In the 2019 illustrated graphic memoir, Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, explores eir process of coming out as nonbinary and asexual. It was a 2020 winner of the ALA Alex Award, given to books written for adults that have special appeal for young adults 12-18, as well as the Stonewall Book Award-Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Honor Award for books with exceptional merit relating to the LGBTQ experience…
Kobabe, 33, isn’t the only author to face serious new challenges to eir material. According to research by PEN America, a nonprofit organization that advocates for free expression, 1,145 books by 874 different authors were banned from school libraries and classrooms between July 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022. Of those books, 41% contained protagonists or prominent secondary characters of color, and 33% explicitly addressed LGBTQ themes. As book bans rise, some LGBTQ advocates argue the Virginia lawsuit may be the first in a new wave of obscenity lawsuits, which could not only remove books from bookshelves but also restrict their sale altogether.
In the wake of Kobabe’s win in Virginia, TIME spoke with the author and illustrator about eir work, the efforts to restrict access to eir writing, and what ey make of the current cultural moment. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member