Alli the Book Giraffe

Hello readers! Today’s topic is one I’ve thought about a lot over the last two weeks. It’s been a big topic on TikTok since Trump won the election, so I’m here to talk about it.

It’s scary to post about these topics. I don’t know if there will be backlash. I’ve been attacked by men online for saying that reading is political. It is a fact that it is, and many people are offended by facts. But, it’s okay if I lose followers because this is more important than that.

I’ve had to block nearly every mutual I had that was a guy on TikTok, and I didn’t even have that many of them.

I personally would like to say that my page, my TikTok, IG, and any other socials I have are a safe place for every person, except those whose hearts are full of hate. I feel as thought allowing the oppressor to sit at the table hurts the oppressed. It’s important to me that people of color, disabled people, women, and LGBT people know I love them. I fear for them every day since Trump was elected and now we are just waiting to see what happens.

It really shocked me when people were making videos on TikTok saying books aren’t political. It isn’t the matter of an opinion. ALL art is political. Be it music, books, movies, TV shows, hell, even tattoos and piercings are.

I want to be on the right side of history. The people who try to suppress others are always the villains. People who chose cheaper gas over gay people’s rights are the villain. Project 2025 is terrifying.

Did you know that Project 2025 mentions banning pornography, meaning all spicy books will be banned? They are also planning to name all LGBT media as pedophelic. I believe they’ll come for those books first.

It’s so important that people who are readers understand the importance of media literacy and reading comprehension skills. I want to help if a person is willing to change and learn. I will be a safe space for those people because I am white. I did grow up learning some backwards ideals, but I managed not to turn out like the previous generation. It is NEVER too late to decide to be an advocate for others.

The one thing they can never take from us is knowledge. They can take our rights, create an environment that is unsafe for women, LGBT members, and POC people, but they can’t take facts. They can’t take knowledge. I hope that everyone reading this chooses knowledge. I hope they choose advocating for minorities over cheaper products, which won’t happen anyway.

When has the government ever had our interest in mind without being forced? I hope we can overcome this together and make it to the other side.

I also hope you decide to teach your children how to not be racist. This is something I’ve always tried to do, even now that my ex husband has become a Trump supporter. I fear he will teach her to hate herself because she will one day be a woman. I fear he will teach her she is inferior because of it. I fear he will teach her to be racist and to vote for imaginary things we can get from far-right republicans instead of human beings rights.

I hope you teach your daughters that periods aren’t gross. I hope you teach her body hair isn’t gross. I hope you teach them it isn’t okay for boys to be mean to them because they ‘like them’.

I hope you teach your sons to respect women. I hope you teach them that they aren’t superior to girls. I hope you don’t tell them feelings are feminine.

I’m going to try my best as long as I can to do so for my daughter. It isn’t okay how women are treated in society. It isn’t okay that every person of color in this country has to fear racism. It isn’t okay that disabled people are treated like inconveniences. It isn’t right for LGBT people to fear for their lives just because they exist.

It’s the most important for people to speak up who are white. Especially men. But, I’ve only been attacked by them for asking this of them.

If you’re POC, LGBT, disabled, or a woman, I’m hoping for the best for you. Even if you aren’t American. Other countries face the same issues and I know that.

If you read a book about one of those groups and it makes you uneasy, please look inside yourself and explore why you are uncomfortable. It isn’t easy to see your own biases, but we all have them. I might just do a recommendations post of books to help. I want to help people get there. I want to help increase reading comprehension in the book community because it is so important to me for other people to see the truth behind the pages.

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This post was created by Allison Wolfe for www.allithebookgiraffe.com and is not permitted to be posted anywhere else.

Where to find me: https://linktr.ee/Allithebookgiraffe

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