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Silence Is Not a Solution

I was honored to be mentioned in the January/February 2025 issue of American Libraries magazine ("Into the Future," p. 29). Regrettably, I feel the selected quotations--lacking full context, and in combination with the writers' framing--suggest the opposite of what my conclusions were.

My talk, "Rising to the Challenge: The Trustee's Role in the 'Culture Wars'" explains how anti-library activists are spreading misinformation and waging a harassment campaign against noncompliant or marginalized library workers, on the grounds that marginalized people and perspectives should cease to be visible in public, and how unreasonable that mindset is in a diverse society. My conclusion is that trustees and librarians must courageously speak up in defense of libraries and marginalized people, instead of passively accepting, normalizing, or even buying into anti-library misinformation and activists' escalating intimidation tactics.

The article seems to position me as arguing against resisting or speaking up against these things, regardless of how threatening, outrageous, or upsetting anti-library rhetoric becomes. To be clear, that is not my stance.

As a trans person and a librarian, I am frustrated by the widespread platforming of calls to restrict access to library books and spaces as though those calls are legitimate. After years of sustained attacks, I do not believe silence is a viable strategy. Librarians must stop evoking "neutrality" and "intellectual freedom" as justifications for failing to definitively shut down misinformation targeting libraries, librarians, marginalized people, and minors.

Instead, we need to: Insist upon the inherent dignity of marginalized people. Resist anti-library misinformation and radicalization in ourselves and others. Stop platforming harmful rhetoric. Resist efforts to manipulate us into doing anti-library work. Accurately and openly describe anti-library backlash for what it is: unfounded, violent, unacceptable, undemocratic.

We must summon the reserves of our moral courage, stand firm, and use our voices--because silence is not an adequate response to suppression.

Posted: January 6, 2025
[Note: A version of this text has been sent to the editors of American Libraries magazine, but will not be published until May 2025. I am posting here and now because I feel the need to clarify my position immediately.]