Selendy Gay’s pro bono practice is at the forefront of the fight against book banning in America’s public school libraries. Representing the authors of the popular children's book “And Tango Makes Three” in litigation against multiple Florida school districts, the firm has become a leading voice in advocating for the First Amendment rights of authors, students, and parents.
During Banned Book Week 2025, partner Lauren Zimmerman was featured in some of the nation’s leading publications for her insights into recent legal developments and the importance of ongoing advocacy.
Lauren spoke to USA Today on the disproportionate number of bans affecting books with LGBTQ+ characters, such as “Tango.” She and other advocates argue these bans are “viewpoint discrimination” and violate the Constitution.
In an interview with POLITICO Pro, Lauren warned against a recent ruling in Florida that provide no protection of First Amendment rights for school children and authors, giving school boards “sweeping power to ban books in school libraries for ideological and partisan reasons, including when driven by anti-LGBTQ+ bias.”
Speaking with The New York Times, Lauren added that the decision “stands for the idea that the First Amendment does not apply to government censorship in a library. We think that’s wrong.” She further noted, “That is unconstitutional censorship, plain and simple," in a story reported by Law360.
Lauren told the Florida Record that the ruling “undermines the rights of students to learn and of authors to be heard everywhere.” She vowed, “We will continue fighting on behalf of our clients to vindicate their First Amendment rights and to stop government censorship.”
Beyond “Tango,” Selendy Gay is at the forefront of the national debate and litigation strategy on free speech, censorship, education, and the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community. Lauren is one of several partners spreading awareness about the changing political and legal landscape of anti-LGBTQ+ laws and book censorship in the United States. She has presented a TedTalk-style presentation at the Human Rights Campaign’s annual Women Lead Conference in January 2024 and a panel discussion at the LGBTQ+ Bar Association’s Annual Lavendar Law Conference.
Read more about Selendy Gay’s stand against book banning, as reported by media outlets across the country:
