Republican congressmembers plan to pass legislation next week. It would force states to remove books about transgender people from schools. The proposal H.R. 7661 comes from Marty Miller, a Republican from Illinois. The bill is called the 'Stop the Sexualization of Children Act'. Supporters say it protects children from inappropriate content.

However, educators, librarians and LGBTQ+ organisations are concerned. The law defines 'sexually explicit material' as anything about gender dysphoria or 'transgenderism'. This means ordinary stories about transgender youth could disappear from libraries. A book need not be sexual to fall under this law. Opponents say this is not about removing inappropriate content. Instead, it aims to erase transgender people from public education.

The impact could be severe. Schools receiving federal funding could lose it if they don't comply. For many schools with tight budgets, this is devastating. Many fear this threat will cause widespread self-censorship. Schools may censor far more material for self-protection.

It remains unclear if the proposal will gain enough support. The Senate previously blocked another Republican proposal about transgender athletes in sports.