Religion, specifically books featuring positive portrayals of Islam, was also a cause for concern among some would-be banners, according to James LaRue, director of the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom. “I am Jazz” and “Beyond Magenta,” two books that share the real-life experiences of growing up transgender, were both on the top half of the list. Transgender issues feature prominently on the ALA's list of the top 10 most frequently challenged books of 2015. But after compiling a list of the most challenged books of 2015, officials at the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom noticed a pattern: nine of the 10 most targeted titles fell into the category of “diverse content,” which the OIF has defined as "books by and about people of color, LGBT people, and/or disabled people." The ALA cites various reasons behind the ban attempts, ranging from concerns over sexual content to violence and offensive language. Last year, the American Library Association reported 275 instances nationwide in which books were formally challenged to be banned from libraries or school curriculums. Demands for certain titles to be removed from libraries and schools across the country is not a thing of the past.
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