Rare are the times when we associate something as trivial as a simple book with a topic of great controversy, but in certain states in America, the issue of books has sparked outrage, with parents and politicians coming together to ban thousands of literary works.
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Fortunately, one famous artist in particular has come to the rescue, providing much-needed academic assistance to those who need it.
Highlights
- Grammy winner Pink to distribute 2,000 banned books at South Florida concerts in partnership with PEN America.
- Concertgoers in Miami and Sunrise can receive books like 'The Kite Runner' and 'Beloved' at Pink's November shows.
- Pink criticized book bans, emphasizing her children's right to read freely, during a live Instagram stream.
- Florida has banned over 1,400 books in more than 33 school districts, the highest in the nation, according to PEN America.
Indeed, Grammy award winner Pink will distribute 2,000 books that have been banned at her South Florida Trustfall Tour shows this week, as part of a collaboration with PEN America, a nonprofit organization whose goal is to raise awareness for the protection of free expression.
Pink will distribute 2,000 books that have been banned at her South Florida Trustfall Tour shows this week
Image credits: Andemaya
Image credits: pink
Fans attending the singer’s concerts on Tuesday (November 14) and Wednesday (November 15) in Miami and Sunrise, Florida, will have the opportunity to accept copies of some of the 3,362 books appearing on PEN’s Index of Banned Books.
Some of the thousands of books banned include classics and certain literary masterpieces like The Prince of Egypt by Jane Yole, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.
"I can’t imagine my own parents telling me what my kids can and cannot read," Pink said during a live stream
Image credits: pink
Taking to her Instagram page, followed by 10 million people, Pink said in a live stream on Sunday (November 12): “I’m a voracious reader, and I’m a mom of two kids who are also voracious readers, and I can’t imagine my own parents telling me what my kids can and cannot read, let alone someone else’s parents, let alone someone else that doesn’t even have children that are deciding what my children can read.”
The singer teamed up with PEN America, a nonprofit organization that aims to protect free speech
Image credits: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images
As per CNN, concertgoers will be able to acquire copies of The Family Book by Todd Parr, The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman, Beloved by Toni Morrison, or one of the books from the Girls Who Code series by the nonprofit that shares the same name.
“It’s especially hateful to see authorities take aim at books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and those of color,” the songstress said in a statement shared by PEN.
She continued: “We have made so many strides toward equality in this country and no one should want to see this progress reversed.”
Jane Yolen's The Prince Of Egypt is one of the 3,362 books banned in the US
Image credits: Jane Yolen
Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, thanked Pink for taking part in the literary movement during Sunday’s livestream.
She said: “This is a wave that is taking over our country, our schools, our libraries.
“[They] are going after books about children of color, stories of LGBTQ families, books about babies, about animals.
“This is censorship in its purest form.
“It is meant to suppress narratives that we need here as a pluralistic society and so we have to push back.”
Image credits: Toni Morrison
Image credits: Khaled Hosseini
The 44-year-old popstar’s advocacy follows Florida's implementation of laws barring free speech in education in recent years, such as the Individual Freedom Act, which was passed in July 2022 and limits how systemic racism and discrimination is taught in schools and the workplace, per the ACLU.
Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, also signed legislation last year, which has been informally titled the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, to limit discussion of LGBTQ+ topics in schools.
Beloved by Toni Morrison will be one of the few books distributed at Pink's concerts
Image credits: Toni Morrison
Image credits: Todd Parr
PEN America says its data proved that Florida had the highest number of book ban cases, with more than 1,400, and the largest number of school districts, 33, discarding books in the last school year.
According to PEN’s latest book ban news, Collier County Public Schools located in Florida have banned more than 300 books from their school libraries.
The organization states that the long list of titles includes a range of literary classics, books adapted into films and TV shows, young adult books, and in some cases, numerous titles by a single author.
Books were banned out of an effort to comply with Florida’s HB 1069, a law that broadened school board oversight of library collections
Image credits: Amanda Gorman
Moreover, the books were reportedly removed out of an effort to comply with Florida’s HB 1069, a law that broadened school board oversight of library collections, and expanded mechanisms for challenging books, provided that content that “depicts or describes sexual conduct” is a valid reason for a challenge.
The move has “barred instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity through 8th grade”, PEN states.
Florida's House Bill 1069 not only enables schools to restrict materials that refer to sex and reproductive health but also requires "the suspension of materials alleged to contain pornography or obscene depictions of sexual conduct, as identified in current law, pending resolution of an objection to the material," Naples Daily News reported.
Parents were happy to learn that their children would have access to certain books
