[LCC] Amazon definition of "adult" materials

[Kirk Ormand]

I checked, and found that Ormand's book on ancient sexual practice  
(which does not have words explicitly suggesting homoeroticism in the  
title) is not included in the "adult" category, while, e.g., Tom  
Hubbard's sourcebook on the same topic is...  a few other fun  
couplings, for the interested:

Roman Sexualities, eds. M. Skinner and J. Hallett: 	not adult.
Roman Homosexuality, Craig Williams:				adult

(I guess we could have predicted that one).

Love for Sale: A World History of Prostitution, Nils Johan Ringdal:  
not adult
The Myth of Sacred Prostitution in Antiquity, Stephanie Budin: not adult
Rent Boys:  The World of Male Sex Trade Workers, Michael Dorais: adult

It does appear that it's "homo" and not "sexuality" that triggers the  
category "adult".

Kirk

On Apr 13, 2009, at 12:00 PM, Bruce W. Frier wrote:

>         To sign the protest petition, go to: http:// 
> www.thepetitionsite.com/1/in-protest-at-amazons-new-adult-policy.  
> Nearly 13,000 signatures already.  This situation is much more  
> pervasive than Amazon is currently acknowledging.  B.
>
>
> At 10:35 AM 4/13/2009, Terrence Lockyer wrote:
>> 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
>>
>> ----------
>>
>> 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.
>>
>>
>>
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