In Iowa, the ACLU and Lambda Legal, an LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, together with a group of named plaintiffs, are challenging a sweeping new state law that critics say seeks to silence LGBTQ+ students and bans books with sexual or LGBTQ+ content.
In May, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 496, placing a ban on books with depictions of sex, written or visual, from school libraries, and prohibiting instruction and materials involving “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” for students through sixth grade.
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“We’ve seen numerous media reports that various Iowa school districts have already reportedly pulled hundreds of titles from their shelves, including books that contain LGBTQ+ characters, historical figures, or themes,” reports Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly executive editor.
The lawsuit seeks to have the law declared unconstitutional and permanently blocked. The plaintiffs also seek a preliminary injunction blocking the law’s implementation while the litigation proceeds.