June Meeting: Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
Details
Set in 1950s San Francisco's Chinatown, Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo is a National Book Award-winning young adult historical novel. It follows 17-year-old Lily Hu as she navigates her identity, her burgeoning queerness, and her first love with a classmate, Kathleen, all while dealing with the pressures of McCarthyism and her immigrant family. The story explores themes of self-discovery, forbidden love, and the intersection of Chinese American and LGBTQ+ experiences during a time of intense social and political upheaval, centered around the titular lesbian bar, the Telegraph Club, where Lily finds a community and a space to explore her feelings.
Reasons for Challenges/Bans:
* Ranked 4th on PEN America's Most Banned Books for the 2024-25 school year.
* Has been banned/challenged in 34 times in 14 states (including North Carolina!), according to the author.
* Many complaints focus on the book's "explicit LGBT sex," suggesting the book is "promoting a sexual agenda to young people."
Hope to see you there!