Censorship of Art Now Has Idaho Public College Under Pressure

The National Coalition Against Censorship, on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho, has written a letter to express displeasure with the decision that Lewis-Clark State College decided to make before an upcoming exhibition at the College's Center for Arts & History. 

Lewis-Clark State College excluded work from Lydia Noble's As I Sit Waiting series, a New York-based artist. It should be displayed at the College's Center for Arts & History exhibition, Unconditional Care. Six artworks were removed from the show, and a seventh has been edited to remove references to abortion. Lydia was one of many who had her artwork removed. Katrina Majkut, who was asked to curate the exhibition, also had her work removed. Katrina's work titled Abortion Pills had embroidered images of medical abortion pills. 

The letter from ACLU to Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston said that Noble's artwork was removed because of "its alleged violation of an Idaho state law, the No Public Funds for Abortion Act. That law prohibits the use of public funds for abortion, including speech that would "promote abortion" or "counsel in favor of abortion." 

They also encouraged the College to reconsider the censorship and permit the work as part of Unconditional Care, "the College's decision threatens this bedrock First Amendment principle by censoring Nobles' important work and denying visitors of the Center the opportunity to view, consider, and discuss it." 

Lydia Nobles, on her website, writes, " I collected narratives of people's experiences with abortion access or lack thereof to create a sculpture in honor of them. Each sculpture is installed to reflect a waiting room chair at an abortion clinic."