Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship

The handmaid lies in bed and builds three impossible versions of what happened to Luke — all of them contradictory, all of them believed at the same time. Then a red siren pulls up to the house and everything shifts to Janine, who's about to give birth in a world where the women feeding her cookies will call her a whore the second she leaves the room.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Offred constructs three completely different fates for Luke and believes all of them simultaneously — and why that might be the sanest thing she does
Dan's theory about why nobody in a dictatorship would actually wonder what they did wrong, and Jennifer connecting it to ICE detention centers
The Stockdale Paradox — how POWs who survived Vietnam connect directly to what Offred is doing
Jennifer's discovery that Atwood thinks God looks like an egg, and Dan's concern about what happens when you get to heaven and find out Cory Booker is running the resistance
The wives petting Janine like a golden retriever, feeding her cookies, calling her "practically family" — and what they say the second she leaves the room
Dan makes a case that the book was banned because Margaret Atwood compared God to an egg. His old boss Keith also looked like an egg.
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?These chapters feature Offred's reference to masturbation, a graphic imagined description of Luke shot in the head, and Atwood comparing God to an egg — the kind of passage that gets a book pulled from shelves for being "offensive to Christians." The wives calling handmaids "little whores" while treating them like pets doesn't help either.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
Every week we highlight podcasts worth your time:
Good News for Lefties — Banned Camp's own Beowulf Rochlén delivers the week's best news for progressives, including a story about Indiana librarians being trained to help people in mental health crises. Libraries literally saving lives.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-camp-banned-books-comedy-and-free-speech-vs/id1676866857
Featured Clips
This episode includes short clips from "Hey There Hobo" by The Hackensaw Boys. All rights belong to their respective owners and are used here under fair use for the purpose of cultural commentary and education.
Disclaimer
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines.
The material used from the book The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
https://bookshop.org/a/20953/9780385490818
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Margaret Atwood, her estate, or the publishers of The Handmaid's Tale. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?
The Handmaid's Tale has been challenged or banned in American schools and libraries every single year since its publication in 1985. It was the most challenged book in the United States in 2023. It has been targeted for profanity, sexually explicit content, and content deemed "offensive to Christians." But the deeper reason is that Margaret Atwood showed what happens when a government uses religion, tradition, and "protecting families" as justification for stripping women of their rights, their names, and their autonomy. That's the part that actually scares book banners, because it looks a lot like Tuesday.
Is there a podcast that reads The Handmaid's Tale chapter by chapter?
That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 11 covers The Handmaid's Tale, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning?
No. Every episode opens with Robot's recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
What is the Birthmobile in The Handmaid's Tale?
The Birthmobile is a red van that picks up Handmaids when one of them goes into labor. There's also a blue one for the Wives. The Handmaids sit on benches behind curtains with no view, while the Wives get upholstered seats facing forward. Banned Camp's reading of chapters 18-19 covers the Birthmobile's arrival and what happens when Janine goes into labor.
What are "unbabies" in The Handmaid's Tale?
Unbabies are deformed infants born as a result of widespread environmental contamination — radiation, toxic chemicals, and pollution. In Gilead, prenatal testing has been outlawed, so there's no way to know until birth. Banned Camp discusses this in their Season 11 episode covering chapters 18-19, connecting it to real-world restrictions on reproductive healthcare.
Topics Covered:
The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Offred, Luke, Janine, Ofwarren, Serena Joy, Nick, Aunt Lydia, Moira, The Hackensaw Boys, hope and survival, forced birth, reproductive control, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

Chapter 16 finally takes us inside the Ceremony — the state-sanctioned act that gets this book banned more than anything else. It's not what you'd expect. Then Chapter 17 sends Offred wandering through the dark house with butter on her face and a stolen daffodil, straight into an encounter she didn't plan and isn't sure she can trust.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Dan tries to reverse-engineer the physical logistics of the Ceremony using a mechanic scooter and some creative problem-solving
Jennifer's observation that nobody in the room wants to be there — and what that says about 2026
The moment Jennifer reads "the Commander fucks" out loud and Banned Camp drops its first unbleeped F-bomb of the season
Dan and Jennifer debate whether Elon Musk would be a Commander in Gilead (Jennifer's answer is immediate and confident)
Jennifer immediately distrusts Nick after the kiss — Dan thinks it's romantic, Jennifer is not having it
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?
Chapter 16 is the scene book banners point to most — explicit sexual positioning, the word "fuck," bodily fluids. But Atwood wrote a scene where three people perform a joyless duty that nobody wants, stripped of every trace of intimacy. The book gets banned for depicting sex. It's actually depicting the absence of it.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
Every week we shout out podcasts worth your time:
Good News for Lefties — Beowulf Rochlén brings you the stories the doom-scrolling algorithm doesn't want you to see. This week: a California library is hosting Mexican wrestlers who body-slam each other between the bookshelves to get kids reading. It's called Lucha Libro and it's exactly as amazing as it sounds.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-camp-banned-books-comedy-and-free-speech-vs/id1676866857
Disclaimer
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines.
The material used from the book The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
https://bookshop.org/a/20953/9780385490818
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Margaret Atwood, her estate, or the publishers of The Handmaid's Tale. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?
The Handmaid's Tale has been challenged or banned in American schools and libraries every single year since its publication in 1985. It was the most challenged book in the United States in 2023. It has been targeted for profanity, sexually explicit content, and content deemed "offensive to Christians." But the deeper reason is that Margaret Atwood showed what happens when a government uses religion, tradition, and "protecting families" as justification for stripping women of their rights, their names, and their autonomy. That's the part that actually scares book banners, because it looks a lot like Tuesday.
Is there a podcast that reads The Handmaid's Tale chapter by chapter?
That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 11 covers The Handmaid's Tale, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning?
No. Every episode opens with Robot's recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
What is the Ceremony in The Handmaid's Tale?
The Ceremony is Gilead's ritualized act of conception, based on the biblical story of Rachel and Bilhah. The Handmaid lies between the Wife's legs while the Commander has intercourse with her — all three fully clothed, no intimacy, no pleasure. Banned Camp's reading of Chapter 16 covers the full scene, including why it's the most cited reason the book gets banned despite having, as Robot puts it, "less heat than a dentist appointment."
Why does Offred use butter as lotion in The Handmaid's Tale?
The Wives decreed that Handmaids can't have hand lotion or face cream — their bodies are containers, and appearance doesn't matter. So the Handmaids smuggle butter from meals and rub it into their skin in secret. It's not about skincare. As Offred explains, as long as they do this, they can believe they'll be touched again in love or desire someday. Banned Camp explores this scene in their Chapter 17 discussion.
Topics Covered:
The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Offred, Serena Joy, the Commander, Nick, the Ceremony, butter as resistance, bodily autonomy, consent, Elon Musk, Moms for Liberty, Ron DeSantis, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

The commander unlocks the only Bible in the house, reads the parts that serve him, and leads a ceremony nobody in the room wants to be part of. Meanwhile, the handmaid flashes back to her friend Moira's escape attempt from the Red Center, a plan involving faked scurvy, an ambulance ride, and consequences that will stick with you long after the chapter ends.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Dan explains the very specific type of guy who looks like a "vodka ad in a glossy magazine" and somehow ends up wanting perimenopause medication
Robot reveals that "Blessed are the silent" was never in the Bible and the aunts invented it to replace "Blessed are the meek"
Dan connects a pattern across three dystopian books: 1984's telescreens, Brave New World's hypnopedia, and Gilead's locked Bible
Moira's scurvy escape plan and Robot's medical breakdown of what actually happens when you stop taking vitamin C
Dan's plan to set calendar reminders to stop eating fruit six weeks before any event he doesn't want to attend
The sugar packets the women stole for Moira, not because she needed sugar, but because it was the only thing they could find to give
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?
This chapter shows a man reading selectively from a locked Bible while the women in the room have no way to verify what he's saying. The aunts altered the Beatitudes to say "Blessed are the silent." That's not anti-Christian. That's showing what happens when people in power get to decide which parts of scripture you're allowed to hear, and that's exactly why this book gets challenged.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
Every week we share podcasts worth checking out. Here's this week's pick:
Good News for Lefties — Beowulf Rochlen brings you the good news the mainstream media isn't covering. This week: libraries in Oregon are lending trail cameras to patrons to help track porcupine populations, turning everyday library visitors into citizen scientists. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-camp-banned-books-comedy-and-free-speech-vs/id1676866857
Disclaimer
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines.
The material used from the book The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
https://bookshop.org/a/20953/9780385490818
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Margaret Atwood, her estate, or the publishers of The Handmaid's Tale. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?
The Handmaid's Tale has been challenged or banned in American schools and libraries every single year since its publication in 1985. It was the most challenged book in the United States in 2023. It has been targeted for profanity, sexually explicit content, and content deemed "offensive to Christians." But the deeper reason is that Margaret Atwood showed what happens when a government uses religion, tradition, and "protecting families" as justification for stripping women of their rights, their names, and their autonomy. That's the part that actually scares book banners, because it looks a lot like Tuesday.
Is there a podcast that reads The Handmaid's Tale chapter by chapter?
That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 11 covers The Handmaid's Tale, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning?
No. Every episode opens with Robot's recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
What are the Beatitudes in The Handmaid's Tale?
In Chapter 15, the aunts play a recording of the Beatitudes during lunch at the Red Center, but they've altered the text. "Blessed are the meek" becomes "Blessed are the silent," replacing a word that implies choice with one that demands obedience. Offred notices but has no way to prove it. Banned Camp's fact-checking Robot breaks down exactly what was changed and why it matters.
What happens to Moira in Chapter 15 of The Handmaid's Tale?
Moira deliberately stops taking vitamin C to fake scurvy, gets sent out in an ambulance, and attempts to escape using the guards as her opportunity. The plan fails. She's dragged back to the Red Center, taken to the old Science Lab, and beaten with steel cables until her feet swell beyond recognition. Banned Camp covers this scene and its real-world parallels in their Season 11 reading.
Topics Covered:
The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, Chapter 15, Offred, Commander, Serena Joy, Moira, Aunt Lydia, Nick, the Beatitudes, the ceremony, scurvy, Bible as weapon, Donald Trump, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

The Handmaid kneels in a sitting room full of expensive objects, waiting for the Ceremony to begin. She's surrounded by velvet drapes, a china cupid, and dried flowers, and she realizes she's no different than any of them. Then the chapter takes a hard turn into a flashback nobody saw coming, and suddenly she's in a car with forged passports, hard-boiled eggs, and a drugged child heading for the Canadian border.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Dan's theory about Serena Joy's "cuck chair" and what the sitting room is actually designed for
Jennifer's observation that all the "civilized" objects in the room are set dressing for something beastly
The moment Dan asks Jennifer to roleplay as a uterus in a fancy room, and her answer gets unexpectedly real
Nick touching Offred's foot with his boot while everyone else is in the room
Jennifer comparing the Gilead news broadcast to 1984's permanent war, and whether any of it is real
Jennifer revealing she's actually planning escape routes to Canada from Washington state, and the moment Dan tells her to just go now while she still can
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?This chapter shows a woman kneeling in a room designed for a ritual she has no power to refuse, watching state propaganda she knows is fake but wants to believe anyway. The book has been challenged for showing how religion and tradition can be used to strip women of their autonomy, and Chapter 14 puts the reader inside that experience with unbearable specificity.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
If you like Banned Camp, check out these shows we think are worth your time:
Good News for Lefties — Beowulf Rochlén delivers daily good news stories for progressives who are tired of doom-scrolling. This week he found a Republican governor who actually vetoed a book ban. Twice. Find him wherever you find podcasts.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-camp-banned-books-comedy-and-free-speech-vs/id1676866857
Featured Clips
This episode includes short clips from a 1977 Sucrets TV commercial. All rights belong to their respective owners and are used here under fair use for the purpose of cultural commentary and education.
Disclaimer
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines.
The material used from the book The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
https://bookshop.org/a/20953/9780385490818
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Margaret Atwood, her estate, or the publishers of The Handmaid's Tale. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?
The Handmaid's Tale has been challenged or banned in American schools and libraries every single year since its publication in 1985. It was the most challenged book in the United States in 2023. It has been targeted for profanity, sexually explicit content, and content deemed "offensive to Christians." But the deeper reason is that Margaret Atwood showed what happens when a government uses religion, tradition, and "protecting families" as justification for stripping women of their rights, their names, and their autonomy. That's the part that actually scares book banners, because it looks a lot like Tuesday.
Is there a podcast that reads The Handmaid's Tale chapter by chapter?
That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 11 covers The Handmaid's Tale, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning?
No. Every episode opens with Robot's recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
What is "the Ceremony" in The Handmaid's Tale?
The Ceremony is Gilead's ritualized sexual act where the Commander, his Wife, and the Handmaid are all present. Chapter 14 builds toward it as Offred kneels in the sitting room waiting for the household to assemble. Banned Camp's reading of this chapter explores the power dynamics of a room where nobody actually wants to be there.
Does Offred try to escape in The Handmaid's Tale?
Chapter 14 reveals a flashback to Offred's family attempting to flee to Canada with forged passports and a drugged child. The escape attempt is told mid-chapter without warning, cutting from the sitting room to a car on a Saturday morning. Banned Camp's hosts don't see it coming, and their real-time reactions are part of what makes the episode hit so hard.
Topics Covered:
The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, Chapter 14, Offred, Serena Joy, Nick, Commander, Luke, Cora, Rita, the Ceremony, propaganda, escape to Canada, Quakers, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

The Handmaid describes the crushing boredom of life in the Commander's house, then flashes back to the Red Center where women are drugged, conditioned with ballet music during pelvic exercises, and forced to participate in something called "testifying" — where a girl named Janine is made to say her own gang rape was her fault. Moira arrives with a bruise and a bad attitude. And then the chapter ends with the worst dream Offred has ever had.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Jennifer invents a pelvic exercise called "Feldenkrais" that does not exist in any language, and Robot has to explain what a Kegel actually is
The pigeon experiment — three groups pressing a button for food, and what happens when the food stops coming
Jennifer's raw, personal reaction to how fast rights can disappear overnight
The chapter's devastating final scene and how it connects to something happening in America right now
A listener comment about Moms for Liberty and Harvey Kellogg 
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?This chapter forces readers to watch a room full of women chant "her fault" at a 14-year-old rape victim — and then watch that girl internalize it within a week. Book banners call it "inappropriate content." The real reason they want it gone is that any student who reads this scene will recognize victim-blaming as a system of control, not just something bad people do. That's a lesson that doesn't go away.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
If you're looking for more podcasts that pair well with what we're doing here, check out Good News for Lefties — Beowulf Rochlén's show dedicated to finding the good news you're not hearing about. This week he covers bookstores in Utah teaming up with LGBTQ organizations to give away free copies of banned books. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-camp-banned-books-comedy-and-free-speech-vs/id1676866857
Disclaimer
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines.
The material used from the book The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
https://bookshop.org/a/20953/9780385490818
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Margaret Atwood, her estate, or the publishers of The Handmaid's Tale. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?
The Handmaid's Tale has been challenged or banned in American schools and libraries every single year since its publication in 1985. It was the most challenged book in the United States in 2023. It has been targeted for profanity, sexually explicit content, and content deemed "offensive to Christians." But the deeper reason is that Margaret Atwood showed what happens when a government uses religion, tradition, and "protecting families" as justification for stripping women of their rights, their names, and their autonomy. That's the part that actually scares book banners, because it looks a lot like Tuesday.
Is there a podcast that reads The Handmaid's Tale chapter by chapter?
That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 11 covers The Handmaid's Tale, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning?
No. Every episode opens with Robot's recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
What is "testifying" in The Handmaid's Tale?
Testifying is a group ritual at the Red Center where Handmaids-in-training are forced to confess their past experiences — often sexual assaults — and the other women chant that it was the victim's fault. It's a conditioning technique designed to break women into accepting blame for violence done to them. Banned Camp covers testifying in their Season 11 reading of The Handmaid's Tale, exploring how the scene mirrors real-world victim-blaming and how quickly conditioning can work.
Who is Moira in The Handmaid's Tale?
Moira is Offred's best friend from before Gilead who arrives at the Red Center in Chapter 13 with a bruise on her face and her old clothes still on. She's defiant, blunt, and the first person in the story who openly calls the Red Center what it is. Banned Camp's hosts immediately identify her as a potential turning point in the book — someone who might remind Offred not to accept what's happening.
Topics Covered:
The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, Chapter 13, Offred, Moira, Janine, Aunt Lydia, Aunt Helena, Luke, Dolores, victim blaming, conditioning, Red Center, testifying, Kegel exercises, pigeon experiment, boredom as control, ICE family separation, Roe v Wade, reproductive rights, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

Season 11 of Banned Camp is here. This time we're reading The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.
It's one of the most banned books in America. Pulled from school libraries. Challenged by school boards. And we're going to read every page of it out loud so you don't have to.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast about banned books. Every season we pick a different book that someone somewhere decided you shouldn't read. Then we read it, react to it, and make fun of the people who tried to hide it from you.
If you like books, free speech, and laughing at censorship, hit subscribe. New episodes drop weekly.

The Handmaid goes to her monthly doctor's exam, and it turns into something much more dangerous than a checkup. Then, in the bath, she disappears into a memory of the daughter she lost, and has to compose herself back into someone who can survive dinner. Dan and Jennifer read both chapters live, no spoilers, no idea what's coming.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter, we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
The doctor's exam that starts clinical and turns into something much more dangerous, including an offer nobody should have to consider
"This is how I know she's not really a ghost. If she were a ghost, she would be the same age always"
The tattoo, the mystery of the butter, and why "a made thing, not something born" might be the saddest line in the book so far
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?This episode covers a gynecological exam that reads less like medicine and more like coercion, plus a mother grieving a child she's told to stop hoping for. Books that describe reproductive control and state power over women's bodies this plainly tend to be the ones school boards call "inappropriate" — which is usually code for "too accurate."
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
This episode's promo swap and Beowulf's pick:
Here's The Scoop from NBC News — A daily podcast hosted by Yasmin Vossoughian taking a deep dive into the day's top stories with NBC News journalists, described as sharp, thoughtful, and informative.
Good News for Lefties — Beowulf Rochlén's show, for when you need actual good news for once.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-camp-banned-books-comedy-and-free-speech-vs/id1676866857
Disclaimer
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines.
The material used from the book The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
https://bookshop.org/a/20953/9780385490818
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Margaret Atwood, her estate, or the publishers of The Handmaid's Tale. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?
The Handmaid's Tale has been challenged or banned in American schools and libraries every single year since its publication in 1985. It was the most challenged book in the United States in 2023. It has been targeted for profanity, sexually explicit content, and content deemed "offensive to Christians." But the deeper reason is that Margaret Atwood showed what happens when a government uses religion, tradition, and "protecting families" as justification for stripping women of their rights, their names, and their autonomy. That's the part that actually scares book banners, because it looks a lot like Tuesday.
Is there a podcast that reads The Handmaid's Tale chapter by chapter?
That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time, neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 11 covers The Handmaid's Tale, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning?
No. Every episode opens with Robot's recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
What does "there is no such thing as a sterile man" mean in The Handmaid's Tale?
In Gilead, infertility is officially blamed only on women, sterile men don't legally exist. Banned Camp's fact-checking Robot points out this isn't fiction; historically, infertility was almost always blamed on women, and male fertility wasn't routinely tested until the 20th century.
Topics Covered:
The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Offred, Aunt Lydia, Cora, Rita, Serena Joy, Luke, Moira, reproductive control, infertility, forced medical exams, grief, memory, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

The Handmaid discovers a message scratched into her cupboard floor by someone who came before her — four Latin words left for a stranger who might never find them. 
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
The moment Jennifer identifies the passage that becomes the episode's thesis: "Ignoring isn't the same as ignorance. You have to work at it."
Robot's fact-check on Hannah Arendt's "banality of evil" and why you don't need a monster to destroy a society — just enough people willing to stop imagining what others are feeling
Moira's first full introduction: the underwhore party, the dorm room chemistry, and how laughter becomes resistance
The Faith cushion on the window seat and what it means that Offred spends tens of minutes reading a single word
The Latin message discovery: Nolite te bastardes carborundorum — and why someone risked punishment to leave it behind
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?
This chapter centers on two things book banners absolutely hate: empathy and female connection. The underwhore party, the affair discussion, the laughter between women — these are acts of resistance that the system is designed to prevent. The Latin message proves that even silence and control can't stop people from reaching out to strangers. That's what scares the people banning this book.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
Stick around after this episode for recommendations on what to listen to next:
Here's The Scoop — A new podcast from NBC News with host Yasmeen Wassuging, diving deep into the day's top stories with NBC News' trusted journalists. Sharp, thoughtful, and informative.
Good News for Lefties — Hosted by Beowulf Rochlén. Exactly what the title promises: good news for people who care about progressive causes, civil rights, and cultural moments that matter. New episodes available wherever you get your podcasts.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-camp-banned-books-comedy-and-free-speech-vs/id1676866857
Disclaimer
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines.
The material used from the book The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
https://bookshop.org/a/20953/9780385490818
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Margaret Atwood, her estate, or the publishers of The Handmaid's Tale. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?
The Handmaid's Tale has been challenged or banned in American schools and libraries every single year since its publication in 1985. It was the most challenged book in the United States in 2023. It has been targeted for profanity, sexually explicit content, and content deemed "offensive to Christians." But the deeper reason is that Margaret Atwood showed what happens when a government uses religion, tradition, and "protecting families" as justification for stripping women of their rights, their names, and their autonomy. That's the part that actually scares book banners, because it looks a lot like Tuesday.
Is there a podcast that reads The Handmaid's Tale chapter by chapter?
That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 11 covers The Handmaid's Tale, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning?
No. Every episode opens with Robot's recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
Topics Covered:
The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Offred, Moira, Aunt Lydia, the Commander, Luke, Hannah Arendt, banality of evil, empathy and resistance, banned books, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

A funeral procession carries a jar small enough to tell the age of what was inside it. A dish towel almost breaks someone who's already survived a public execution wall. And the most powerful man in the house breaks his own rules just to stand outside a door. Chapter 8 of The Handmaid's Tale somehow makes a kitchen feel as dangerous as a checkpoint.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
A priest and two guardians join the wall this episode, and Robot has zero patience for the term "gender treachery"
Serena Joy's real name was Pam, and she "has become speechless" after spending years asking for exactly this
A dish towel with blue stripes nearly undoes someone in a way six bodies on a wall couldn't
The Commander breaks his own house rules, says nothing, and disappears — and nobody, including us, knows what to make of it yet
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned? This chapter pairs a public execution wall with a private, ordinary kitchen, and that's exactly the kind of contrast that makes people uncomfortable. Showing how easily the unbearable becomes routine is precisely the commentary that gets books pulled off shelves.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to BingeworthyA couple of shows worth your next listen:
Here's The Scoop (NBC News) — A daily news podcast hosted by Yasmeen Vassegian, taking a deeper look at the day's top stories with NBC News journalists, bringing you closer to the headlines shaping the world.
Good News for Lefties — Beowulf's own show, proof that there's still good news out there from a leftist point of view. This week: a Pittsburgh nonprofit is filling Little Free Libraries with banned LGBTQ+ books across the city.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple PodcastsRate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-camp-banned-books-comedy-and-free-speech-vs/id1676866857
DisclaimerBanned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines.
The material used from the book The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety. https://bookshop.org/a/20953/9780385490818
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Margaret Atwood, her estate, or the publishers of The Handmaid's Tale. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?The Handmaid's Tale has been challenged or banned in American schools and libraries every single year since its publication in 1985. It was the most challenged book in the United States in 2023. It has been targeted for profanity, sexually explicit content, and content deemed "offensive to Christians." But the deeper reason is that Margaret Atwood showed what happens when a government uses religion, tradition, and "protecting families" as justification for stripping women of their rights, their names, and their autonomy. That's the part that actually scares book banners, because it looks a lot like Tuesday.
Is there a podcast that reads The Handmaid's Tale chapter by chapter?That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 11 covers The Handmaid's Tale, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning?No. Every episode opens with Robot's recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
Topics Covered:The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, Chapter 8, Offred, Ofglen, Nick, Serena Joy, Aunt Lydia, Rita, Cora, Luke, the Commander, miscarriage criminalization, Econowives, traditional gender roles, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

In Chapter 6, the Handmaids walk past a wall where six bodies hang from hooks — doctors executed for performing abortions that were legal when they did them. In Chapter 7, the only freedom left is inside her own head at night, where she drifts between memories she didn't choose and can't control — until one of them ends with her daughter being handed to a stranger.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Jennifer's theory about Christian nationalism and why Gilead doesn't actually need churches
Dan asks whether Trump could keep a church algae-free for a full week and a half
Robot breaks in to explain what's actually happening when the handmaid's mind starts drifting — and to save everyone ten minutes of confusion
Jennifer's observation about enslaved mothers having their children taken, and why she couldn't keep reading past it without saying something
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned? These two chapters get at something book banners don't want discussed: the idea that retroactive crimes — punishing people for doing legal work after the law changes — aren't a dystopian invention. They're a tool. Chapter 6 shows doctors hung for performing abortions that were legal at the time. That's not fiction to the people trying to ban this book. That's a preview.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
Two shows worth adding to your feed this week:
Good News for Lefties — Beowulf Rochlén brings you actual good news from the world of books and free speech. This week: a California school board rejected a third attempt to remove Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye from a high school library. Find it wherever you listen.
Here's The Scoop from NBC News — Daily news coverage from NBC's trusted journalists, hosted by Yasmeen Wassugian. Sharp, thoughtful, and actually informative. Listen daily wherever you get your podcasts.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple PodcastsRate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-camp-banned-books-comedy-and-free-speech-vs/id1676866857
Featured ClipsThis episode includes short clips from Donald Trump and Fred Willard. All rights belong to their respective owners and are used here under fair use for the purpose of cultural commentary and education.
DisclaimerBanned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines.
The material used from the book The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.https://bookshop.org/a/20953/9780385490818
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Margaret Atwood, her estate, or the publishers of The Handmaid's Tale. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?The Handmaid's Tale has been challenged or banned in American schools and libraries every single year since its publication in 1985. It was the most challenged book in the United States in 2023. It has been targeted for profanity, sexually explicit content, and content deemed "offensive to Christians." But the deeper reason is that Margaret Atwood showed what happens when a government uses religion, tradition, and "protecting families" as justification for stripping women of their rights, their names, and their autonomy. That's the part that actually scares book banners, because it looks a lot like Tuesday.
Is there a podcast that reads The Handmaid's Tale chapter by chapter?That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 11 covers The Handmaid's Tale, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning?No. Every episode opens with Robot's recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
Topics Covered:The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Offred, Ofglen, Moira, Aunt Lydia, Serena Joy, Luke, Beowulf Rochlén, retroactive crimes, book burning, dissociation, memory, state control, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast