MY SISTER'S KEEPER
My Sister's Keeper is about Anna Fitzgerald and her family. Her sister, Kate, has leukemia and Anna was specifically born to be her perfect genetic match, so she could be Kate's donor. When Anna's parents try to force her to donate her kidney, she takes them to court. I found the book to be very heart wrenching and very good as it challenges whats morally right against what is legal. My Sister's Keeper has been challenged for various reasons. It is said to have homosexuality, and offensive language.It is apparently sexually explicit and unsuited for its desired age group. It's also said to have violence and sexism.
One of the reasons that the books are challenged is because of homosexuality. In my opinion, there isn't enough homosexuality in the book for it to be banned. Anna Fitzgerald was assigned a guardian at litem named Julia Romano by the court to decide whats best for her. During a scene in the book, Julia goes to an all gay bar where she gets advice from the bar tender who actually admitted to not being gay. That is the only time when homosexuality is mentioned in the entire book.
One of the reasons that the books are challenged is because of homosexuality. In my opinion, there isn't enough homosexuality in the book for it to be banned. Anna Fitzgerald was assigned a guardian at litem named Julia Romano by the court to decide whats best for her. During a scene in the book, Julia goes to an all gay bar where she gets advice from the bar tender who actually admitted to not being gay. That is the only time when homosexuality is mentioned in the entire book.
Another reason the books are challenged is because of sexism and a sexually explicit scene. There is a scene in the book that is considered sexually explicit, so that argument is valid. However, in my opinion, the sexism isn't. Sexism is discriminating against someone because of their gender or sex. Just like homosexuality, there isn't very enough sexism in this book for it to be the reason its banned.
In the book, Kate's leukemia has a negative impact on the family. Her parents are so busy worrying about her health, that they neglect their other kids, the eldest son Jesse more so. Jesse could be considered a delinquent. Jesse is eighteen and uses drugs and alcohol, Jesse is also very smart and uses homemade materials to make fires. He is an arsenic, and with him, readers get to see a darker side and opinion to the lawsuit. With Jesse in the story, the challenges of offensive language can be valid, since Jesse uses a fair bit of that. Whether or not the book is unsuited for YA is the grand question though. Young adults are forced to learn about drugs and alcohol in school, and are generally more mature than children. In my opinion, the book isn't unsuited for its age group, because of what kind of world we live in. In present times, with the internet, YA and teens are exposed to more crude and lewd language than before. Offensive language is even on the radio in the music. If this book had been published two decades ago though, it probably would have been banned with little opposition.