Sunday Reads: Parenting the Political Divide

Teach the children about Lilith Fair

Monday was back-to-school night for my kids. My oldest is in 7th grade and so I walked with her to each of her classes, so she’d know where to go on Wednesday.

When we walked into her language arts classroom there were posters on the wall with the names of works of literature on them. The Iliad. The Odyssey. Great Expectations. Romeo and Juliet. The Catcher in the Rye. The Color Purple.

I pointed out to my daughter each book with references to sex that could potentially be banned under Iowa’s most recent book ban.

I so often find myself parenting the political divide. I have to explain why someone would be anti-trans to my kids who know and love trans people. I so often have to explain that no, there are not schools offering litter boxes for kids who identify as cats. No, California doesn’t have the highest tax rate. No, gay people aren’t dangerous. Here is why abortion isn’t murder. Here is why we need to be careful when we talk about China as a political “enemy.”