Moms Into Literary Freedom

Happy Juneteenth from your hosts, Jennifer and Courtney! How did a woman who didn't even know who wrote this beautiful inaugural poem manage to restrict it from Miami elementary school students? Join your hosts as they discuss the censorship that resulted in Moms for Liberty’s website being hacked by none other than the Anonymous Hacktivist group.

Jennifer and Courtney investigate what on Earth could drive Moms for Liberty to attempt to censor a poem that represents unity and growth of our country...Could it have something to do with the author being a person of color? Or maybe it's Florida’s anti-Black legislation aimed to erase our nation's history?

Tune in to this short but special episode to help celebrate the amazing accomplishments of the country's youngest Poet Laureate who's activism will bring unity and positive change even in the face of censorship. 

• Buy Amanda Gormon's: The Hill We Climb from a Black-Owned Bookstore - 44th & 3rd Bookseller

• The Year in Hate & Extremism 2022 | Southern Poverty Law Center

• Moms for Liberty among conservative groups named 'extremist' by civil rights watchdog

• The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman - Poem Analysis

• Amanda Gorman - Wikipedia

• ​​'This Is The Reality Of Black Girls': Inauguration Poet Says She Was Tailed By Guard

• A Florida School Restricted Access to Amanda Gorman’s Poem, But Didn’t ‘Ban’ It - FactCheck.org

• Juneteenth, the newest federal holiday, is gaining awareness

• Florida Mom Behind Amanda Gorman Book Ban Has Proud Boy Links (thedailybeast.com)

• The Amanda Gorman Banned Book Controversy, Explained - Truth or Fiction?

• Who Are the Inaugural Poets for United States Presidents? - Writer's Digest (writersdigest.com)

• AnonOps on Twitter

• Legion (@iamanonlegion) | TikTok

• Buy The Hill We Climb here if you want the profits go to PenAmerica to help fight book bans!

• Buy: The ABCs of Black History a book by Rio Cortez and Lauren Semmer (bookshop.org)

• Cuban Kids does not appear to be sold anywhere but Amazon and for over $80 so maybe check your library! But check out the review here on Amazon for a laugh 

• Buy Cuba Countries in the News

• Buy Love to Langston by Tony Medina

Welcome back as Jennifer and Courtney continue celebrating Pride month by reviewing two award-winning, beautifully illustrated graphic novels: Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe and Flamer by Mike Curato. 

Join your hosts as they explore the science behind men having nipples and how our brains can become feminine or masculine before our “gender” is even determined!

And of course this wouldn’t be a “Moms for Book Liberty” episode if they didn’t dish out the tea on the scandals of so-called Christian politicians…speaking of tea…Did you know there is an easy way to remember author Maia Kobabe’s pronouns? Just “ask Em what E wants in Eir tea!”

This episode is jam packed with statistics that debunk the anti-gay conspiracy theory that gay = groomer and that books will kill you…In fact, “Flamer” has been labelled as a suicide prevention book! But listener be warned, Jennifer and Courtney dive into the “dirty” details of church molestation insurance, teenage masturbation, and the unrealistic expectations of porn, so if that ain’t yout or your friends cup of tea, we suggest E listen to something else so E don’t Eir panties in a wad!

Sources:

1. Mark Foley - Former Representative Who Sent Dick Pics to Teens

2. Three More Former Pages Accuse Foley of Online Sexual Approaches

3. Mike Moon - Senator who Believes in Child Marriage but not Gender Affirming Care

4. Jim West - Former Washington Mayor who Sexted Teen Boys

5. Examining Greek Pederastic Relationships - Inquiries Journal

6. Investigation underway as Orlando traffic sign flashes violent anti-gay hate speech

7. Watch Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets - Season 1 | Prime Video

8. Bill Gothard resigns following abuse allegations • Biblical Recorder

9. New charges allege religious leader, who has ties to the Duggars, sexually abused women - The Washington Post

10. Montana GOP Lawmaker Suggested She'd Prefer Her Daughter Die By Suicide Than Transition

It's Pride Month, and love is in the air! And what better way to kick it off than with a fabulous podcast episode where Jennifer and Courtney dive into a book that apparently holds the mystical power to turn kids gay—yes, you heard that right! Join our dynamic duo as they don their rainbow-colored capes of truth to dissect how a book about penguins in love got banned in Escambia County, Flori-duh. Jennifer and Courtney are here to celebrate love, diversity, and to fight against the absurdity of those who fear the mighty influence of "And Tango Makes Three." Let the pride festivities commence!

Sources:

Nation's largest publisher files federal suit to block Florida county's book ban

Book review: And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Where to buy:

And Tango Makes Three a book by Peter Parnell, Justin Richardson, and Henry Cole

And Tango Makes Three (Hardcover) | Schuler Books

Welcome back to Courtney and Jennifer's final review of "The Nowhere Girls" by Amy Reed. If you like spoilers and hate sexism, then this episode was made for you! But don't worry, even though Courtney and Jennifer spoil parts of this wonderful book, there is still so much left uncovered, so get yourself a copy of this empowering book and share it far and wide.

Tune in to hear Jennifer and Courtney analyze "Moms for Liberty's" complaints and ponder why on Earth anyone would fight to ban a book that advocates for the respectful treatment of women...unless they are the groomers themselves...

Remember you can DM them at @moms4bookliberty on instagram and @moms4booklib on twitter to get your own pre-owned copy at no charge!

This episode depicts sexual assault

Sources:

1. East Los Angeles principal on leave after controversial remarks spark student protests | KTLA

2. https://www.instagram.com/p/CrhhTaurcOT/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
3. Challenged in Flagler Schools: Amy Reed's The Nowhere Girls, a Review and Recommendation by Pierre Tristam, FlaglerLive

Where to buy online:

1. Malaprops Books in Asheville, NC
2. City Lights Books in San Francisco, CA
3. Powell's Books in Portland, OR

Courtney and Jennifer are back and have A LOT to say. So much that they had to break this book up into TWO epsiodes! Join them in part one where they relate real-life human garbage, Andrew Tate (former kickboxer currently under house arrest for rape and human trafficking), to the ultimate villain in Amy Reed's "The Nowhere Girls".

"The Nowhere Girls" has been more than challenged in Courtney and Jennifer's community... their school district has fully banned it from students. But not to worry! They have dozens of copies of this amazing book up for grabs...check out the episode photo for proof! This book has a little something for everyone...moms, daughters, dads, brothers, gay, straight, Hispanic, Christian, Black, white, nonbinary, trans...basically if you are a human, this book is for you. DM them on instagram @moms4bookliberty or twitter @moms4booklib if you want a copy!

Sources:

1. U.S. Rape Culture Is Sidelining and Silencing Future Female Leaders - Ms. Magazine
2. Abstinence-Only Education and Teen Pregnancy Rates: Why We Need Comprehensive Sex Education in the U.S - PMC
3. Sexual Violence in Schools | NEA
4. Greta Burns Trash
5. Challenged in Flagler Schools: Amy Reed's The Nowhere Girls, a Review and Recommendation by Pierre Tristam, FlaglerLive

Where to buy online:

1. Malaprops Books in Asheville, NC
2. City Lights Books in San Francisco, CA
3. Powell's Books in Portland, OR

It's national "Right to Read" Day and Courtney and Jennifer are back with a "junior" version of their show where they discuss challenged picture books! This episode reviews the picture book "Chik Chak Shabbat" by Mara Rockliff and you wouldn't believe the scandal it covers...FOOD. That's right, this challenged book is about food. Grab your kids and join Jennifer and Courtney as they try and figure out how a children's book about food found its way on the chopping block of censorship. 

Show notes:

These 176 Books Were Banned in Duval County, Florida - PEN America

Wayfair conspiracies, risqué Bible passages, and the NAACP's recent advisory against travelling to Florida find their way into the latest episode of "Moms for Book Liberty" where your hosts, Courtney and Jennifer, discuss the book "Sold" by Patricia McCormick, a harrowing story of a 12 year old Nepalese girl sold into sex trafficking. 

Sources:

The 8 kinkiest passages of the Bible | Salon.com

100-Year-Old Woman Denounces Florida Book Ban For What It Is

Donate here to help fight against human trafficking: DeliverFund

Challenged in Flagler Schools: McCormick's Sold, a Review and a Recommendation by Pierre Tristam

Buy the book here: Buy "Sold" by Patricia McCormick from Pyramid Books

Join us for our first episode where we discuss the "pornographic" book that started the cascade of censorship in a Florida community: "All Boys Aren't Blue" by Geroge M. Johnson. Buy a copy here: ‎All Boys Aren't Blue on Apple Books

Courtney and Jennifer, two moms against censorship, recall the student-led protest in adovcacy for this book that was met by rage-filled, cos-playing, GI Joe anti-protestors and even a homophobic "pastor" that rushed a group of high school students.

Sources:

1. ALA Reports Book Bans Doubled From 2021 to 2022 | Kirkus Reviews by Michael Schaub, Pen America

2.  All Boys Aren’t Blue, a 2021 Top Ten Title - Intellectual Freedom Blog by Nia Themakis

3. Banned Books: Author George M. Johnson on the need to tell all people's stories by Reena Advani and Rachel Treisman, NPR
4. Demonstrators Face Off Before and During Flagler School Board Meeting - AskFlagler by Chris Gollon, photos by Stephen Helfrich