Singer Pink revealed on Monday that she would be giving away thousands of “banned” books during concerts in Florida.
Pink talked about her decision in an Instagram live story on Sunday with Amanda Gorman, an American poet and activist. She explained she had partnered with PEN America, a non-profit literary organization, to give away 2,000 banned books, according to Rolling Stone.
“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 explained in a press release.
https://twitter.com/Pink/status/1724224528740463099
“It’s especially hateful to see authorities take aim at books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and those of color,” Pink continued. “We have made so many strides toward equality in this country and no one should want to see this progress reversed. No more banned books.”
Pink’s comments come after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) signed the Parental Rights in Education, HB 1557, into effect in 2022. Under this bill, students in certain grade levels are prohibited from receiving classroom instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation.
During the 2022-23 school year, Pen America found in “3,362 instances” books had been banned, signifying a 33% increase from the 2021-22 school year, according to the Pen America website.
In these instances, more than 40% of book bans occurred in school districts located in Florida. In 33 school districts in the state, 1,406 instances of book bans were recorded.
In one Collier County, Florida, examples of books that have been banned include, four books by author Toni Morrison, including “Beloved,” George R.R. Martin’s “A Game of Thrones,” Winston Groom’s “Forrest Gump,” John Grisham’s “A Time to Kill,” and Margaret Atwood’s “A Handmaid’s Tale,” according to 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.”
Pink had concerts scheduled for Sunrise and Miami, Florida on Nov. 13 and 14, as well as shows in Orlando on Nov. 18 and 19, according to the outlet.