Happy Banned Books Week!
I love Banned Books Week for so many reasons. I don't believe in the institutionalized censorship of diverse voices and ideas, I don't believe there should be any censorship but self-censorship, and I don't think it's such a terrible idea to expose yourself to multiple arguments and perspectives about any subject.
So in honor of Banned Books Week, I'm going to be sharing my favorite banned books--one banned book a day with an anecdote about why I love that book. Enjoy!
AND
To Kill a Mockingbird and The Bluest Eye.
For some people, talking about race makes them uncomfortable. But rather than using their discomfort as a means to be introspective and confront the underlying racism that makes them feel uncomfortable reading about the realities of people of color, they decide to censor books about non-white experiences.
That's not cool. Diversity is a fact of life and no one should further marginalize the voices of historically marginalized people just because you don't like what they have to say.