They’re trying to narrow the worldview of young people: how book bans are on the rise in the US
‘They’re trying to narrow the worldview of young people today’ … a pride parade with marchers protesting about banned books. Photograph: NurPhoto/Getty Images
Maia Kobabe wrote Gender Queer as a tender attempt to explain non-binary identity and the journey of sexual discovery to immediate family. “I tried to make it as sensitive and thoughtful as possible, especially given that I knew that my mother would read it,” the author says. “I was trying to build bridges, trying to connect with people, trying to be understood as my full authentic self by my family and my friends and my community.
...To the authors and advocates on the frontlines, book banning is not merely a debate about social taboos but a glaring symptom of democratic backsliding. Kobabe says: “This is no longer parents trying to defend the right of what their children can read. This is now large groups trying to implement social control and attack diverse voices and increasingly attack teachers, librarians, library funding and the freedom of public education in our country at a fundamental level. I definitely see book bans as the canary in the coalmine of the rise of fascism. Many authoritarian governments attack books, journalism, education and sources of information first because an uneducated and uninformed populace is easier to control."
Read the rest of this important article online at the Guardian here. And consider supporting independent journalism by subscribing here.
RSS Feed
