In what looks like a scene in from Margaret Atwood novel A handmade's Tale, after a significant overhaul by state Republicans in Florida, a college in Sarasota has discarded hundreds of books, many of which contained LGBTQ+ and other progressive themes.
The college, which has been undergoing transformation led by Governor Ron DeSantis, terminated its gender studies program and disposed of thousands of publications, including books on LGBTIQ+ topics, black stories, and women's empowerment.
The book disposal incited immediate backlash and widespread media coverage, with many expressing frustration and concern over the decision. The disposed book titles covered a wide range of topics, including "Nine and Counting: The Women of the Senate", "All Boys Aren't Blue", and "When I Knew," a collection of stories from LGBTQ+ individuals recounting when they knew they were queer.
In response to the public outcry, New College President Richard Corcoran issued a statement acknowledging the controversy and criticising the sensationalised media coverage. He emphasised that while the optics of seeing thousands of books in a dumpster are not ideal, disposing of materials is a necessary process.
Roughly 300 books were removed from school libraries in Florida last year. Of Florida’s 67 counties, 21 of them removed books in the 2022-23 year. Here's a look at the roughly 300 titles taken off shelves in the state. Here's the full list.
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