Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Maia Kobabe

Bree Lundberg @breelundberg.com · 1h

I've been seeing my favorite fuzzy friends around! 🍂🐛

Illustration of a wooly (sometimes spelled woolly) bear caterpillar. It's fuzzy and cute and has a happy little smile. There's lines radiating around it and above it says "it's wooly time!" in lowercase hand lettering. The background is a light orange checkered pattern.

Maia Kobabe @redgoldsparks.bsky.social · 1h

CA, pls call the Governor before 10/12 & ask him to sign 5 trans rights bills which passed the state legislature. SB 418 Ensure Equal Access to Care for All; AB 82 Health Data Privacy & Safety; SB 59 Transgender Privacy Act; SB 497 Transgender State of Refuge; AB 1084 The Transgender Records Act

South Bay Queer Solidarity @sbqsolidarity.bsky.social · 12d

A huge win for trans people in California: the state legislature passed five bills protecting our rights!

Now it's time to call on Governor Gavin Newsom to sign them. Contact him before October 12th: transfamilysos.org/action-neede...

#TransRights #TransYouth #TransCalifornia

Action Needed: Urge Governor Newsom to Sign Five Critical Trans Rights Bills

TransFamily Support Services is proud to co-sponsor five critical trans rights bills that have officially passed the California Legislature. This is a major victory—one made possible through a powerfu...

transfamilysos.org

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Maia Kobabe @redgoldsparks.bsky.social · 1h

It's Banned Books Week. If you are an author, please join @authorsabb.bsky.social! If you work in the publishing industry, please join @pubprosabb.bsky.social! Canadian authors, you can now join Canadian Authors & Illustrators Against Book bans: linktr.ee/caiabb. Working together feels good! 📚✍️👏

The black and white cover of a zine titled Do you make books? Yes? I want YOU to join Authors Against Book Bans! By Maia Kobabe. The image shows author Maia Kobabe holding a stack of books and pointing at the reader

WHAT IS AABB?
A coalition of writers, illustrators, editors & other book creators, standing united against the unconstitutional movement to limit the freedom to read. We support the availability of diverse voices in our libraries, in our schools, & in our culture. We pledge to band together against the oppression of literature, to speak when our voices are silenced, to go where our bodies are needed, & to fight to ensure this freedom.

Our concern is not only for the books, but for the children, families, educators,
librarians, & communities who suffer when the freedom to read is challenged and taken away.

WHAT CAN AABB OFFER YOU?
- Regional groups working on legislation to protect authors & the freedom to read state-by-state
- Online trainings on digital security, public speaking, & how to counter book challenges in your community
-Affinity groups for BIPOC authors, queer authors, authors with disabilities, indie, nonfiction, romance writers & more
-Support if your book is challenged or your school visit is canceled!
-A very active discord community

Maia: I’ve been facing intense challenges to my book since 2021. Knowing that I am not alone in the fight against censorship is what keeps my spirits up!

Watching the folks in AABB share information, co-write legislation, show up to library & school board meetings, & speak up to publishers about the need to protect diverse books & minority authors has been amazing!

This is a weird & scary time to be an author, but you are not alone! Join thousands of us fighting for the freedom to read, the freedom to write, the freedom to teach, the freedom to learn, & the freedom to share our stories!
-Maia Kobabe, 2025

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Reposted by Maia Kobabe

Publishing Professionals Against Book Bans @pubprosabb.bsky.social · 22h

We’re thrilled to announce that on October 28th at 4 PM ET, PPABB will present its first event, a virtual town hall, Book Bans and the Art of Protecting Authors. (More in this thread)

We’d love for you to join us. Register in advance for the webinar at this link:

zoom.us/webinar/regi...

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Reposted by Maia Kobabe

Goblin Purwin @goblinpurwin.bsky.social · 1d

www.candicepurwin.com/the-goblin-comic-library/2025/10/7/voices-and-sails-raised

Voices and sails raised — Goblin Purwin

www.candicepurwin.com

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Reposted by Maia Kobabe

Kori Michele @korimichele.bsky.social · 1d

What if we loved things and cared for things and fought for things even if there was no guarantee we could save them? Even if losing them felt like an inevitability? What if looking away never even felt like an option?

Please Read Football America Dream

Luke Kruger-Howard @andsoluke.bsky.social · 1d

Football America Dream 38

www.footballamericadream.com/now

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Reposted by Maia Kobabe

Annalee Newitz @annaleen.bsky.social · 1d

A lot of the apps on your phone are tracking your physical location and selling that information to other companies. Here's a fantastic explainer from @pcmag.com about 20 of the most common apps that spy on you. Service journalism at its finest. www.pcmag.com/explainers/t...

These 20 Apps Are Watching You—And You Probably Use Them Every Day

You might use these apps every day, but have no idea what they collect. These 20 apps are quietly harvesting your location, contacts, photos, and more—here's what you can do about it.

www.pcmag.com

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Crucial Comix @crucialcomix.bsky.social · 1d

New class: Raising and Drawing Our Kids Through Chaos is for anyone with young kids in their life who wants to make comics about navigating this difficult political era. www.crucialcomix.com/product/rais...

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Reposted by Maia Kobabe

Index on Censorship @indexoncensorship.org · 1d

In 2021, Maia Kobabe’s graphic memoir #GenderQueer was named the most challenged book in the #US. For #BannedBooksWeekUK, Maia reminds us how important it is for libraries to stock books that open up the wider world. Why not visit a library this week? www.indexoncensorship.org/bannedbooksw...

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Reposted by Maia Kobabe

Robin Stevenson @robinstevenson.bsky.social · 1d

Of course, if you are an author and want to do something less petty and more practical to resist book bans, join Authors Against Book Bans - and if you are a Canadian author/illustrator 🇨🇦 then please join Canadian Authors and Illustrators Against Book Bans. We need you! linktr.ee/caiabb?fbcli...

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Reposted by Maia Kobabe

Meggie the Ramm (they/them) @meggietheramm.bsky.social · 2d

It's BANNED BOOK WEEK, and one thing you can do is email your state representatives about saving our stories from bans!

I did this and it took me literally less than a minute. SOS! Save our Stories!

action.everylibrary.org/saveourstories

Email Your State Representatives to Save Our Stories!

SOS: Save Our Stories!

action.everylibrary.org

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Maia Kobabe @redgoldsparks.bsky.social · 2d

RM, which banned books have you read lately? Gender Queer is out in both Korean and English if you want to give it a try! Maybe pass it along to some of your close friends

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Reposted by Maia Kobabe

tuck woodstock @tuck.bsky.social · 2d

The 11th(!) Gender Reveal grant cycle is now open for applications. We're particularly interested in TPOC-led collectives engaged in ongoing community work.

Apply 💫 genderpodcast.com/grant 💫

If you'd like to help fund one of our no-strings-attached grants, visit genderpodcast.com/donate, tysm!

graphic that says: are you a trans person of color doing rad organizing, art, or community work? we want to give you $1000! applications for the gender reveal podcast's 2025 grant program are open now thru October 31. apply and learn more at genderpodcast.com/grant.

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Bisexual Kaiju @bisexualkaiju.myatproto.social · 2d

So you want to support living marginalized banned authors but your local banned books week displays and events are full of famous dead people?

Not to worry: your helpful non-binary bookseller is here to help!

A thread!

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Maia Kobabe @redgoldsparks.bsky.social · 2d

I'm not going to make it to this event after all! If you bought a ticket hoping to see me, I apologize that I will not be there. I hope you are able to get a refund if you want one!

Maia Kobabe @redgoldsparks.bsky.social · 12d

On Thurs 10/9 at 6pm I'll be speaking with fellow banned book authors @sarahandianhoffman.bsky.social whose picture book Jacob's Room to Choose was part of the Supreme Court Case Mahmoud v Taylor. In San Francisco, tickets here: www.eventbrite.com/e/book-banni...

Sarah and Ian Hoffman authors of the Jacob picture book series in conversation with Maia Kobabe, author of Gender Queer a Memoir. Thursday October 9, from 6-7:30pm at Manny's (3092 16th Street in San Francisco).

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Maia Kobabe @redgoldsparks.bsky.social · 2d

RM starting off Banned Books Week with us 💜 #readbannedbooks #bannedbooksweek #kimnamjoon

RM aka Kim Namjoon of BTS wearing a blue plaid flannel and a black baseball cap which says "Read Banned Books" sitting in front of a white couch with a slight smile on his face.

Closeup of RM aka Kim Namjoon of BTS wearing a black baseball cap which says "Read Banned Books Penguin Random House"

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Reposted by Maia Kobabe

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 4d

🫡

How to Turn Off AI Tools Like Gemini, Apple Intelligence, Copilot, and More - Consumer Reports

AI features are crowding into Google search, Gmail, iPhones, Windows laptops, and other products. If you're suffering from AI overload, these settings can help.

www.consumerreports.org

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Rowan @runefruit.bsky.social · 6d

You can follow / browse through all the lovely Shortbox comic artists here: go.bsky.app/ERmC5SX
Very honoured to be a part of this goated lineup :]

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Reposted by Maia Kobabe

ShortBox Comics Fair @shortboxcomicsfair.bsky.social · 7d

It's that time: ShortBox Comics Fair is here!

Over 140+ all-new, original comics created by artists from around the world, gathered exclusively in one place -for October only!

And it's all online, with all digital comics: no shipping, no waiting, no travelling.

www.shortboxcomicsfair.com

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PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 7d

🧵 In 2025, book censorship in the United States is rampant and common. Never before in the life of any living American have so many books been systematically removed from school libraries across the country.

Read our new report "The Normalization of Book Banning" at: pen.org/report/the-n...

Graphic for PEN America report titled 'Banned in the USA: The Normalization of Book Bans'. Features a stack of colorful books in front of a blackboard with '22,810 books banned in U.S. public schools, 2021-2025' written in chalk.

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Maia Kobabe @redgoldsparks.bsky.social · 6d

My September book reviews and action items are up on Patreon (free post): www.patreon.com/posts/140206...

All of the books Maia Kobabe read and reviewed in September:
It Rhymes With Takei by George Takei, Harmony Becker, Steven Scott, and Justin Eisinger
War of Streets and Houses by Sophie Yanow
The Dispossessed by Ursula K Le Guin read by Don Leslie
Intimacies by Katie Kitamura
Love Me Like You’re Real by Cynthia Yuan Cheng
Greater Secrets by Ananth Hirsh and Tess Stone
The King’s Warrior by Huahua Zhu
Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang (25th anniversary edition)
This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki and Nicole Goux
Darius The Great Is Not Okay By Adib Khorram read by Michael Levi Harris
You Are The Detective: The Creeping Hand Murder by Maureen Johnson, illustrated by Jay Cooper
Raging Clouds by Yudori
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman read by Jeff Hays

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Reposted by Maia Kobabe

Magic: The Gathering @magic.wizards.com · 7d

Wizards of the Coast is hosting a Twitch stream to support Trans Lifeline, a hotline and non-profit organization offering direct support to trans people in crisis – for the trans community, by the trans community.

Tune in to twitch.tv/magic on Oct 4th at 10am PT to play games with us and support!

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Maia Kobabe @redgoldsparks.bsky.social · 7d

I reread it last month and was blown away again!! what a book!

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Encyclopaedia Britannica @britannica.com · 8d

(solemnly) You've had mail.

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Logan Rees @jlrees.bsky.social · 7d

UPDATE ON BARBARA MARQUES: ICE is attempting to deport her tomorrow despite a federal court reopening her case. Deporting her now would be illegal under federal law but ICE is trying to do it anyway. Please flood these offices with calls to uphold the law and stop Barbara’s illegal deportation.

BARBARA IS SCHEDULED TO BE ILLEGALLY DEPORTED TOMORROW!
WE MUST CALL LOUISIANA NOW!
Mike Johnson (337) 423-4232
Bill Cassidy (318) 448-7176, (337) 261-1400
John Kennedy (337) 269-5980
"Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME]. I am calling about Barbara Marques, currently detained in Louisiana. A federal court has officially acknowledged a motion to reopen Barbara's case. This means she has legal protection from deportation until the judge rules. Deporting her now would be illegal under U.S. law. Despite this, ICE has scheduled her deportation for
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tomorrow and already moved her to the Alexandria staging facility. This action violates the law and must be stopped. I am demanding that you intervene immediately, contact ICE, and ensure Barbara is returned to the South Louisiana facility while her case is pending.
Please do your duty to uphold the law and stop this unlawful deportation."

directedbynikki
URGENT UPDATE: WE NEED TO
FLOOD LOUISIANA REPS IMMEDIATELY!
We finally have some rare good news - the court has officially acknowledged a motion to reopen Barbara's case. This is a major step: it means Barbara Marques cannot legally be deported while the judge reviews her case.
• But here's the crisis: despite this, ICE has scheduled Barbara for deportation tomorrow and has already moved her to the Alexandria, Louisiana staging facility. If ICE follows through, they will be violating federal law.
- We need an absolute storm of calls and emails
TODAY demanding Barbara be returned to the South Louisiana facility and not deported while her case is active.
Call and email these officials immediately (CALLING IS BETTER):
US Congress District 4: Mike Johnson (337) 423-4232
*MOST IMPORTANT
US Senator: Bill Cassidy (318) 448-7176, (337)
261-1400 *MOST IMPORTANT
US Senator: John Kennedy (337) 269-5980
Phone script + email template are in the link in our bio.
Barbara has legal protection now. ICE must follow the law. We're counting on everyone to help Barbara!!!

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