Show notes
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.
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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