11 Banned Books by Women to Read Right Now

(Image via Houghton Mifflin)

3.) Fun Home, Alison Bechdel

What it’s about

Graphic novelist and artist Alison Bechdel (of the infamous Bechdel test) tells the riveting story of her childhood and young adulthood. Bechdel grew up in “Fun Home”, the family mortuary business run by her father, Bruce. Bechdel chronicles her difficult relationship with her parents and her eventual acceptance of her lesbian identity. After coming out to her family, Alison learns that her father is also a closeted gay man. Fun Home explores the way family, closeted sexualities, and societal pressure shape both Alison and her relationship with her family.

Why it was banned or challenged

Challengers complained that the lesbian sexuality depicted in the book was “pornographic” and not appropriate for student assignments. Religious readers have often stated that the exploration of LGBT sexualities in the book is incompatible with their religious beliefs.

When it was selected as a summer reading book for the Duke Class of 2019, some university freshmen refused to read it. One said that “I feel as if I would have to compromise my personal Christian moral beliefs to read it”. Another wrote: “The nature of ‘Fun Home’ means that content that I might have consented to read in print now violates my conscience due to its pornographic nature”.

Why you should read it

Fun Home is unflinching in its examination of sexuality and repression. What would Bechdel’s father’s life have been like if it hadn’t been so constrained by homophobia? What would Alison’s look like, for that matter? It’s also a well-written, beautifully illustrated account by Bechdel, who is the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Grant. Fun Home has also been adapted into a Tony award-winning Broadway musical.