Amazon mysteriously pulls book critical of transgender movements, gets accused of ‘digital book burning’

Author Ryan T. Anderson has blasted Amazon for removing his latest book on the rise of the transgender movement without explanation, a move that has many criticizing the company for playing politics and accusing it of censorship.

“I hope you’ve already bought your copy, cause Amazon just removed my book ‘When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment’ from their cyber shelves.... my other four books are still available (for now),” Anderson tweeted about the removal.

‘When Harry Became Sally’ had previously made best-seller lists on the retail site. The work aims to expose “the contrast between the media’s sunny depiction of gender fluidity and the often sad reality of living with gender dysphoria.” It includes accounts of people who have transitioned genders and later regretted it and looks at “beneficial therapies” that “focus on helping people accept themselves and live in harmony with their bodies.”

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A search for the work on Amazon currently brings up books that argue the exact opposite, including ‘The End of Gender: Debunking the Myths about Sex and Identity in Our Society’ and even a book carrying the title ‘Let Harry Become Sally’.

Many on social media have shown support for Anderson and demanded an answer from Amazon, which has yet to officially comment on its sudden removal of the book three years after it was first published.

“American oligarchs, cheered on by leftist politicians, are conducting digital book burnings,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) tweeted on Tuesday. 

American oligarchs,cheered on by leftist politicians,are conducting digital book burnings@Amazon banned a thoughtful & well researched book on a complicated issue

We reached out Amazon yesterday for an explanation

So far they feel no need to respond https://t.co/nqbIiS9hzx

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 23, 2021

“Some mid-level censor at Amazon appears to be conducting an experiment in what they can get away with,” conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat tweeted.

This book from @RyanTAnd is an invaluable resource for understanding current policy debates surrounding the transgender movement and education. Thoughtful and well-researched, this book contains nothing that justifies censorship by @amazon and @Twitter. pic.twitter.com/2ygbLvHgls

— Michael Barrett (@fccb_education) February 23, 2021

What's interesting (and disturbing) about Amazon's ban on @RyanTAnd's (clear, calm, compassionate, truth-telling) book on transgenderism is that the scrub is comprehensive: no print, no ebook, no audio—not even used copies sold through third parties.https://t.co/lzzLqhatox

— Justin Taylor (@between2worlds) February 23, 2021

In a Tuesday article, Anderson said neither he nor his publisher were told the book was being removed from Amazon and pointed out that if the company has objections to the content of the work, then they should be looking at other books sold through their website like Adolf Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’.

He also called on policy makers to look at the “unlimited liberties” granted to Big Tech.

“My prediction is that in the short run I’ll sell thousands more copies of the book thanks to Amazon's censorship. In the medium run, things will get worse for those who hold to traditional American values,” he wrote. 

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This is not the first time Amazon has been accused of censoring a book for failing to align with the company’s liberal leanings. 

Alex Berenson’s ‘Unreported Truths about COVID-19 and Lockdowns: Part 1’ became a best-seller, but it was briefly flagged by Amazon and the author was told it did not meet their standards. After a protest on social media gained support from prominent figures like Elon Musk, Amazon allowed the book back on its site and said it was a mistake – something Berenson took issue with.

“They didn’t say to me that it was a mistake… I do believe that I’m not the only person who has run into this. They need to be clear what their position is on publishing controversial material on political issues,” Berenson told Fox News. 

Anderson’s book on transgenderism was also briefly removed from Apple books, but quickly re-added and its cover, which is fairly minimal, was flagged as “potentially sensitive content” by Twitter. 

Twitter is now reporting the cover of my book as “potentially sensitive content.” I’m sure Amazon, Apple, and Twitter—it’s all just a coincidence! pic.twitter.com/jS9FjnlzFb

— Ryan T. Anderson (@RyanTAnd) February 23, 2021

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