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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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10

Amazon Drops Gay Titles From Sales Rankings

Company blames glitch for shunting innocuous gay titles to adult list

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(Newser) – Amazon is facing a backlash for yanking hundreds of gay and lesbian titles from its sales ranking system, CNET reports. The bookseller has a policy of excluding material deemed "adult" from the sales and bestseller lists, but critics say its exclusion of titles like The Well of Loneliness—a Victorian book on lesbians without a single sentence of sexual description—smacks of discrimination.

Other gay titles deemed adult include nonfiction books on gay history and romances with no sex, while the heterosexual books pulled from the rankings—often a factor in Amazon shoppers' buying decisions—tend to be much more explicit. A company spokeswoman blamed the discrepancy on "a glitch" but declined to elaborate.

Angry Amazon customers are threatening to get refunds on their Kindles.
Angry Amazon customers are threatening to get refunds on their Kindles.   (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Amazon has removed hundreds of gay and lesbian titles, including nonfiction books and books with no sexual descriptions, from its rankings system.
Amazon has removed hundreds of gay and lesbian titles, including nonfiction books and books with no sexual descriptions, from its rankings system.   (©brainchildvn)
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Somehow, the brain trust of your company has decided to protect the "entire" Amazon customer base by restricting access to content that someone (who?) decided was offensive.
- Letter to Amazon from an annoyed customer

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10 comments
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Thinker
Apr 13, 09 7:21 AM CDT
Bye bye Amazon. You, a book seller, are guilty of discrimination and censorship. Why not sell only Christian titles from now on, if you and you're customers are so moral and easily offended? Reply
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NutsInNY
Apr 13, 09 7:59 AM CDT
Wonder if "Mi Tio Rush" is still available -- the Spanish language children's book about a young Dominican boy's unconventional relationship with a middle-aged white American blowhard. Reply
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MrsK
Apr 13, 09 8:05 AM CDT
Way to go Amazon! I can't imagine those books were big sellers anyway. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
NutsInNY
Apr 13, 09 8:25 AM CDT
...she says, desperately hoping MrK will repent for his sinful extracurricular activities.
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0
IN RESPONSE:
Rob
Apr 13, 09 8:53 AM CDT
lol ok nuts, that was funny.
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