Actress and author Julianne Moore has expressed her dismay after learning that her children's book, "Freckleface Strawberry," has been banned by the Trump administration from schools under the Department of Defense. The book, which Moore wrote in 2007, follows the journey of a young girl learning to accept her red hair and freckles, celebrating individuality and community.
On Sunday, February 16, Moore shared her feelings on Instagram, stating, "It is a great shock for me to learn that my first book, Freckleface Strawberry, has been banned by the Trump administration from schools run by the Department of Defense." She explained that the book was intended to teach children about the struggles everyone faces and the shared humanity that unites us.
Moore expressed her confusion and sadness, questioning, "I can’t help but wonder what is so controversial about this picture book that caused it to be banned by the US Government." She highlighted the irony in this decision, given the American values of free speech and expression, especially after winning an Academy Award for her role in "Still Alice."
PEN America, an organization that fights for freedom of expression, criticized the ban on Instagram, calling it indicative of the administration's dismissive and authoritarian stance on education.
The ban appears to align with Trump's recent executive orders aimed at what he terms "gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology topics." These orders claim to defend traditional values and prevent what they describe as radical indoctrination in schools.
It's unclear why a story about a child dealing with her freckles would be seen as "radical or anti-American" by the administration. Other books like "No Truth Without Ruth" by Ruth Bader Ginsburg and "Becoming Nicole" by transgender activist Nicole Maines have also been banned under similar pretexts.
Moore thanked PEN America for alerting her to this issue, reflecting a broader concern about censorship and the limits being placed on educational content in the U.S.