In a bold move to combat censorship and improve health education in prisons, the Prison Library Project has launched ‘Contrabanned’, a groundbreaking women’s health book campaign. Unveiled during Prison Banned Books Week (September 15-21, 2024), this initiative aims to provide crucial health information to the 975,000 incarcerated women in the United States, many of whom lack access to basic health literacy resources.
The campaign, developed in partnership with OHG’s Purpose Group, tackles a significant problem in the U.S. prison system: the systematic banning of women’s health books. Many state prisons label depictions of female anatomy as ‘sexually explicit’, effectively barring essential health information from reaching incarcerated women. The ‘Contrabanned’ project ingeniously circumvents these restrictions by sending each of the book’s 250 pages as individual letters, which are not subject to the same censorship as books.
The execution of this project is as innovative as its concept. Over three months, each page was sent to an anonymous incarcerated woman, a former nurse, who then assembled the pages into a complete book using dental floss available in the prison commissary. This method not only bypassed the ban but also enabled the creation and distribution of multiple copies within the prison.
The content of ‘Contrabanned’ is tailored specifically for its audience. Created by female health literacy experts and medical students, the book covers essential topics such as menstrual health, breast cancer, and sexual health. Importantly, it is written at a level accessible to the 70% of incarcerated women who read below a fourth-grade level, addressing a critical gap in health education.
Mckenna Deluca from the Prison Library Project emphasizes the broader impact of this initiative: ‘Contrabanned shows the power of knowledge, but also peer education, which research shows reduces risky behavior and the rate of reincarceration. This content is needed from a public health concern standpoint and for the safety of our communities.’
The campaign extends beyond the creation of the book. The Prison Library Project has launched a petition (https://chng.it/x47hTdgcgf) aimed at making ‘Contrabanned’ the first approved women’s health book across the prison system. This effort highlights the growing issue of censorship in prison libraries and advocates for universal access to health education.
Dr. Susan Andreas, a contributor to the book and Director of Health Literacy at one of the Purpose Group agencies, underscores the importance of this initiative: ‘Women with limited health literacy tend to have higher rates of hospitalization and are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions. Access to health literate content can help change that.’
To mark the launch of ‘Contrabanned’, the Prison Library Project will host a livestream event on September 20th, 2024, featuring the team behind this innovative project. The public can support the initiative by donating funds for postage to enable the creation of more books and by signing the petition at Contrabanned.us.
This project represents a significant step forward in addressing the health education needs of incarcerated women. By creatively overcoming censorship barriers, ‘Contrabanned’ not only provides vital information to a vulnerable population but also challenges the systemic issues that limit access to health education in prisons. As this initiative gains momentum, it has the potential to spark broader discussions about prison reform, health literacy, and the rights of incarcerated individuals to access essential information.
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