Omari Gates
Book banning is a form of censorship that has been used by governments and religious organisations for various reasons, including politics, legal, moral, and commercial motives. While the practice of banning books may seem antiquated, it still occurs in many countries, including Australia. Australia has a history of book banning, with literary researchers claiming that during the 20th century, Australia was one of the harshest censors in the Western world. While explicit bans are becoming less common, Australia has seen a rise in shadow banning, where books are quietly removed from shelves without an official ban. This article will explore the history of book banning in Australia, the reasons behind it, and the impact it has had on the country's literary landscape.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Last book banned in Australia | Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe |
| Status | Banned in 56 school districts from July 2021 to December 2022; currently being appealed in federal court |
| Reason for ban | Illustrations with sexual content |
| Other books banned in Australia | The Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs; American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis; Another Country by James Baldwin; The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio; Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence; The Stud by Jackie Collins; Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov; The Trial of Lady Chatterley; The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison |
| Reason for banning books in Australia | Books deemed to be obscene, blasphemous, indecent, or a threat to the country's morals and literary standards |
| Current trend in Australia | "Shadow banning" or low-key censorship, where books are quietly removed without an official ban |
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What You'll Learn
Books banned in Australia for obscenity
Australia has a history of banning books that were considered a threat to the country's morals and literary standards. The most common reason for a book being banned in Australia was that it was deemed "obscene", meaning it was believed to be sexually explicit or corrupting to the morals of the reader. This was often used to suppress LGBTQIA+ works.
One of the earliest books banned in Australia was Joseph Lewis' The Bible Unmasked, which was banned in 1929 as both obscene and blasphemous. D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover was banned from 1928 to 1965 for similar reasons, as well as its depiction of an affair, commentary on the class system, and the idea that a woman might have her own desires and sexual needs. Another book banned during this period was James Joyce's Dubliners, which was deemed to have “sensitive” content.
In the 1960s and 1970s, several books were banned, including Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita (until 1965), The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio (1923-1936 and 1938-1973), and Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs (1960-1973). The latter two were banned for their depiction of homosexuality and drug culture.
More recently, Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho has been restricted in Australia for its graphic violence and sexual content. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell has been banned since 1985 for "promoting, inciting, or instructing in matters of crime or violence."
While the practice of book banning is becoming less common, Australia has seen a rise in "shadow banning," where books are not officially banned but are removed from public view due to controversial topics.
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LGBTQIA+ works banned in Australia
Australia has a long history of book banning, with the country once being considered one of the harshest censors in the Western world. While there are no recent instances of explicit bans on LGBTQIA+ works, there is a recent rise in "shadow banning", where a book is never officially banned but is removed from the public anyway. This often happens when someone chooses to avoid a controversial topic and fears the potential consequences, such as the threats of violence.
In 2024, there were 155 individual challenges to books across Australia, most of which were by or about LGBTQIA+ people. While these challenges did not result in explicit bans, they were accompanied by protests and threats of violence.
One example of a book that faced challenges and was temporarily banned in Australia is Gender Queer, a graphic memoir by Maia Kobabe. The book was banned in 56 school districts from July 2021 to December 2022 and is still being appealed in federal court. The book was challenged due to sexually explicit illustrations, including a sexual fantasy inspired by Plato's symposium. However, PEN America claims that where Gender Queer was read in full, rather than challenged based on a few illustrations, many districts and school boards decided to keep the book.
Another example of a book that faced challenges in Australia is Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers. The book was included in the 2021 "Objectionable Materials" report, which listed 58 books as sexually inappropriate. While Everywhere Babies contains no sexual content, it was listed as an LGBTQIA+ book due to images showing two same-sex people looking after a baby.
In addition to these recent examples, James Baldwin's Another Country was banned in Australia from 1963 to 1966 for obscenity due to references to homosexual and interracial sex. The Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs was also banned in Australia from 1960 to 1973 due to its depiction of homosexuality and drug culture.
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Banned books in Australian libraries
Australia has an extensive history of banning books, with hundreds of titles once prohibited. While the practice of censorship is less common today, certain books remain banned or restricted in Australia, either nationwide or within specific states.
Forms of Censorship
Censorship can take various forms, from complete bans to more subtle restrictions. In the past, Australian Customs would confiscate books deemed obscene, blasphemous, or seditious under Australian censorship legislation. Today, shadow banning is a more common form of censorship in Australia, where books are quietly removed without an official ban. This can occur when individuals or institutions choose to avoid controversial topics out of fear of potential consequences, such as threats of violence.
Books Banned in Australian Libraries
One of the most recent examples of book banning in Australia involves the Cumberland City Council in Western Sydney. In 2023, the council voted to impose a blanket ban on books featuring same-sex parenting and remove them from local libraries. This decision sparked protests and debates about the role of libraries in providing access to information and promoting inclusivity.
Another recent case involves the book "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe, which has faced challenges in Australian libraries and schools. While not officially banned, it has been removed from shelves in some locations and made available only upon request. "Gender Queer" was also the subject of a federal court appeal, with opponents arguing that it breached laws related to child exploitation and sexually explicit material. The outcome of this appeal is still pending.
Historically, numerous books have been banned in Australia, including Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita", which was prohibited until 1965 due to morality concerns. Other examples include "The Trial of Lady Chatterley", D.H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover", Bret Easton Ellis's "American Psycho", and "The Anarchist Cookbook" by William Powell, which was refused classification in 2016 for promoting or inciting crime or violence.
Reasons for Censorship
Books have been censored in Australia for various reasons, including obscenity, blasphemy, sedition, and the protection of moral standards. More recently, challenges to books have often targeted titles featuring LGBTQIA+ content, diverse characters, or themes related to race and sexuality.
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Australian book banning by councils
Australia has an extensive history of book banning, with literary researchers agreeing that during the 20th century, Australia was considered one of the harshest censors in the Western world. Books deemed "'obscene' under Australian censorship legislation were often removed by Australian Customs. While Australia has not banned any books recently, there has been a recent rise in "shadow banning", where books are removed without an explicit ban. This has been observed in Western Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland, with 155 individual challenges across Australia in 2024. Most of these books featured LGBTQIA+ content or dealt with race.
In March 2023, the graphic memoir 'Gender Queer' by Maia Kobabe was the subject of an official complaint to the Queensland Police, alleging that the book breached the criminal code concerning child exploitation and sexually explicit material. As a result, the book was removed from the shelves of the Logan library service, only made available to those who specifically requested it. The Sydney bookstore Kinokuniya also received an email from the Australian Classification Board, calling for the book to be classified. The Classification Board's decision to allow the unrestricted sale of the book was appealed, and the matter is currently being reviewed by the independent Review Board.
In another instance of book banning, the Cumberland City Council in Western Sydney voted to impose a blanket ban on books featuring same-sex parenting and remove them from local libraries. This ban was short-lived, and none of the challenged books have been explicitly banned in Australia. However, these incidents highlight a broader trend of low-key censorship in Australia, where books are quietly removed from shelves or libraries without an official ban, often due to their controversial nature or the potential for threats of violence.
Historically, several books have been banned in Australia, including Vladimir Nabokov's 'Lolita', which was banned until 1965 due to "morality" regulations. D.H. Lawrence's 'Lady Chatterley's Lover', Bret Easton Ellis's 'American Psycho', and Jackie Collins's 'The Stud' are also among the many books that have been banned in Australia.
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Australian book banning by Christian groups
Australia has a history of banning books, with thousands of titles prohibited in the country during the 20th century. While the practice has diminished, it has not disappeared, and there is evidence of a recent resurgence.
In the past, Australia was one of the worst censors in the English-speaking world. The most common reason for banning a book was that it was deemed "'obscene', meaning it was believed it could corrupt the morals of the reader. This definition was often stretched and had a racist and homophobic agenda. As such, LGBTQIA+ works were often suppressed.
In 1933, the Australian Book Censorship Board was established, made up of scholars who were tasked with reading the books and providing reports. From 1933 to the early 1970s, when Customs censorship was officially dismantled, approximately 15,000 titles were banned.
One of the most famous cases of censorship in Australia involved James Baldwin's 1962 novel, 'Another Country'. The book was banned from 1963 to 1966 for obscenity, due to references to homosexual and interracial sex. Another example is 'The Naked Lunch' by William S. Burroughs, which was banned from 1960 to 1973 for its depiction of homosexuality and drug culture.
More recently, in 2024, there were 155 individual challenges to books across Australia, most of which were by or about LGBTQIA+ people, or books dealing with race. In the same year, the Cumberland City Council in Western Sydney voted to put a blanket ban on books that feature same-sex parenting and remove them from local libraries. This decision was based on the idea that these books would ''sexualise' children and make them think that same-sex parents are not normal.
While there is no explicit ban on reading banned books in Australia, there is a recent rise in "shadow banning", where books are never officially prohibited but are removed from the public anyway due to controversial topics and fears of potential consequences, such as threats of violence.
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Frequently asked questions
While Australia no longer has an extensive list of banned books, several books have been banned historically, including Vladimir Nabokov's *Lolita*, D.H. Lawrence's *Lady Chatterley's Lover*, Bret Easton Ellis's *American Psycho*, and William S. Burroughs's *Naked Lunch*.
These books were banned for various reasons, including obscenity, blasphemy, and the depiction of homosexuality and drug culture.
While there is no explicit ban on books in Australia, there has been a recent rise in "shadow banning," where books are removed from circulation without an official ban. This has particularly affected books with LGBTQIA+ content, such as *Gender Queer* by Maia Kobabe, which has been challenged and removed from several libraries and bookstores.
Book banning in Australia has been met with opposition from various advocacy and literary groups, who argue that it restricts free access to information and fosters division and intolerance. It also raises concerns about censorship and the right to freedom of expression and thought.
