Pink is Defying Book Bans at Her Florida Concerts
Pink is speaking up against book bans nationwide, pledging to give out thousands of books in Florida at her upcoming shows.
Pink is making a bold statement against book bans at her upcoming concerts in Florida, where she plans to show the government in the state exactly how futile its latest moves to restrict what people can and cannot read really are.
The singer has announced she will distribute 2,000 banned books to those attending her forthcoming shows in the state of Florida.
The Grammy winner made the official announcement during an Instagram live session with poet and activist Amanda Gorman and Suzanne Nossel, the CEO of literacy outreach organization PEN America.
Pink intends to distribute four specific books during her Florida shows in Miami and Sunrise. The titles are The Family Book by Todd Parr, The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman, Beloved by Toni Morrison, and Girls Who Code by Reshma Saujani.
This exciting and badass initiative is a collaboration between Pink, PEN America, and Florida bookstore Books & Books.
The collaboration sheds light on the alarming trend of book bans, with a particular focus on works addressing race, racism, and LGBTQ identities — which have been restricted in greater numbers than those written by white, straight authors.
Expressing her strong stance against book bans, Pink stated in a release, “I’m unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools. It’s especially hateful to see authorities aim for 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.”
Pink is currently busy on her Trustfall Tour, which supports her 2023 album of the same name. The set produced the hit “Never Gonna Not Dance Again” and the more electronically-focused “Trustfall.”
According to PEN America, Florida recently overtook Texas for the dubious honor of having banned the most books from both classrooms and libraries in public schools than in any other state in the nation.
The release from the organization that revealed the partnership with Pink points out that “amid a 33% spike in book bans nationally, Florida now ranks first in the nation and accounts for more than 40% of all documented bans.”
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
You must be logged in to post a comment.