P!nk has been campaigning for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community for years. Not only did she demand the right to same-sex marriage in her 2006 song “Dear Mr. President,” but she also received the Human Rights Campaign’s “Ally for Equality Award” four years later. Even today, the singer proves that she stands by her values - regardless of any consequences. That’s why P!nk plans to give away books that are currently banned in the state’s schools at their upcoming concerts in Florida.
Since 2022, approximately 1,400 books have been removed from public libraries and schools in Florida. Many of the books affected deal with topics such as racism, sexuality and gender – including plays by Shakespeare that were censored due to their “suggestive puns”. The ban follows the passage of the “Don’t Say Gay” law, enforced by Gov. Ron DeSantis, which bans discussions of sexual orientation or gender identity in schools – through 12th grade.
In response to this law, P!nk teamed up with the US authors’ association PEN and wants to give away 2,000 copies of four banned books – including the children’s book “The Family Book” by Todd Parr, Amanda Gorman’s poem “The Hill We Climb “, the novel “menschkind” by Toni Morrison and the “Girls Who Code” book series by Stacia Deutsch.
The musician explains what motivated her to do it in an Instagram Live that she recorded together with PEN CEO Suzanne Nossel and Amanda Gorman. “Books have given me a special joy since I was a child, and that’s why I’m not prepared to stand idly by and watch books being banned in schools,” said P!NK in the interview. “It is particularly hateful to see authorities targeting books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and people of color. We have made so much progress toward equality in this country, and no one should want to see that progress reversed.”
On her “Trustfall” tour, the pop star will be on stage in Miami and Sunrise from November 14th to 19th, as well as twice in Orlando. There she will – per show – give away a copy of the banned literature to the first 1,000 fans who show interest.