Banned Books Week may be a week away, but there are reasons to speak up early this year. Someone has equated Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak as softcore pornography. Why? Because of two rape scenes. Because of two rape scenes in a book about a girl’s silence and struggle to speak up after a rape. This person has turned the very disturbing act of rape into something sexually arousing. This is why we live in a rape culture.
It should be mandatory to actually read a book before making such gross assumptions about it.
Since Banned Books Week is coming up, it’s time to make my banned books reading list. What should be on it?
4 replies on “Yet another reason why we live in a rape culture”
I found a pretty sweet comprehensive list of recently banned books that might be helpful: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/21stcenturychallenged/2009/index.cfm
Some of the books on there certainly surprised me.
Also, my personal favourite book to revisit over BBW is Farenheit 451.
@lora_hex I plan on going over that list before next week, especially ones I haven’t read. (Not Twilight, though. NEVER Twilight.) Some of the books are definitely surprising. (Captain Underpants? Seriously?) The fact that some of my favorites are on there only speaks to my impeccable taste in books.
@Sushi *sneakglomps Sushi!
Some of my favorite books/series are on that list! *is intrigued as to how something as silly as Goosebumps managed to get on there.*
There’s a good dozen or so on there I wouldn’t mind reading (okay, so maybe 4 dozen), but a few I’d skip without a second thought (Twilight)
@YGJunkie Junkie! (glomps)
A lot of my favorites are there, too. How did Captain Underpants get there again? And Judy Blume? What are these people smoking?