Wow, I just read the details of that book that was restricted in an Ontario school district. It was removed from general library shelves and placed on a shelf accessible only to teachers!
Students wouldn't even know the book existed, though if they somehow found out, they could ask a teacher for it, who could let them read it (or not) after "providing context."
PEN Canada and author Ramadan, the head of the Canadian Writers Guild, say this is actually a real, effective ban that the school system uses so they can claim it's not actually a ban. No kids see the book, so no kids read the book, but the district says, "But we didn't ACTUALLY ban it!"
In this case, the school district apparently didn't realize how connected Ramadan is. He went to the press in a major way, with the story appearing in major media outlets all over Canada. The public were outraged that a wholesome book that happened to contain a gay character was banned. The school district quickly backed down in the face of that outrage. (But even so, some of their press releases over the matter indicate that they believe they were RIGHT to keep the book away from students.)
But that's THIS time, in the case of an author who could ring up the CBC and get his story heard by a sympathetic producer.
As PEN Canada points out, pressure to ban books containing LGBTQ characters is widespread on the ground in Canada, coming primarily from queerphobic parents who want to control what other parents' children read.
In most cases, press attention is not so focused, and these increasingly artful bans (dressed up not to look like bans) remain in place with few the wiser. After all, the books are placed on private shelves where nobody can see them! So nobody knows to complain!
Honestly, having lived in Canada for many years, I never thought I'd see the day when public school boards started restricting books merely for containing queer characters. So startling! Especially since this is Ontario rather than one of the more relatively conservative western provinces.
I'm glad you brought up the widespread trend for school libraries to ban the Heartstopper graphic novels. Nothing could better demonstrate how wholesome literature is being redefined as pornography.
As you know, there is simply no sex in the books. There's a little bit of kissing. A little bit of sweet hand holding. And that's that.
But a municipal library near me was defunded by taxpayers last year, in part because librarians refused to remove the Heartstopper graphic novels, as well as similar books for young readers.
This move is all about defining the existence of queer people as inherently, pornographically sexual. And then erasing us from "polite society."
The way I read the P2025 proposals, if proposed laws were passed, your fanfic really would become criminal in the U.S. Even though it's as G-Rated as Heartstopper.
This is the cusp that our society stands on right now.
