SocraticGadfly: Amazon has anti-gaydar

April 12, 2009

Amazon has anti-gaydar

Or, so it would seem.

The online bookseller giant has implemented a new policy of “deranking” so-called “adult” books from its sales rankings.

And, along with that, it seems the book disappears from being listed if it doesn’t have a sales rank.

Just one problem, though.

As both that story and author Mark Probst note, the sales rank ban appears to be targeted at gay books. Write a book about a gay stripper? Get deranked. About a “straight” stripper? Keep your rank.

Write about preventing gay teen suicide? Get deranked. Write telling parents how to “convert” their gay kids back to heterosexuality (which probably will increase suicidal tendencies)? Stay ranked.

Gay pornstar bios? Deranked. Straight pornstars’ bios? Still ranked.

More on the situation, and Amazon’s apparent lies about it, here.

If you don’t like it, sign the petition to Amazon.

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