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Ripley’s is offering out its latest annual free of charge after some of its titles were pulled from school libraries as a direct result of Florida’s controversial law restricting the discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in public schools.
Tom Anstey | Planet Attractions | 21 Feb 2024
Ripley Entertainment has responded to the potential banning of three titles in its own library of books in Florida as the result of the controversial ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law by offering out its latest title to residents free of charge.
In 2022, Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, signed into law HB 1557, referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, with the law restricting the discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in public schools.
HB 1069, dubbed the “Don’t Say They” law due to its gender pronoun restrictions, expands on the classroom instruction provisions of HB1577, adding sweeping new provisions prohibiting the use of pronouns consistent with one’s gender identity, expanding book banning procedures, and censoring health curriculum and instruction.
In January, The Escambia County school district, located in Pensacola, Florida, removed 1,600 titles from school libraries after school officials determined that the books violated HB 1069.
Among these works were Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl, works by Charles Dickens, dictionaries, encyclopedias, the Guiness Book of World Records and titles from Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
Ripley’s, which operates three attractions in Florida, has responded to the move by declaring the “pen is mightier than the sword”, announcing that it will gift its latest annual, Ripley's Believe It or Not! Level Up, to Florida residents for free.
“The very idea of banning these books is worthy of entry to Ripley’s Believe It or Not!. Ironically, Escambia County officials are practically authoring our next book for us,” said Ryan DeSear, vice president of Attraction Operations for Ripley Entertainment.
“While Ripley’s response to this issue is a bit tongue-in-cheek, we very much encourage all Florida residents to claim their free copy and decide for themselves.”
Despite signing both HB 1557 and HB 1069 into law, DeSantis has called accusations that he enabled the bans as “a fraud” and “a big hoax”, accusing “activists” for “hijacking” the process of banning books by submitting challenges to “create a media narrative”.
The expansion in HB 1069 allows anyone to challenge books in school libraries that they deem to be inappropriate, often books that feature characters or topics on race, sex, and gender. DeSantis has since floated the idea of introducing legislation limiting the number of challenges and making future challenges contingent on whether you actually have children in school. He also said he would support HB 7025 - a bill which would impose a US$100 fine for unsuccessful book objections.
DeSantis also said that “no district in Florida has removed any dictionaries or thesauruses,” despite the Escambia County school district, in fact, removing five. According to the Escambia County school district, no books have actually been banned, but rather “pulled for further review to ensure compliance with the new legislation”.
The Florida governor has faced numerous challenges in response to the controversial bills, with Ripley’s the latest attractions operator to become involved following a lengthy ongoing dispute between DeSantis and Disney.
Pen America, publisher Penguin Random House and several authors have filed a federal lawsuit against the school district, alleging that the ban violates free speech.
For Florida residents, Ripley's Believe It or Not! Level Up, also will be available for free until May 15, with people able to request a book to be mailed to them online or receive a book in person at Ripley's Believe it or Not! attractions in Panama City Beach, Orlando and St. Augustine.
Click here to request your copy
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