Burn It Down – Sock 2: Ban Bigots, Not Books

Did you know that today is, in fact, not Sunday? I clearly didn’t. I published the 2nd sock in the Burn It Down pattern on Ravelry, but when I wrote this post I accidentally scheduled it for next Sunday and not last Sunday. I’ll chock this one up to “Wibbly wobbly timey wimey”. Sorry about the delay, and I hope you all have had some nice banned books to stay busy with in the meanwhile.

If you’re just joining us, learn more about this project HERE, and download the project sheet and functional swatch HERE.

The most recent school year saw a dramatic uptick in the number of books banned or challenged in American schools. This is no real surprise, set on a backdrop of aggressive anti-trans legislation, the targeting and harassment of drag performers, and the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and set women’s rights back by decades.

The percentage of banned books featuring trans characters and themes is massively disproportionate to the percentage of total books in school libraries with these themes.

Let’s play a fun game. I’m going to post some quotes below. are Let’s see if you can guess which of these are from the King James Bible, and which are from some of the most banned books in America.

1. “Slaves, be subject to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and equitable but also to those who are perverse.”
2. “Some people are born in the mountains, while others are born by the sea. Some people are happy to live in the place they were born, while others must make a journey to reach the climate in which they can flourish and grow. Between the ocean and the mountains is a wild forest. That is where I want to make my home.”
3.  “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. If she does not please the man who bought her, he may allow her to be bought back again.”
4. “I remember when I first realized I never had to have children. It was like walking out of a narrow alley into a wide open field. I never have to get married. I never have to date anyone. I don’t even have to care about sex. These realizations were like gifts that I gave myself.”
5. “See, the day of the Lord is coming — a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger. . . . I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty. . . . Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be looted and their wives violated.”
6. “I had agency—the power to control my narrative—and this was a moment where I was choosing to do what I felt was best for me, no questions asked.”
7. “Hear and give ear; do not be haughty, for the Lord has spoken. . . . And if you say in your heart, ‘Why have these things come upon me?’ it is for the greatness of your iniquity that your skirts are lifted up, and you are violated . . . because you have forgotten me and trusted in lies. I myself will lift up your skirts over your face, and your shame will be seen.”
8. “It was the first time I knew beautiful. Had imagined it for myself. Beauty was not simply something to behold; it was something one could do.”

I know. It’s hard to tell which is which!

BURN IT DOWN – SOCK 2: BAN BIGOTS NOT BOOKS

The Burn It Down Socks are worked in the round from the cuff down. The leg pattern is worked off-center on the back of the leg, and after placing stitches for an afterthought heel you will continue to work off center down the foot. The heel is worked by picking up live sts from a waste yarn holder after completing the colorwork foot. You can find tutorials on everything you’ll need to make your very own patriarchy hexing socks on our YouTube Channel.

View Sock 2: Ban Bigots Not Books by clicking the download button below. When you download the pattern from our website instead of through Ravelry here, you will NOT receive automatic updates. You will have to come here and download the next clue every time. Please download it via Ravelry if you are able, so you have immediate access to the clues as they are released and any errata that may appear.

~Megan-Anne

We wouldn’t want the children to get ideas.

Quotes 2&4 – Gender Queer: A Memoir; Quote 6 – Not All Boys Are Blue; Quote 8 – The Bluest Eyes.

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