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Books Build Empathy: A Guest Post from George M. Johnson, Author of All Boys Aren’t Blue and the Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week 2022
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The best way to understand and truly empathize with the experience of others is to hear about it directly from the source. A memoir and manifesto rolled into one, All Boys Aren’t Blue provides an unapologetic and captivating look at the author’s childhood, adolescence, and college years. Covering a wide range of topics from toxic masculinity and bullying to Black queer joy, George M. Johnson provides profound insights with heartfelt personal essays. George M. Johnson is also the Honorary Chair of 2022’s Banned Books Week, so keep reading to hear how banning books affects us and the challenges it causes for both the readers and the authors of books.
When it comes to banned books, we might be reaching the point of no return. As the 40th Anniversary of Banned Books Week approaches, we exist in unprecedented times as books about race and gender continue to be pulled from schools, libraries, and even an attempt to take them from bookstores. However, as we continue to face the challenges that attempt to prevent books from getting to the teen readers who need them the most, we remain fervent in our efforts to not be, as Oprah would say, silent or silenced.
Book banning will eventually have catastrophic effects on readers, authors and eventually the world. When we think about books, they are the one medium that has always stood the test of time. Books that are hundreds or even thousands of years old are still reference points throughout much of the world’s culture — speaking to the past, present and our future. Removal of books is tantamount to a removal of our past and our history. And one thing we know about history, if we don’t learn from it, we are doomed to the same mistakes of our past.
For young readers, books are a lifeline. When young readers navigate a home life where they don’t feel loved, a society where they don’t feel accepted and a world where they don’t feel loved, they can always find all three of those things in the stories we tell. Our stories help build empathy. They help build agency and give power to young readers who will one day be our future leaders.
For authors, the denial of books is twofold. If publishers aren’t able to sell our stories, we are no longer able to pitch them. It reduces the type of stories we are allowed to tell, and in fact, stops us from operating in our full creative capacity. This then impacts the world as a whole. Books build empathy. Books protect the truth in the face of a world that is always only giving one side of the story. It allows the voiceless to have a voice, and those reading it to have the words they need for their own healing and salvation.
Despite all the struggles of fighting book bans, we remain fervent. The book ban may be delaying us some, but we will not be denied the right to tell our stories. The books bans have in fact helped many of us to build a coalition that includes students, teachers, librarians, authors and advocates. Many of the books being banned are finding a new life as new readers now know they exist.
Our books are like the rose that grows through concrete. Our books break through the toughest of challenges and continue to spread beauty and light throughout the world. Although we know this fight is far from over, one thing has always proven to be true. Books have always stood the test of time. Burning of books only allowed the phoenix of more stories to rise from the ashes. We will continue to rise above all of the hate and negativity just like the phoenix, and continue to give readers joy, hope, and love.