[LCC] Amazon definition of "adult" materials

[Terrence Lockyer]

The message below was posted to H-Histsex, the H-Net 
History of Sexuality forum, by Rictor Norton.  I cannot 
vouch for any of the information contained therein, but 
thought it worth posting here, as, if accurate, it will 
inevitably affect works in our field:

Over the Easter weekend, Amazon.com and many of its 
affiliates decided to prevent "adult" material from 
appearing in some of its searches, which they did by 
removing the sales ranking data from individual titles 
deemed to be "adult". Amazon have made no official 
comment on this, but in response to a complaint by a 
novelist they replied:

In consideration of our entire customer base, we 
exclude "adult" material from appearing in some 
searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are 
generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also 
be excluded from that feature.

Hence, if you have further questions, kindly write back 
to us.

Best regards,

Ashlyn D
Member Services
Amazon.com Advantage

It quickly becomes apparent that by "adult" they mean 
not only titles of an erotic or pornographic nature, 
but also any gay and lesbian titles irrespective of 
their serious nature. So in effect they have classified 
all GLBT material as obscene. Some of the titles which 
have been stripped of their sales ranking details 
include:

Routledge International Encyclopedia of Queer Culture
Gay and Lesbian Historical Fiction by Norman Jones
A Lesbian History of Britain by Rebecca Jennings
The Sciences of Homosexuality by Kenneth Borris
Behind the Mask of the Mattachine by James Sears
Byron and Greek Love by Louis Crompton
Homosexuality and Civilization by Louis Crompton
Female Masculinity by Judith Halberstam
Gay Life and Culture by Robert Aldrich
Gay American History by Jonathan Katz
Hellenism and Homosexuality in Victorian Oxford by 
Linda Dowling
How to do the History of Homosexuality by David 
Halperin
Homosexuality in Greece and Rome by Thomas Hubbard

and the list is endless -- anything with the words gay 
lesbian queer or homosexuality no longer is accorded 
sales rankings.

On the other hand, books like "Sex Among the Rabble" by 
Clare Lyons or "City of Eros: New York City, 
Prostitution, and the Commercialization of Sex, 
1790-1920" by Timothy Gilfoyle -- and an equally 
endless list -- still have their sales rankings. 
Obviously, books about heterosexual history are 
perfectly OK because they are accepted by their 
"normal" market, but books about homosexual history are 
obscene in the view of Amazon, whose general audience 
is no longer deemed to include LGBT individuals or 
indeed anyone interested in such things.

I'm not entirely sure what commercial effect the 
removal of sales rankings has. But obviously it had its 
promotional uses, otherwise it would not have been 
removed so that material deemed inappropriate by Amazon 
would no longer be promoted. My main objection is that 
this is a clear-cut case of discrimination on the basis 
of sexual orientation, that is: homophobia pure and 
simple.

I don't know how others on this list feel, but I think 
it is outrageous. My own website promotes Amazon 
product through its Associates programme, but if Amazon 
doesn't wish to encourage promotion of LGBT books, then 
of course I will cease promoting Amazon books on my 
website and resign from its Associates programme.


Rictor Norton, London
rictornorton.co.uk

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The text above the line was cross-posted to by
Terrence Lockyer
Johannesburg, South Africa
e-mail:  lockyert [at] mweb.co.za

Please note that I am simply fowarding this message for 
information, and have no personal connection with any 
individuals, institutions, sites, publications, or 
events concerned.  Please direct any queries to the 
sites or addresses in the message itself.