" I ca n’t imagine my own parents recount me what my kids can and can not read , let alone someone else ’s parents , allow alone someone else that does n’t even have children that are settle what my nipper can read . ”
Pinkwas 100% serious when she told us she’s “still a rock star” with her “rock moves.”
The 44-year-old singer isdistributing2,000 free copies of “banned books” during herTrustfalltour stops in Miami and Sunrise, Florida, and nothing will stop her.
The three-time Grammy award winner is teaming up withPEN America, a national free speech group, to give away four titles, including Toni Morrison’sBeloved, Todd Parr’sThe Family Book, Stacia Deutsch’sGirls Who Code,and the poem recited by poet Amanda Gorman at Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration in January 2021,The Hill We Climb.
The “Just Give Me a Reason” singer announced the collaboration onInstagram Livewith PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel and Amanda Gorman — and the partnership garnered a lot of mixed reactions.
“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,” Pink said in a statement released by PEN America.
“I’m a voracious reader, and I’m a mom of two kids who are also voracious readers,” Pink added. “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.”
Before we proceed, we should understand that a book ban doesn’t mean books are entirely erased from existence. It simply means they’ve been challenged or are inaccessible to children in certain school districts.
According toPEN America, 3,362 book bans, including 1,557 titles, were recorded in US public schools in the 2022–23 school year. Florida school districts account for more than 40% of those book-ban cases, thanks to laws implemented by the state’s current administration.
NBC Miamireported that 300 books were removed from school libraries in Florida last year. Of “Florida’s 67 counties, 21 removed books in the 2022–23 year.”
Pink’s advocacy to provide some of these books has received considerable backlash fromconservativeswho challenge the list’s accuracy or people’sinterpretationof the definition of “banned book.”
Yet, despite the criticism for this charitable move, Pink is standing on business and has continually fired back with responses of her own:
When one X user claimed she might be breaking the law, Pink cheekilyresponded, “Let’s look into it! Let me know! You know where I’ll be!”
After another X user made severe allegations about her character and claimed “they’re 100% sure she probably can’t read,” sheresponded, “You all really need to get some new talking points. This one is pretty played out. You’re 100% sure I PROBABLY can’t read?”
And to everyone hurling unrelated insults at her over social media, Pink suggested everyone read banned books, writing, “You know you’ve hit a sore spot in a weak mind when their only argument is ‘She’s ugly! ‘She’s fat!’ or ‘She’s irrelevant.'”
You know you ’ve dispatch a sore daub in a weak intellect when their only argumentation is “ she ’s slimy ! ” “ She ’s rich ! ” . “ She ’s irrelevant ” READ BANNED BOOKS ! GO TO@PENAMERICATO check HOW you may cease THE BANS AND THE NONSENSE
The noise of the naysayersisn’t enoughto silence the “So What” singer and her fans. In fact, Pink has received a lot of praise for this bold move to distribute free copies of “banned books.” Here’s what they’re saying:
what ’s a word stronger than mother ?
i wish all celebrities were as progressive as p!nk , she is female parent
By addressing issuance of race , LGBTQ perspectives , and censoring , she bring up awareness about the grandness of freedom of formula and access to varied viewpoint . Whether one supports this idea may depend on their stance on these issuing and the function they believe creative person should … https://t.co / p8aMixdDD0
PINK is amazing ! And this is another reason why . Like I always say … There still are some pretty great citizenry in this world‼️
The fact that these Book are censor in the first place is abhorrent ! The fact that Pink has taken a very public position , and is fighting back on these extreme views , is inspiring!#stopbookbans#booklovers
Pink is fantastic . sleep with the great unwashed who actively work out to struggle against Holy Scripture bans !
Team pink . Read banned book . There ’s a reason they do n’t want you to scan them .
Taylor and Pink are marvelous and they help us connect these important issues to young hoi polloi . We ’re lucky to have them on our side .
give thanks you for all you ’re doing . masses with your type of influence will save this country
Finally, in her latestresponseto the backlash, Pink wrote on X (formally known as Twitter), “Very happy to have started this discussion about censorship and book banning. Will be giving out more books tonight.”
Regardless of where you stand on the issue, this moment is one for the books!
