One of the earliest memories I have, realizing that literature, and reading in itself, was political, was during my fourth grade English class. I studied in a Catholic private school in Ponce, where one could expect a more conservative education that was imparted on students. I vaguely remember a story from the English textbook that Mrs. Figueroa, our teacher, read to us. It was about a young girl who lived with her single mother and grandmother. In a school where most of the parents were working professionals, we were reading about a single income household, where the mother worked at a restaurant and struggled to keep her daughter clothed and fed. Researching it now, I discovered it was taken from a childrenâs book by Vera B. Williams titled A Chair for My Mother. Although this reflection from the past seems far-fetched, it’s what radicalized me, and looking back at it now, it was meant to be political. A way for us snobby kids to feel empathy towards those who are in worse dire straits than us. This was the first instance of my love for reading and analyzing stories that led me into the career path that I am in today.
Being a graduate student in Literature has taught me a valuable lesson during these last two semesters, in that reading is inherently political. Given the results of what is now the new administration, and the ties to an ultra-conservative oligarchy government we are going into, one of the internet communities that appears on my For You page on TikTok are more divided than ever in the debate: is reading political or not? My surprise came when a video appeared on my feed of a woman saying outright that reading is not political, to which a stitch overtook the video, calming my fear that I was on the far right feed of TikTok. Although many creators on the app have since denounced the claim that reading is not political, it kept me awake. I asked myself, âHow do people on this app, who participate in what is essentially the biggest book club in the world, treat reading as a hobby that apparently has no real world relatability in the political climates we live in?
In a conversation I had with a beloved professor, we discussed recent political talking points, specifically that of the controversial book bans that the new American administration would like to enact. The ban would include novels that have themes of violence, LGBTQ+ acceptance, sexuality, explorations of political turmoils and revolutions, witchcraft, and many more that are against the âChristianâ agenda that the conservative Project 2025 has in store for the nation. As we discussed this, I mentioned the TikToks on my For You page where people claimed that reading and the books promoted on TikTok werenât political. I remember the serious glare he gave me when I recounted this. In a serious tone he said, âReading in itself is a political act. Anything that empowers the masses is political, thatâs why they want to censor [those books].â I was a bit taken aback, but I completely understood what he meant.Â
Throughout the years, the United States has had an uptick in censoring and challenging books that adults think are inappropriate for children. To put it in a larger perspective, these bans are mostly affected in public and school libraries, where children and teens can easily access books and movies without being charged, like in a bookstore. Libraries are specifically being targeted due to their accessibility to the public. The way Trumpâs administration claps for the censoring of books just because of having either anatomically correct body parts, racial justice, or curse words is nefarious. Book bans raise the conversation of books being tools for political empowerment, especially to those who cannot afford to buy books from Barnes and Noble, or any other bookseller in the country. In our case, specifically Puerto Rico, how we access information and literature is heavily dependent on university libraries and booksellers. How does this affect us? When will we, who study in any UPR campus, be subject to these radical changes?Â
The TikTok accounts that say reading isnât political should answer the question: If reading isnât political, why is it one of the most censored artistic mediums? This is an important question to delve into because the dissemination of written art is more widespread than the media. Why are there women dedicated to going to council and school board meetings to try and ban books from public consumption? Thinking of books as being apolitical is irresponsible and ignorant to what the power of books can doâ how they can make a significant change in the lives of those who read. My point is that these matters need to be taken seriously and with swift action, otherwise we will become a society without understanding, empathy, growth, or community. One quote that I often think about was said by Frederick Douglass, a prime example of a man who read his way to freedom, becoming one of the most famous orators in the United States. He said, âOnce you learn to read, you will be forever free,â making the act of reading much more profound.
If you want more information about what genres of books are being banned, this comprehensive list details all of the books being banned in libraries throughout the United States.Â