Technolandy

Day 172 (of 2024/25) banned books & #tcaf panels pages and protests (oh my!)

Getting ready for our comic con and after a trip to Toronto comic Arts Festival, I’m still thinking about banned books – and comics. It is easy to dismiss and challenge some because of the artwork – mind you the same art styles that appear in museums and textbooks. But the over arching worry is about what students/children may be exposed to too early. And not all comics are for kids. Nobody is arguing for primary classrooms to read Attack on Titan… but too often some lash out of books for shares that are out of context, and context matters. My own reflection and equity scan sees. Lot of toxic masculinity going on – challenges about spicy scenes mainly because they are not from the man’s perspective… and that makes some uncomfortable… which is what reading should do – again, not all spicy books need to be fit into schools… but there are already a number on shelves… but, if funded, librarians are there to curate both the collection and the readers journey. I never minded a young reader from taking out a “cool/popular” book even though the teacher would roll their eyes and say ‘they can’t…’ I preferred to allow an extra book – one to make the teacher happy and one to make the student happy… but to also know what their reading readiness was for much more than any reading level could indicate…

Yes, books and comics deal with nature (spicy) scenes and topics. Always have. Better always will… even trade comics have user suggestions on them, that like video games, are often ignored by the adults making the purchase… so be aware when exploring books… but don’t ban them without taking a read first…

They are real reading. Forms a lifelong habit. Reading is reading and the more reading, the better… exposure to language (and unique words)… 

Comic culture helps with connection. 

Comics can be anything – and represent anyone. 

This year All Boys Aren’t Blue has climbed to #2

BIPOC and LGBTQ2ia+ authors/characters tend to be challenged based on the author/characters, not even the content… comics are easier to challenge because of … the visuals. Seeing more and more organized groups doing challenges. Scarier: the shift to legislation…

Even creators have to fight self-censorship. Making things less inclusive/the way you want it to be to be “more mainstream”. 

And banning challenges will continue. All too easily seen in this Banned Books collection:

Here’s the current read it list – depending on your readiness… talk to a librarian and see what they think and how ready you might be to read some books that will push your thinking (but have some ‘mature’ scenes written or drawn…)