This week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case that would restrict young people’s access to LGBTQ+ books at school and pave the way for far-reaching classroom censorship on the basis of religion. 

In response, Diana Thu-Thao Rhodes, Vice President of the national youth activism and sexual health organization Advocates for Youth, issued the following statement:

“The Supreme Court must protect young people’s access to books that reflect the diversity of the world around them. Attempts to censor LGBTQ+-inclusive materials under the guise of religious freedom are rooted in hate and blatant discrimination.

By ruling against LGBTQ+ books in schools, the Supreme Court would send a dangerous message that classroom materials can be challenged and censored by small but powerful groups of extremists. It’s time to let educators do their job and to end this wave of government interference that privileges politics over student wellbeing.”

Advocates for Youth operates Hope in a Box, a LGBTQ+-inclusive curriculum-to-classroom program that equips over 20,000 educators with inclusive curriculum guides, books and toolkits. 

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For Immediate Release: April 23, 2025

Contact: Eleanor Naiman, eleanor.naiman@advocatesforyouth.org

Advocates for Youth is a 501(c)3 organization that champions efforts that help young people make informed decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Advocates for Youth boldly advocates for a more positive and realistic approach to adolescent sexual health, focusing its work on young people ages 14-24 in the U.S. and around the globe.