a teal and white sticker on an orange background. The sticker has a linocut image with an image of hands holding a book and the words "join the resistance, read"
The Goods

Bookish Goods with a Social Justice Flair

These T-shirts, stickers, and mugs announce to the world that you're pro-library, antifascist, and anti-censorship.

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I am the queen of the Fun Little Treat. I love to bribe myself to complete basic tasks or stay on top of habits, and I keep a list of items that can be my carrot for the week. Lately, I’ve noticed that if I’m spending money on something, I need it to work on many levels. I want cute, meaningful, and eye-catching things with a good message. If a sticker says something, I want it to say something about me. As we’re early in 2025, I feel a consistent need to point out how I feel about book bannings, anti-immigrant policies, transgender rights, reproductive health care, and fascist leaders. Owning items with a social justice theme feels good; I find myself wanting to signal that I’m not okay with the current state of affairs.

Of course, the best way to signal that you stand for something is not through costuming, but through action. True activism lies in what you do, whether it’s donating to mutual aid networks, contacting lawmakers, distributing information to help people know their rights when dealing with ICE—anything that puts your time and money where your mouth is. The problems of the world seem overwhelming, and no one can fix everything, but everyone can do something. Still, if you want to wear a cute shirt while you’re driving people to the polls or need a great sticker for the water bottle you’ll sip from while supporting the public library at the next city council meeting, I’ve got you covered. Look below for a sampling of the many super cute bookish goods with a social justice flair.

purple tshirt with a flaming book with an evil eye on the cover and the words 'read banned books.'
Image by The Bees Gifts via Etsy

This message is available in endless fonts and styles, but I loved the addition of the mystical book and the color choices with this one. Read Banned Books Shirt, $41+ (Sizes S-4XL)

a pink shirt with red script that says "read, resist, rise"
Image by Luca Boo Co via Etsy

The pretty colors and fonts almost overshadow the power of the words, but not quite. Resisting can be lovely! Read Resist Rise Shirt, $42+ (Sizes S-4XL)

a white tshirt that says "Octavia Butler Told Ya'll" with a black and white graphic of a gridded sphere
Image by The Dire Apparel via Etsy

This might be my favorite shirt. With a nod to the eerily prophetic Parable of the Sower, the message is clear. Listen to Black women, and read Black authors. Octavia Butler Told Y’all Shirt, $33+ (Sizes XS-5XL)

circular holographic sticker that says libraries are for everyone pride flag
Image by Book Ninja Designs via Etsy

This statement seems simple, but this rainbow-hued sticker makes it clear that there will be no bigotry accepted. Libraries Are For Everyone Sticker, $3

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black and white sticker with script that says read banned books
Image by Shop Wild Voices via Etsy

Do as the sticker says! I adore this simplistic style and the gorgeous font. Read Banned Books Sticker, $4

a picture of a book with flowers growing out of it with words underneath that read ":prolibrary antifascist"
Image by Cancel Empire via Etsy

If these two terms describe you, you’ll love this sticker with stark words and blooming flowers. Prolibrary Antifascist Sticker, $4

a teal and white sticker on an orange background. The sticker has a linocut image with an image of hands holding a book and the words "join the resistance, read"
Image by Bookishly UK via Etsy

The linocut motif of this sticker truly feels like a grassroots resistance. Join the Resistance: Read Sticker, $6

a white mug with black letters that reads "protect access to all books for all people" aroung a rainbow shelf of books
Image by Angie Pea via Etsy

I like how this mug sums it all up very nicely. All books, all people. Protect Access to Books Mug, $22

Hopefully, you’ve found something you can look forward to buying, and maybe a new action that will back up those awesome bookish goods with a social justice flair. Looking for more bookish goods? Check out this list of Radical Goodies for Politically Engaged Readers. And sign up for Literary Activism to stay informed about book bans. Happy shopping, and happy reading!