Statement on Colchester First Selectman Removing Book from Library

Colchester First Selectman Andreas Bisbikos this week ordered "Who Is RuPaul?" removed from the Cragin Memorial Library. The book is part of the "Who Is?" series for children, and news outlets have reported that it was part of the library's Pride display. The following is a reaction from ACLU of Connecticut executive director David McGuire:

“Public libraries are central to our abilities to explore ideas, encounter new perspectives, and learn to think for ourselves. Book bans are misguided and inappropriate attempts to try to suppress our First Amendment right to access information. The Colchester First Selectman’s attempt to remove a book about RuPaul Charles, an Emmy-winning television producer and a Black gay man, is the latest example of the types of book bans that are taking hold across the country, which specifically aim to remove books that are by and about people of color, LGBTQ people, and other marginalized people. These book bans work to erase the history and lived experiences of women, people of color, and LGBTQ people and censor conversations about race, gender, and sexuality that impact young people’s daily lives. We all have a right to read and learn free from viewpoint-based censorship, and young people have a First Amendment right to read and learn about the history and viewpoints of all communities in our libraries.”