Yes, Like a Love Story Is Banned!
ISBN: 9780062839367
Abdi Nazemian’s Like a Love Story is set in 1989 New York, at the height of the AIDS crisis, and follows three interconnected teenagers. Reza is an Iranian American boy terrified that his attraction to men will kill him. Judy is an aspiring fashion designer who idolizes her uncle, a gay man with AIDS. Art is an openly gay activist fighting for visibility. Their stories interweave against a backdrop of ACT UP protests, the early days of the queer rights movement, and the terror of a disease that the government was largely ignoring. Nazemian writes the period with specificity and emotional weight.
Like a Love Story was challenged 10 times in the 2024-2025 PEN America data, with bans in Florida, Iowa, South Carolina, and Tennessee school districts. The challenges cite LGBTQ+ content and sexual themes. The book is a historical novel about a period when gay men were dying in enormous numbers while the American government delayed action. Removing it from libraries erases a chapter of queer history that many teenagers will never encounter otherwise. Nazemian has said he wrote the book for the queer Iranian American kid he was in 1989, someone who needed to see himself in a story and couldn’t find one.
Why Was It Banned?
Where Was It Banned?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Like a Love Story banned?
Yes, Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian has been banned or challenged in 14 documented instances across 4 states in the United States, including Florida, Iowa, South Carolina, Tennessee. It remains one of the most frequently challenged books in America.
Why was Like a Love Story banned?
Like a Love Story has been challenged and banned for the following reasons: LGBTQ+ Themes, Sexual Content. These challenges have come from school boards, libraries, and parent groups seeking to restrict access to the book.
Where is Like a Love Story banned?
As of 2025, Like a Love Story has been banned or challenged in Florida, Iowa, South Carolina, Tennessee. Notable bans include Hillsborough County Public Schools (2025), Dubuque Community School District (2024), Lewis Central Community School District (2024).