Motivation

Originally, I was going to start a book review blog that focused entirely on banned books.  During my youth, I fancied myself to be a rebellious budding intellectual.  It’s laughable now, but at the time I thought I was doing something particularly illicit if I spent my Friday nights reading books that other people had deemed controversial.  I was lucky to be brought up in a home where my family encouraged my reading and trusted my ability to discern whether or not something was truly inappropriate.  Thus, my love affair with authors like Francesca Lia Block, J.D. Salinger, and Margaret Atwood began. 

The reason that I loved those authors so much was because they opened up dialogue around real issues.  They didn't shy away from the important subjects that are so stigmatized most people are afraid to speak about them.  (If you can remember reading Go Ask Alice because you didn't trust your school’s D.A.R.E. program for information about drugs and addiction, you probably know what I mean here.) Banned authors also embraced characters from marginalized populations that we don’t hear from enough in literature.  I’m all for the canon we read in school and hold an appropriate level of reverence for the dead white men that wrote it, but I want a more diverse selection of authors  and characters to find their place beside those I've been readily exposed to my whole life.  (That’s not to say dead white men aren't also diverse.  For example, let’s not forget that Oscar Wilde went to trial due to his relationships with other men.  But we’ll talk more about intersectionality and identity later.)

I’d like to think that here on the web, I can do something similar to what those banned authors did for me and so many others.  I’m hoping to create a space that’s safe for sharing ideas no matter who you are.  Regardless of your race, religion, gender expression, or sexual orientation, I want this to be an uplifting place for you. Maybe you’re a teacher that wants to make your classroom bookshelf more affirming of GLBT students?  If so, I’ve got some age-appropriate suggestions for you.  Maybe you’re someone that’s coming out of a tough time?  I’ve got poems for you to read, songs for you to listen to, and insights from others I’d like to pay forward.  Maybe you’re just bored on the web.  If that’s you, I've definitely got you covered.

Pull up a chair, crack open your drink, and let’s talk.  Use the comments to tell me what’s important to you.  I can have one sided conversations with myself without a blog—so don’t be afraid to speak up!  You can also tweet me at @BannedBrooke.