroom libraries preemptively to avoid punitive action, Lily said. The ACLU lawsuit also describes several instances of teachers being told to or deciding on their own to remove classroom library materials after the policies were passed.
As these policies have been unveiled at school board meetings, Lily has been at press conferences and meetings against book bans and other anti-trans measures for months, but she doesn鈥檛 feel like her voice is being heard by the district anymore.
鈥淪tudents have been speaking at school board meetings for so long now, being against this policy鈥� Lily said. 鈥淎nd still they have put it into effect and are continuing to put scary policies into effect.鈥�
Lily has started an Instagram page called Project Uncensored, where she argues that these books bring positivity to LGBTQ students鈥� lives. Through the account, she shares videos and stories from other students who are also advocating against censorship in school libraries.
鈥淭hese books are mirrors, [LGBTQ students] can see themselves and they can find comfort, but also for other people, they can be windows into and other people鈥檚 lives and experiences,鈥� Lily said. 鈥淎nd I really think that education is so key, because if you鈥檙e not educated about this stuff, then that leads to hate.鈥�
She also wrote an for the Philadelphia Inquirer, explaining she feels less safe at school in light of these policies and bemoans the lack of student allyship.
LGBTQ students elsewhere take a stand
鈥淪he shouldn鈥檛 have to be focusing her time fending off these bigoted attacks on her right to see herself in a book in her school library,鈥� said Michael Rady, senior education programs manager of GLSEN, a national advocacy group.
鈥淲hen students鈥� existence is challenged in schools, many students will take it upon themselves,鈥� he said, 鈥渢o defend their own rights and to share their own stories.鈥�
LGBTQ students in particular have become more involved in activism as states and districts have passed policies prohibiting them from using their chosen pronouns and restrooms aligned with their gender identity, having access to books about LGBTQ characters, and participating on school sports teams matched to their gender identities, Rady said. In states that have passed laws or taken other statewide action against LGBTQ students, such as what opponents have termed Florida鈥檚 鈥淒on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� law and Virginia鈥檚 anti-trans model policy, students have , led protests, and spoken at board meetings in opposition.
Student involvement and testimony often do have an impact on reversing book bans and walking back bans on Gay-Straight Alliances in schools, Rady said. But the simpler solution would be to avoid 鈥渢aking up these toxic policies that marginalize, exclude and isolate students, especially BIPOC and trans students,鈥� he said.
Meanwhile, parent groups and associations such as the American Library Association; PEN America, a free speech advocacy group; and Red Wine and Blue, a group of suburban parents, are tracking the scope of book bans and organizing to fight against them. Their success is variable, but Mindy Freeman said it鈥檚 important to keep fighting.
鈥淚t鈥檚 up to the allies to take the burden off,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he fight is personal because if you can鈥檛 read about different people, if they鈥檙e taking away that knowledge, this education, then it鈥檚 just going to increase the bullying.鈥�
Mindy Freeman testified at a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee hearing against book banning in April, telling her family鈥檚 story to show why books about LGBTQ people are essential for students like her daughter. She鈥檚 also involved in parent groups fighting against discrimination in Bucks County, and hopes more student allies get involved just as parents have.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not getting enough kids that are allies to stand up,鈥� she said. 鈥淟ily could use that, and other kids like her could use that.鈥�
