Earlier this month Sim Kern, a nonbinary author in Houston, wondered if the simple act of reading could be a form of protest. This week, the popular BookTok author kicked off the Trans Rights Readathon, a weeklong decentralized fundraiser for anyone, anywhere, to participate in until March 27.
The goals are for participants to read as many books by trans authors as they can this week, to raise awareness about the campaign on social media, and to raise funds for trans organizations.
Kern told BuzzFeed News that 2,400 people, most of whom came from TikTok and Instagram, have signed up to participate (if you’d like to sign up, you can do so here), fundraising for both national and locally focused causes. Many are sending their funds to the Trans Health Legal Fund, which assists people facing arrest or prosecution for accessing gender-affirming care.
Kern, who describes their politics as anarchist, was inspired to create a readathon after attending a protest of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis when he traveled to Texas. Among the protesters holding posters and chanting at the Houston convention center, there was a group of people who opted to sit in silence and read banned books.
Kern chose to read Cool. Awkward. Black., a young adult anthology of queer science fiction.
“There were all these dressed-to-the-nines Republicans going to hear DeSantis speak,” Kern said. “The reaction of people walking up and seeing our books…and figuring out what we were doing and why we were there. It seemed to unnerve them.”