Julianne Moore has said she was “stunned” to discover that Donald Trump’s administration has “banned” her book from schools run by the Department Of Defence (DoD).
The Oscar winner published her first children’s book, Freckleface Strawberry, in 2007, telling the story of a young red-headed girl who hates her own freckles, but eventually learns to love them.
According to The Guardian, the Department of Defence circulated a memo a week ago stating library books “potentially related to gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology topics” were being looked into.
Following this, a “small number” of books was held for “further review”, including Julianne’s, according to The Guardian’s report, though the results of this “review” have not yet been made public.
Posting on her Instagram on Sunday, Julianne wrote: “It is a great shock for me to learn that my first book, Freckleface Strawberry, has been banned by the Trump Administration from schools run by the Department of Defence.
“Freckleface Strawberry is a semi-autobiographical story about a seven-year-old girl who dislikes her freckles but eventually learns to live with them when she realises that she is different ‘just like everybody else’.
“It is a book I wrote for my children and for other kids to remind them that we all struggle, but are united by our humanity and our community.”
The Far From Heaven star continued: “I am particularly stunned because I am a proud graduate of Frankfurt American High School a [Department Of Defence] school that once operated in Frankfurt, Germany. I grew up with a father who is a Vietnam veteran and spent his career in the [US Army]. I could not be prouder of him and his service to our country.
“It is galling for me to realise that kids like me, growing up with a parent in the service and attending a [Department Of Defence-run] school will not have access to a book written by someone whose life experience is so similar to their own. And I can’t help but wonder what is so controversial about this picture book that [caused] it to be banned by the US Government.”
Julianne concluded: “I am truly saddened and never thought I would see this in a country where freedom of speech and expression is a constitutional right.”
After her first book proved popular, Freckleface Strawberry inspired an entire season, with six additional instalments.
In 2013, Julianne also penned the children’s book My Mom Is A Foreigner, But Not To Me, which was inspired by her experiences of growing up in the US with a mother from overseas.
Julianne’s mum was born and raised in Scotland, migrating to the US with her family later in life.
Since his inauguration a month ago, Trump has already made a series of executive orders targeting the transgender community and other marginalised groups.