Judy Blume, the author of banned books such as “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” and “Forever,” is speaking out against censorship and book bans. She believes that people need access to different types of books, as they can save lives and allow readers to find themselves. Blume also criticizes the recent attacks on librarians and believes that there is a movement to erase history through book bans, including those related to themes of race and LGBTQ characters.
Author Judy Blume takes a stand against censorship and book banning, advocating for the freedom to read and pointing out that diverse books and difficult topics can be important for readers’ personal growth and understanding of history.
Judy Blume, the famous author of books like “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” has taken a firm stance against the recent surge in censorship. During a screening of her new documentary “Forever Judy Blume,” she spoke out against book banning, saying, “This is America. We are supposed to celebrate all the freedoms that we have. One is the freedom to read.” Blume believes that people need all different kinds of books, and that books can save lives.
Florida has passed legislation that has led to the confusion over the removal of books. According to a report, more than 350 books have been banned in Florida school districts since last summer. Blume’s 1975 book “Forever” was just removed from shelves in Marin County, Fla., in March. Blume has sought to work actively with the National Coalition Against Censorship to fight this movement.
Blume’s books were first banned in the 1980s. Her best-known book, “Are You There God?” has been banned over the years, as have her novels “Blubber” and “Dene.” In the documentary, out on Amazon Prime, Blume and her readers share their correspondence over the years, with the author helping them through difficult times.
There have been several news stories recently about librarians being attacked, a move Blume calls “insane.” “Librarians help,” she told Page Six. “To berate librarians…the whole thing is insane.” Blume thinks there is a movement to “erase history” amid the book bans. “Every book about racism, that’s history,” she tells us. “Are we going to stop history because it’s not pretty?”
In conclusion, Judy Blume is speaking out due to her concern over the recent censorship and banning of books. As an author who has faced such censorship for decades, she believes that people need all different kinds of books, and that books can even save lives. Blume is working with organizations like the National Coalition Against Censorship to fight against this movement to “erase history” and ban books.