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Apr. 13th, 2009 10:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gina_r_snapeSo I learned yesterday about Amazon stripping the sales ranking of books with LGBT content. At first I didn't quite understand what was going on and wondered if it was tempest in a teacup. And I'm still not entirely sure exactly what impact the sales ranking has. But if it hurts the LGBT community and is an overt act of homophobia and transphobia, I have a problem with it.
I started looking for books with LGBT content and found consistent sales ranking omissions - including a book that I recommended and use for a course on LGBT rights that I teach. Following links, as you do, I came across this book:
Hello Cruel World by Kate Bornstein, potentially a life-saving book for LGBT youth by someone who is a transwoman and gender theorist. Her works are generally well respected. I read her as an undergrad when I did my BA in gender studies.
So I decided this was a good theme to pursue, and looked up "teen suicide." Lo and behold, I found When Nothing Matters Anymore, another support book for depressed teens. This one has a sales ranking.
Both books showed up in a general search list. So I'm still not sure how the ranking affects things. But if it in some way means a disadvantage to the LGBT community (both authors and consumers), then this is a fresh brand of homophobia that should not be tolerated.
I started looking for books with LGBT content and found consistent sales ranking omissions - including a book that I recommended and use for a course on LGBT rights that I teach. Following links, as you do, I came across this book:
Hello Cruel World by Kate Bornstein, potentially a life-saving book for LGBT youth by someone who is a transwoman and gender theorist. Her works are generally well respected. I read her as an undergrad when I did my BA in gender studies.
So I decided this was a good theme to pursue, and looked up "teen suicide." Lo and behold, I found When Nothing Matters Anymore, another support book for depressed teens. This one has a sales ranking.
Both books showed up in a general search list. So I'm still not sure how the ranking affects things. But if it in some way means a disadvantage to the LGBT community (both authors and consumers), then this is a fresh brand of homophobia that should not be tolerated.
