Handmaid’s Tale Banned: Reasons & Controversy

The Handmaid’s Talewritten by Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood and published in 1985, was adapted into an original series on Hulu in 2017. Cinecom also adapted it as a feature film in 1900. The movie and TV adaptations of the tale incorporate more explicit scenes, LGBTQ+ characters, and depictions of racial injustice to amplify the messages of the original novel. It may surprise viewers that some places in the United States and Canada have banned Margaret Atwood’s seminal novel.

The Handmaid’s Tale follows Offred’s story as she fights for freedom and identity in the totalitarian Republic of Gilead, where the government views women as state property. Offred is trained as a handmaid and forced to serve as a surrogate mother for the ruling class of men in Gilead. She seeks to escape and reunite with her husband and daughter. Though book readers never learn her real identity, Offred’s real name is June Osborne in the Hulu series. Her story is a tough one, and it’s also an important criticism of serious topics that matter now more than ever. This is why the ban on The Handmaid’s Taleis terrible news.

Why Is The Handmaid’s Tale Banned in America?

The Handmaid’s Tale is #37 on the “100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–2000,” so it isn’t surprising that it’s controversial. This book was almost banned in North Carolina in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2022 that itwas removed from schools and libraries across the United States. The list of banned books included 1,648 books and affected 5,049 schools in 32 states. 40% of the books addressed LGBTQ+ themes in one way or another, some featuring LGBTQ+ characters. Roughly 40% of the books feature characters of color, and 21% address race and racism.

In the case of Texas, a law was passed to address the discussions of “human sexuality” and “material that might make students feel discomfort… or convey that a student, by virtue of their race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously” in classroom settings. The Handmaid’s Talewith its inclusion of a queer character and the discussion of feminism, religious extremism, and sexuality, ended up on the list of 800 books banned in this state.

Texas schools have also cited profanity and anti-Christian sentiment for their decision to ban Atwood’s incredible book. Other states, such as Florida, Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, followed.

The ban on excluding books from libraries and schools originated from angry parents’ complaints, and school boards used it as justification to ban several books. “As you are aware, a growing number of parents of Texas students are rightfully outraged about highly inappropriate books and other content in public school libraries,” Abbott from the Texas Association of School Boards wrote in a letter about the ban. “Your action should ensure that no Texas child is exposed to pornography or obscene content while in a Texas public school.”

The U.S. isn’t the only case. Canada censored The Handmaid’s Tale for the depiction of violence and offensive language. In fact, Edmonton Public Schools in this country almost removed it from over 200 educational institutions, but public backlash (and a satirical short story by Atwood herself) pushed back. Other countries, including Portugal and Spain, have removed the book from the public’s access on the grounds of sexual content, profanity, being anti-Christian, and featuring LGBTQ+ characters.

According to writer Sima Sharifi, the Persian translation of the book released in Iran had the text altered to not “put the idea in women’s heads that they would be rewarded for activism.”

Margaret Atwood Questions The Handmaid’s Tale Ban

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The Handmaid’s Tale author, Margaret Atwood, published an article in The Atlantic in 2023, responding to the school board in Madison County, Virginia, banning her book from high-school libraries on the grounds of having explicit sexual scenes. She argued that the official reasons for the ban are ridiculous, stating that her book “is much less sexually explicit than the Bible.” Limiting what kids can read based on religious views is also a form of totalitarianism and flies against the separation of church and state that the US is founded on.

The author stated that despite her book being misunderstood as anti-Christian, The Handmaid’s Tale was partially inspired by biblical texts and argues “against totalitarian control and power hoarding cloaked in a supposed religiousness that is mostly based on the earlier scriptures in the Bible.” Atwood does have a point. It makes little sense that her book is banned, while movie and TV adaptations that include more explicit scenes are not. Banning her book from libraries only affects those who can’t afford to buy books. Atwood also raised the topic of book censorship in the age of social media and streaming platforms.

The Handmaid’s Tale depicts a dystopian society where the theocratic Christian authoritarian regime of Gilead has taken over the US. The provocative nature of the subjects discussed in the story may cause discomfort for certain people, especially on the subjects of sex, birth control, and women’s rights. However, contrary to what is claimed in the official statement on the book ban, sex exists only by mention. There’s no direct, on-the-page description of explicit activities.

Although The Handmaid’s Tale was written for adultsthe book often appears on high school reading lists. Now, the author has since teamed up with Penguin Random House to create a fireproof version to ensure her book cannot be burned.

The Handmaid’s Tale’s Horrifying Dystopian World Should Be a Warning

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In The Handmaid’s Taleindividual liberties are reserved solely for those who swear allegiance to the oppressive Republic of Gilead. In other words, those who are “free” are merely sold a false idea of freedom, which is nothing more than an encouragement to project their anger and authority onto “lesser’ individuals — characters who are devoid of privileges and autonomy.

The surge of book banning across the U.S. is concerning not only because it hurts the principle of freedom of speech and the idea of a secular nation, but also because it’s a clear symptom of the authoritarian regime depicted in The Handmaid’s Tale.

This creep towards authoritarianism doesn’t mean modern society will reach The Handmaid’s Tale‘s level of tyranny. However, it means various governments are carrying out authoritarian initiatives under everyone’s nose, with impunity. More often than not, novels and TV shows like The Handmaid’s Tale excel at exposing the underpinnings of oppression through the extreme possibilities of fiction.

The dystopian world and its imaginary elements are merely a disguise for a fitting critique of the present day. While it should go without saying, the concept of book banning as a shield to conservative norms is a huge misfire.

Every time an American institution bans The Handmaid’s Taleit is doing nothing more than proving Atwood’s points right and exposing the underbelly of censorship in broad daylight. This detail applies to several other banned books in America. For example, it’s not a coincidence that To Kill a Mockingbird was banned specifically in states where racism is still so infamously ingrained in social institutions. The list goes on and on. Fiction remains one of the most effective ways to inform children about what’s truly happening around them.

The Handmaid’s Tale Includes a Queer Character

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The Handmaid’s Tale included a strong LGBTQ+ character, Moira, known for her intelligence and bravery. The system seeks to define her, but she chooses not to submit. Moira’s strength and courage inspire the other Handmaids. However, her tragic ending offers readers a spine-tingling view of power and oppression. The Handmaid’s Tale doesn’t just include queerness; it tells the story of oppression and injustice. It’s fiction, but it mirrors reality in ugly ways.

Moira is the book’s only queer character, while the TV series includes Emily, also known as Ofglenportrayed by Alexis Bledel. Moira is a Handmaid alongside Offred at the Red Center and has known her since adolescence. Even though Moira has dated men in the past, she finds herself in much more satisfying relationships with women. She is also a gender equalist and an activist. She attempts to escape from the Red Center twice, and even before, she tried to escape the Republic of Gilead when it began to take over the U.S. Back then, Moira almost made it to Canada, but she was captured and brought back.

She then meets Offred in the Red Center, and never agrees to submit to Gilead’s rules. She resists the training at the Red Center and refuses to be defined by Gilead, which leads to her second attempt to escape Gilead and her first attempt to escape the Red Center. She’s captured again, and this time, Moira is tortured as punishment for her actions. In a world where handmaids live to serve the only purpose of reproduction, Aunt Lydia justifies the torture by reminding women that they don’t need hands or legs to serve their purposes.

Despite the consequences, Moira attempts to escape for the third time. She confronts Aunt Elizabeth and steals her high-ranking clothing to aid her escape. Because of Moira’s success in escaping from the Red Center, the women regard her as a symbol of rebellion and a legend. However, Moira’s story ends on a tragic note.

It’s revealed that she was captured again, and this time, Gilead managed to reach her. Moira is put to work as a sex worker with her spirit broken. She and Offred meet again many years later, but sadly, Moira is almost unrecognizable. Simple pleasures like cigarettes and alcohol dominate her decision-making, and she has become apathetic, which is incredibly disheartening.

The Handmaid’s Tale Speaks About Women’s Rights in Patriarchy

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Moira’s desperate need to escape from Gilead is understandable, given that queerness is treated as treason and queer people are stripped of human rights in the Republic of Gilead (which eventually happens to Moira). The patriarchal social structure of Gilead ensures that “both men and women who do not carry out their roles in the patriarchal system are punished.” Moira, as a lesbian, is considered a gender traitor, but she’s only one among the other “offenders” who “fail” at their duties as women.

“Unwomen” are those who are unmarried, divorced, or unfaithful. Human rights activists, nuns, journalists, female protesters, feminists, and handmaids who fail to bear children in three two-year postings all count as “unwomen.” They have no human rights, which means that they are subjected to forced labor without any question raised and can be executed at any time.

Though the character is taken as a symbol of rebellion by other handmaids, Moira is just trying to survive. This makes her ending even more heartbreaking because, in the end, there’s no way out. The only way for her to exist is to comply and let Gilead strip her of her identity and everything that makes her Moira.

The Testaments Will Get an Adaptation

Nearly four decades after the publication of her world-renowned novel, Margaret Atwood released a sequel in 2019. Unlike The Handmaid’s Talewhich only received a Booker Prize nomination, The Testaments went on to win the prestigious literary award (shared with Bernardine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other). Taking place fifteen years following the end of June’s storyline, the original protagonist doesn’t appear in The Testaments. Instead, the narrator is Aunt Lydia.

While The Handmaid’s Tale highlighted the power and struggles of resistance, the sequel showcases how various forms of rebellion sprouted across Gilead. The main female characters are all exceptionally devoted to the cause of freedom, driven by the dream of true emancipation to achieve greater heights.

Although Margaret Atwood has occasionally criticized the term “feminism” to describe her works, she agrees that they are feminist in the sense that “women are human beings… and what happens to them is crucial to the theme, structure, and plot…” Undoubtedly, the fiery heroines of The Testaments are as powerful a sisterhood as their counterparts in The Handmaid’s Tale.

Now that The Handmaid’s Tale is over, this incredible sequel will get an adaptation too. The Testaments was greenlit in February 2025and Hulu officially ordered it 2 months later in April of the same year. This show will be set after the events ofThe Handmaid’s Taleand it will follow Agnes and Daisy, two teenagers at Aunt Lydia’s ruthless school for future wives.Agnes is actually June Osborn’s daughter, while Daisy is a Canadian girl new to Gilead.

The Testamentswill be a dramatic coming-of-age story, with the bond between Agnes and Daisy as a unifying thread, showcasing the lives of a new generation of women oppressed by Gilead, many of whom don’t know a life outside this sexist regime.

It has been announced that the talented Ann Dowd will reprise her role as Aunt Lydia, but the rest of the cast will bring fresh faces to the screen. Agnes will be portrayed by Chase Infinitiknown for her role inOne Battle After AnotherandPresumed Innocent,and Daisy will be played by Lucy Halliday, fromBlue JeanandCalifornia Schemin’. Rowan Blanchard, famously known for her role as Riley Matthews inGirl Meets World,has been cast as Shunammite, a girl from a prominent Gilead family who may antagonize Agnes and Daisy on the show.

Other names have surfaced, like Amy Seimetz, Mattea Conforti, Birva Pandya, and Mabel Li. However, it’s still too soon to know their role in the series.

The Testaments‘ first season will have 10 episodes, with the first three hitting Hulu on April 8, 2026. Fans are wondering whether June will appear in the show, but this remains a mystery: Elisabeth Moss is an executive producer of the spin-off series, but she hasn’t confirmed her involvement in the cast yet.

Release Date

2017 – 2025-00-00

Network

Hulu

Showrunner

Bruce Miller

Directors

Mike Barker, Kari Skogland, Daina Reid, Reed Morano, Floria Sigismondi, Jeremy Podeswa, Kate Dennis, Richard Shepard, Amma Asante, Christina Choe, Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Bradley Whitford, Dearbhla Walsh, Liz Garbus

Writers

Kira Snyder, Eric Tuchman, Yahlin Chang, John Herrera, Jacey Heldrich, Dorothy Fortenberry, Marissa Jo Cerar, Lynn Renee Maxcy

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  Elisabeth Moss

  June Osborne / Offred / Ofjoseph

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  Yvonne Strahovski

  Serena Joy Waterford