Pink gave away banned books at her concerts in Florida

Book bans have become a hot topic, but P!nk is doing a lot more than talking about the issue. The outspoken pop/rock singer brought her Trustfall tour to South Florida last week, and she brought a ton of banned books with her, distributing them for free to audience members in a partnership with PEN America and Miami-area bookstore Books & Books.

The fact that she did this in Florida makes a statement that’s hard to miss. Book bans are on the rise nationally, but they’re especially prevalent in the Sunshine State. The reported book bans in Florida make up 40% of the total nationwide, according to PEN. PEN America is a nonprofit free speech advocacy group with roots that go back to the 1920s (it’s name originally was an acronym for Poets, Essayists and Novelists), and the organization has been especially active in the fight against book banning. P!nk and PEN America announced the partnership on a joint Instagram reel.

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P!nk gave away the books at her shows in Miami at the Kaseya Center and in Sunrise at the Amerant Bank Arena. Four books were selected for the giveaway, and their subject matter reflects the women’s empowerment and LGBTQ advocacy issues that P!nk is known for: Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb,” Todd Parr’s “The Family Book,” Toni Morrison’s “Beloved,” and entries in Reshma Saujani’s “Girls Who Code” series. All four of them appear on PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans, and all (with the exception of Saujani’s books) have been challenged or banned in some Florida counties.

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“It’s especially hateful to see authorities take aim at books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and those of color,” P!nk said in a statement, the Orlando Sun-Sentinel reports. “We have made so many strides toward equality in this country, and no one should want to see this progress reversed.”