According to PEN America the number of public school book bans across the United States rose by 33 percent in the 2022-23 school year, with nearly 6000 instances of banned books since tracking began in 2021. Upwards of 30% of these bans impact books that feature LGBTQIA+ themes and identities. Yet, despite these rampant bans, the surging sales of LGBTQIA+ titles has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise flagging book market.

In this panel, successful queer young adult authors Rob Costello, Amber Smith, Isabel Sterling and Kalynn Bayron will discuss the impact of the rising climate of censorship and intolerance on their work. They’ll talk about the joys and challenges of writing for a contemporary teen audience, share their own writing journeys, consider the enduring popularity of queer themes among today’s young readers, and celebrate the power and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community.

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This event is part of the Community Arts Partnership's Spring Writes Literary Festival. Visit SpringWrites.org for all SpringWrites events, artist bios, and registration information.