Boycott Amazon
So hopefully most of you have heard about amazon removing the rankings of GLBTQQAIP books because of their "Adult content." Removing the rankings makes these books less likely to show up on search engines and bars them from being listed in the best selling category even if they are in fact best sellers. This not only keeps our community from having access to books that represent us and are written by us, but it prevents straight and cisgender people from seeing us. This is a silencing technique. This isn't the first time amazon has done this either. For those of you who are U.S. based and would like to boycott amazon here are two alternatives:
The Lamda Rising Bookstore specializes in GLBT publications. They ship internationally and offer free shipping for U.S. orders over $25.
Indiebound.org allows you to buy books online from independent bookstores. If you are in the united states you can opt to order the book and have it sent to an independent bookstore near you and then you don't have to pay for shipping. They ship internationally.
If you know of any alternative, especially for stores in other countries because international shipping isn't remotely affordable for most people, please let me know by commenting on this post. Thank you.
Update: adding to the list!
UK based bookstores
Waterstone's. Free UK shipping.
The Book Depository. Free Worldwide shipping.
Unfortunately, amazon still offers the cheapest price. Here is a breakdown of the price (before shipping) of Julia Serano's Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity:
Amazon.com [U.S.] $12.44
indiebound.org: $13.56 (if you do in store pick up [U.S. only] this is actually cheaper than amazon's shipping prices)
lamdarising: $15.95
Waterstone's: £9.99 [$15.78]
Book Depository: £11.39, €12.70, $16.69
The Lamda Rising Bookstore specializes in GLBT publications. They ship internationally and offer free shipping for U.S. orders over $25.
Indiebound.org allows you to buy books online from independent bookstores. If you are in the united states you can opt to order the book and have it sent to an independent bookstore near you and then you don't have to pay for shipping. They ship internationally.
If you know of any alternative, especially for stores in other countries because international shipping isn't remotely affordable for most people, please let me know by commenting on this post. Thank you.
Update: adding to the list!
UK based bookstores
Waterstone's. Free UK shipping.
The Book Depository. Free Worldwide shipping.
Unfortunately, amazon still offers the cheapest price. Here is a breakdown of the price (before shipping) of Julia Serano's Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity:
Amazon.com [U.S.] $12.44
indiebound.org: $13.56 (if you do in store pick up [U.S. only] this is actually cheaper than amazon's shipping prices)
lamdarising: $15.95
Waterstone's: £9.99 [$15.78]
Book Depository: £11.39, €12.70, $16.69