Hello! August 28 is International Read Comics in Public Day :) Is anyone else participating? What and where are you reading? Or what comics are reading in general? :)

I am reading the first full length graphic novel created by a Hungarian woman. It was published this year. (Kuizs Lilla: Semmi szédítő magasság). I was reading it on the tram on the way to work.

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.

this is genuinely one of the funniest books ive ever listened to