I think this maybe started when the performative male thing was going around, since the "performative male" in question always having some feminist book or work on him; and then possibly spurred itself into this "reading in public is performative" narrative (which I've now seen several posts of).

Reading in public is only seen as performative if you don't read, I think.

We've somehow reached a point where being seen doing something as basic as reading is a pretentious action.

To me it's just as basic as wearing headphones and listening to music in public, so why does reading have such a differing reaction?

I think it's a more subtle form of anti-intellectualism, trying to make it socially embarrassing to be seen doing things like reading.

Edit: added context.

I’m supposed to be doing an assignment right now 🤪

I’m just looking for more people to follow who hold this belief. I recently made a comment on here on a quest that we as a community shouldn’t platform HP because of the harm JKR is doing to trans people like me and I’m being called a book burner for this when I never called for book burning. JKR enacts politically violence and has assaulted a trans woman (took upskirt photos of this woman) and I’m tired of being told I’m a book burner when I ask people not to platform for that. Her money she earns from HP is being used to hurt trans people like me. I just need other people to follow on here with the same beliefs because I’m tired and feeling ostracized in the book community for believing Trans lives matter more than a stupid book

This is why writing Persepolis was so important to me I believe that an entire nation should not be iudged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists. I also don't want those Iranians who lost their lives in prisons defending freedom, who died in the war against Irag, who suf fered under various repressive regimes, or who were forced to leave their families and flee their homeland to be forgotten. One can forgive but one should never forget.

Does anyone just relate a little to this? Feeling like they have spent longer than should be necessary defending whole cultures, religions from stigma?

I'm acknowledging the privilege I have of being a 30-something white woman and not knowing the pain of it being my culture insulted.