A total of 2,000 free copies of books that certain schools in Florida have banned will be given away by pop singer Pink to fans during her Miami performances this week. "It's confusing, it's infuriating, it is censorship," she said in a video posted on her Instagram.
The celebrity has joined the debate around the decision by certain schools and libraries to remove books due to their sexual, racial, or gender-sensitive themes. Nevertheless, officials in Florida have said that they do not want to prohibit books but rather to limit access to what they deem to be dangerous or unsuitable content.
Free Books From Pink
According to BBC, Pink is now working with Pen America, a lobbying organization that claims to fight for writers' right to free speech. It states Florida has had more books banned than any other American state, accounting for more than 40% of all known occurrences.
In a statement provided by the organization, Pink stated, "Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child, and that's why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools.
It's especially hateful to see authorities take aim at books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and those of color. We have made so many strides toward equality in this country, and no one should want to see this progress reversed."
During her performances in Miami on Tuesday, November 14, and in adjacent Sunrise the next day, attendees will be able to get free copies of four books that Pen America has included in its Index of Banned Books. The titles are Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Family Book by Todd Parr, The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman and Girls Who Code by Reshma Saujani.
See Also : California Gov. Gavin Newsom Expected to Sign Measure Outlawing School District Book Bans
'Don't Say Gay' Bill
The Florida Department of Education has said that it "does not ban books," and Governor Ron DeSantis has described the concept of book bans as a "hoax." He has called for a system of education that is "free from sexualization and harmful materials that are not age appropriate."
As he said earlier this year, he believes that exposing the fake book ban is significant as it shows that certain people are trying to exploit the schools to influence the children. He added that in Florida, it is against the law for pornographic or otherwise improper materials to make their way into classrooms or libraries for the purpose of sexualizing kids.
In March, Florida's education commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. tweeted, "Students should be spending their time in school learning core academic subjects, not being force-fed radical gender and sexual ideology."
A new state statute, called the "Don't Say Gay" bill, arguing that children should not be educated about sexual orientation or gender identity, has been invoked by school districts as justification for the removal of books.
