On Monday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill outlawing book bans in the state — the first such law to be enacted concerning book bans in the country. Starting Jan. 1, Illinois public libraries will only receive state funding if they issue an anti-book banning policy or, if they adopt the American Library Association’s (ALA) library bill of rights that prohibits “partisan or doctrinal” book removals.

The Illinois State Librarian and State Library will be tasked with implementing the ALA bill of rights statewide.

“Young people shouldn’t be kept from learning about the realities of the world,” said Pritzker in a statement. “I want them to become critical thinkers, exposed to ideas that they disagree with, proud of what our nation has overcome, and thoughtful about what comes next. Everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in the books they read, the art they see, the history they learn.”

Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian, Alexi Giannoulias was one of the driving forces behind the legislation, that was introduced by Democratic state representative Anne Stava-Murray after a school board in her district was subject to pressure to ban certain content from school libraries.

In 2021, a group of conservative parents complained about the book, “Gender Queer: A Memoir,” by Maia Kobabe being available in school libraries in Downers Grove. The graphic memoir is an autobiography of the nonbinary author’s gender identity journey as a teenager and young adult.

The school board ultimately voted to keep the book on shelves last spring.

“The books in our libraries should be chosen by librarians, not extremist politicians,” said Stava-Murray. “Other states may choose to embrace prejudice and divisive ideologies, but out state is going in a better direction.”

This first-of-its-kind law comes as 37 states across the country have pushed to remove certain books in schools and libraries, especially those written by people of color and include LGBTQ+ themes. Most of the bans are happening in Republican-led states like Texas, Florida and Missouri.

Attempts to remove certain books from shelves reached a 20-year-high last year, according to a report by PEN America and the American Library Association.

Equality Illinois Director of Public Policy Mike Ziri emphasized how important representation is for young people to find in books and why that requires fighting back against book bans.

“We know access to age-appropriate LGBTQ+ affirming content is critical to the well-being of LGBTQ+ young people,” Ziri said in a statement. “HB 2789 is therefore consistent with the values of Illinois to advance inclusion, equality and the freedom to love and be who we are without discrimination.”

The Biden Administration has also responded to rampant book ban attempts by appointing a new federal coordinator specifically tasked with addressing and combating them.

“LGBTQ Americans, especially children: You’re loved, you’re heard and this administration has your back, I mean it,” Biden said during a news conference last week. “We are not relenting one single second to make sure they’re protected.”our