The Handmaid's Tale


Artist: Margaret Atwood

Year: 2012

Date of Action: November, 1 2012

Region:

Location: Greensboro, NC

Subject: Explicit Sexuality, Political/Economic/Social Opinion, Sexual/Gender Orientation

Medium: Literature

Confronting Bodies: Parents

Description of Artwork: "The Handmaid's Tale" is a dystopian novel, a work of science fiction or speculative fiction, written by Canadian author Margaret Atwood in 1985. Set in the near future, in a totalitarian Christian theocracy which has overthrown the United States government, The Handmaid's Tale explores themes of women in subjugation and the various means by which they gain agency.

The Incident: Parents Lisa Reid and Cathy Barnette protested the book's placement in their school system's AP English reading list due to the book's "anti-Christian values".

Results of Incident: Despite the protests of parents, "The Handmaid's Tale" remains a part of the Greensboro AP English reading list.

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