Lola Tung has joined the growing list of Hollywood celebrities supporting Let America Read, a movement that raises awareness against the banning of books across the United States.
In an Instagram post, The Summer I Turned Pretty star called this trend “dangerous and harmful to the inclusive education of our youth.”
“This dangerous practice is keeping our youth from expanding their minds and learning about different experiences through reading. Students need access to all kinds of different stories. #letamericaread,” she said in the caption.
The short clip showed the 20-year-old actress holding a copy of The Handmaid’s Tale, one of the books that were banned in eight states of the United States (namely Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Texas, and Oregon) by the U.S. government from 2021-2022, according to PEN America.
Although the futuristic dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood was published in 1985, many argue that it mirrored the United States’ current embrace of conservatism.
Tung said the controversial novel, which she read in high school, remains relevant today “because I live in a country where laws are being passed to strip women and girls and people of their rights.”
“It’s incredibly important that students receive an inclusive education that allows them to use their imagination to bring books to life in their minds, but also expands their knowledge and gives them new insights into stories with real-life themes and parallels,” she added.
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‘Let America Read’
Let America Read aims to protect the “children’s freedom to learn.” The project was initiated by CAA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Creative Artists Agency.
On its website, the movement said dozens of states in the US have laws restricting children’s freedom to learn.
“Thousands of books that reflect realities of people of all races, faiths, and identities have been pulled from libraries and classroom shelves. Because of this, children are deprived of stories that can inform, encourage, and inspire them to learn,” the website read.
PEN America said about 1,648 books were banned from 2021 to 2022. Their topics touch on themes such as LGBTQ+ issues, race, abortion, sexual violence, and teen pregnancy among others.
