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In a creative and bold effort to combat unjust censorship in prisons, the Prison Library Project helped develop Contrabanned, the first women’s health book to bypass book bans targeting depictions of female anatomy. State prisons often classify such content as “sexually explicit,” denying incarcerated women access to essential health information.
Legally "Smuggling" the book inside
The team behind Contrabanned found a way to outsmart these bans by sending the entire 250-page book, one page at a time, as individual letters to a single incarcerated woman. This woman, a former nurse whose name is kept anonymous for her safety, took on the incredible task of stitching each page together using dental floss from the prison commissary, creating a complete, physical book. But her efforts didn’t stop there—she made copies of the book and shared the individual pages with other incarcerated women, encouraging them to assemble their own books.
This effort was more than just an act of defiance; it provided crucial education on topics like menstrual health, breast cancer, and sexual health—issues often ignored in prisons, especially for women. Designed by health literacy experts and medical students, Contrabanned was written specifically for incarcerated women, with a focus on making the information accessible for readers with low literacy levels. Statistics show that 70% of the 975,000 incarcerated women in the U.S. read below a fourth-grade level, making this resource even more critical.
Access to information saves lives
Contrabanned represents a lifeline for women who are denied even basic health information due to systemic censorship. It’s more than just a book—it’s a revolutionary tool to empower and educate women behind bars. However, the work isn’t done yet. The creators and advocates of this Contrabanned hope it will one day become the first women’s health book allowed in all U.S. prisons. But they need your help to make that a reality.
By signing our petition, you can stand with us in supporting the repeal of content-based censorship policies in state prison systems. We’re calling for the adoption of the American Library Association’s new carceral library standards, which address the unique needs of diverse incarcerated populations, including women. Additionally, we urge support for the federal Prison Libraries Act, a bill designed to improve access to educational and rehabilitative resources for incarcerated individuals.
Together, we can break down the barriers preventing incarcerated women from accessing the health information they need. Help us make Contrabanned available to every woman behind bars—sign the petition today and be part of this historic effort.
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