Fabulosa Books in San Francisco’s Castro District initiates ‘Books Not Bans’ project, led by Becka Robbins to ship LGBTQ+ books to states like Florida, Texas, and Oklahoma where bans are in place. The initiative aims to make queer literature accessible in the face of increasing censorship efforts.
A bookstore in San Francisco’s Castro District, called Fabulosa Books, is shipping LGBTQ+ books to states where such books are banned. The initiative, “Books Not Bans,” is led by Becka Robbins, who uses customer donations to send books pertaining to queer history, sexuality, and romance to groups in need across the country.
Robbins started this effort in May 2023 and has since sent books to places like a pride center in west Texas and an LGBTQ-friendly high school in Alabama. Notably, many of the books are shipped to states with stringent bans, such as Florida, Texas, and Oklahoma. These book bans have been on the rise, especially targeting books with LGBTQ+ characters or themes.
One recipient, the Rose Dynasty Center in Lakeland, Florida, has already received some of these books, enhancing their offerings for the local LGBTQ+ community.
Since its inception, Robbins has sent out 740 books, each box valued between $300 to $400. The ongoing aim is to make these books accessible in the face of growing efforts to ban them from libraries and schools in certain states.
