Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe took the top spot of banned and challenged books in 2022. This book even went as far as being banned in the Anchorage School District. The book was removed from shelves in Anchorage schools for graphic images in November of 2021. In an article online, written by Georgina Fernandez for Alaska’s News Source, there is a quote saying the ban is not about sexual orientation or gender identity, as the district has several books on both topics. I was able to borrow the book online from the Anchorage Public Library; seeing this book for myself I understand why it was removed from the shelf, even if the images were far between and had little detail to them.

While reading this book, I felt as if I could relate to the author in many ways. As a queer teen who loves to read books, I felt as if this book spoke to me. It is really hard to find books that have queer protagonists, especially ones that talk about the struggles of finding out our identities as queer teens. Maia Kobabe lets us know eir past and gives someone who may be questioning their gender something to relate to. While this book may not be a work of fiction, it is still a work of art for queer teens who need a place to start when turning to media to find out who they are. I recommend reading this book at one’s own discretion, knowing that there are images of nudity within this book.