Julianne Moore has spoken out regarding the alleged ban on her semi-autobiographical children's book, "Freckleface Strawberry." This heartfelt tale, which chronicles a young girl's journey from disliking to accepting her freckles—seeing them as a reflection of the diversity among people—has reportedly been flagged by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) for "further review." Consequently, it has been "relegated to the professional collection," with access restricted solely to staff members.
A memo circulated by the DODEA last Monday revealed that "instructional resources" and library books adopted by the agency were being scrutinized for "potential relevance to gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology topics." Books undergoing this scrutiny have been moved to a different location.
This investigation aims to ensure that schools operated by the Department of Defense, which cater to military families, adhere to President Trump's executive orders on gender ideology and the "termination of radical indoctrination in K-12 education."
According to The Guardian, among the books being reviewed and restricted is "Freckleface Strawberry," alongside "No Truth Without Ruth," a picture book commemorating the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Pen America, an organization dedicated to safeguarding freedom of expression globally, flagged The Guardian's report on an Instagram post, which seemingly drew Moore's attention to the situation.
Moore took to her own Instagram account to express her "profound shock" at the Trump Administration's decision to ban her book from DODEA schools. She expressed her "particular astonishment" considering her family's deep ties to the U.S. military.
"I am a proud alumnus of Frankfurt American High School, a [Department of Defense] school once located in Frankfurt, Germany," she wrote. "I grew up with a father who is a Vietnam veteran and dedicated his career to the [U.S. Army]. I couldn't be more proud of his service to our country. It's distressing for me to realize that children like me, who grew up with a parent in the military and attended a [DODEA] school, will be denied access to a book penned by someone whose life experiences resonate so closely with theirs."
Moore emphasized that she wrote "Freckleface Strawberry" for children "to remind them that we all face challenges but are bound together by our humanity and community." She added, "I can't fathom what could be so controversial about this picture book that it warranted a ban by the US Government. I am deeply saddened and never imagined witnessing such a scenario in a country where freedom of speech and expression is a constitutional right."
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to the DODEA to verify that "Freckleface Strawberry" is indeed among the books under review.
