reviews_and_ramblings (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
reviews_and_ramblings) wrote2009-05-29 07:29 pm
reviews_and_ramblings) wrote2009-05-29 07:29 pm
Amanzon tagged the word "gay" inappropriate
I read this interesting post on Rick R. Reed's blog, but what happened to Rick seems a common event to different authors who are gay or write gay novels:
"I woke up this morning to an e-mail from Amazon announcing their new "author profiles." If you have a book on Amazon, you're eligible. I went in to do mine and was stopped short when I tried to post it because I got an error message saying that a term in my bio was "potentially inappropriate" and needed to be addressed before I could proceed. That word? GAY...of course. I removed the word because I could not post until I did, but found this to be extremely disturbing, especially in light of the recent fiasco at Amazon with sales rankings."
read the full post here: http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/2009/05/amazon-calls-gay-inappropriate.html
Since I'm not an author, I can't verify, but if it's true, it's quite an homophobic thing. If I'm gay and a writer, I have to hide in the closet if I want an Amazon profile?
ETA: to be precise, the problem is only on the new feature of Amazon for authors, the Amazon Author Profile, not the normal Amazon Profile everyone can sign in (like mine). And someone tried with different word, like lesbian and queer, and the problem was not arised, but the ban of the word "gay" is still active.
ETA: the problem seems now resolved, authors can post the word "gay" in their profiles and save it. The change apparently happened in the last few hours, since till this morning it was not possible.
"I woke up this morning to an e-mail from Amazon announcing their new "author profiles." If you have a book on Amazon, you're eligible. I went in to do mine and was stopped short when I tried to post it because I got an error message saying that a term in my bio was "potentially inappropriate" and needed to be addressed before I could proceed. That word? GAY...of course. I removed the word because I could not post until I did, but found this to be extremely disturbing, especially in light of the recent fiasco at Amazon with sales rankings."
read the full post here: http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/2009/05/amazon-calls-gay-inappropriate.html
Since I'm not an author, I can't verify, but if it's true, it's quite an homophobic thing. If I'm gay and a writer, I have to hide in the closet if I want an Amazon profile?
ETA: to be precise, the problem is only on the new feature of Amazon for authors, the Amazon Author Profile, not the normal Amazon Profile everyone can sign in (like mine). And someone tried with different word, like lesbian and queer, and the problem was not arised, but the ban of the word "gay" is still active.
ETA: the problem seems now resolved, authors can post the word "gay" in their profiles and save it. The change apparently happened in the last few hours, since till this morning it was not possible.
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