<
https://nextcity.org/features/how-el-paso-is-fighting-back-against-book-bans>
"When El Paso teen Alex Reyes read the “Magnus Chase” fantasy trilogy while in
the seventh grade, they immediately identified with one of the main characters
Alex Fierro. It wasn’t just because of their shared first name, but because of
their shared experience as gender fluid teenagers.
“It was the first time I had read a book where I saw something that I kind of
felt similar to, relate to,” Reyes said. “It’s stuck with me for so long. They
have so much more going on, and the sexuality is just a part of it. … It’s not
all that I am, but it’s a part of me.”
Rick Riordan’s “Magnus Chase” series, like many of the books Reyes reads, is
being targeted by Texas legislators and school boards nationwide. A PEN America
report from 2022 found that book bans affected 86 school districts across 26
states, with a combined two million students. More than 1,500 books have been
banned already; Texas tops the list, with 16 districts having banning more than
700 books.
The number may soon rise further. The Texas legislature is currently
considering several bills that may ban books in schools that include content on
sexual orientation, gender identity and sexual activity. Among the bills being
considered are Senate Bill 13, House Bill 900 and House Bill 1804.
In El Paso, youth, authors, librarians and other community members are pushing
back."
Via
The Fixer June 7, 2023:
<
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/japanese-vending-machines-for-disaster-preparedness/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
