Waterstones and censoership

[MiladyBerserko]

I have been reading about concerns re Waterstones not displaying Helen Joyce's Trans book on Twitter, for example:
mobile.twitter.com/GreenFemsUK/status/1425764602722275337

I have been into three Waterstones in the last two weeks. It was not displayed in two shops and ther was one copy in the third. I asked about it in one of the no-display stores and apparently there was one in store but couldn't be found (!)

Has anyone else had this experience? If you are passing a Waterstones, have a quick check...

So - in a large Waterstones today (no ‘women’s’ section, just a ‘gender studies’ section bleugh) but there it was (on the LGB-bingo shelf), but at least side-on with the cover facing out.

This is right in the middle of a rather wokey university area too (so I was pleasantly surprised).

Went into one of those fake local bookshops that's actually a branch of Waterstones the other day. One copy of Trans was on the shelf, tucked away between other recent hardback releases. I didn't spot it, but when I asked the assistant, she took me straight to it. I took this as a good sign. It's a sad state of affairs that this felt like a small victory.

That's a pity I have been giving Waterstones my business rather than using Amazon for books but if they are indulging in censorship I will take my business elsewhere (and the Fogi household buys a lot of books!!).

I had MUCH pleasure in going to our local Waterstones with the kids, letting them choose an armful of books each (which I do periodically do) as well as a few myself, and then at the counter waving my Waterstones card and asking for Trans… A timely reminder for them that many of us GCers a) still buy books and b) by the armful!

I couldn’t see it when I looked for it, but they didn’t have it, and found it for me very politely.

I'm pleased to say that Trans was on a table display with some other books at Waterstones in the Trafford Centre today.

They didn't have a copy of Julie Bindel's latest book though when I asked. Might get them to order it in on principle.

Just received this week’s Waterstones Weekly in my In Box, and featured in the 'Recently Reviewed' section is Shon Faye’s new book. It also features prominently if you click on 'Just In - Biggest New Releases'.

I’m sure they never did that for Helen Joyce. Is this just the effect of Faye having the backing of the mighty Allen Lane/ Penguin promotional department versus that of the much smaller Oneworld, who published ‘Trans’? Or are Waterstones being 'selective' in their marketing?

There wasn't a copy available in my local store but the lovely woman behind the counter offered to order it in and said it was a book she really wanted to read, but knew that to be seen doing so would cause problems with her young adult daughter.

When I mentioned the possibility of company censorship she said it was available in her store (she was on temporary loan) but that a copy had been hidden by a customer!

She also said thank goodness there were women prepared to raise their heads above the parapets.

So not entirely successful, but good that I found an ally.

@Rubidium

Just received this week’s Waterstones Weekly in my In Box, and featured in the 'Recently Reviewed' section is Shon Faye’s new book. It also features prominently if you click on 'Just In - Biggest New Releases'.

I’m sure they never did that for Helen Joyce. Is this just the effect of Faye having the backing of the mighty Allen Lane/ Penguin promotional department versus that of the much smaller Oneworld, who published ‘Trans’? Or are Waterstones being 'selective' in their marketing?

It’s both.

Waterstones will choose to market based on what they’re offered both in terms of promotion (extra discount from Penguin vs Oneworld, paying for promotions e.g. table displays, ‘features’ in the newsletter or magazine) and also on what the head office buyers like personally, where their political and personal preferences lie.

Much like any other commercial buying role or experience. It’s not ‘censorship’ or sinister in any sense other than just being influenced by external factors.

As you can see it was prominently displayed in my local Waterstones

@whereiwanttobe

There wasn't a copy available in my local store but the lovely woman behind the counter offered to order it in and said it was a book she really wanted to read, but knew that to be seen doing so would cause problems with her young adult daughter.

When I mentioned the possibility of company censorship she said it was available in her store (she was on temporary loan) but that a copy had been hidden by a customer!

She also said thank goodness there were women prepared to raise their heads above the parapets.

So not entirely successful, but good that I found an ally.

From all these anecdotes, there doesn't appear to be any company-wide censorship, just unilateral actions by some individual stores to display the book less prominently or hide it in the stockroom altogether.

"Much like any other commercial buying role or experience. It’s not ‘censorship’ or sinister in any sense other than just being influenced by external factors."
Well said @NoSquirrels.

Exeter Waterstones had Trans in central position of new hardbacks, clearly some copies had been bought and there was also a Waterstones Recommends tab by one of the local staff. I found it encouraging.

I've been to Waterstone's in Kingston this morning and they had two copies under "New Non-Fiction" right by the door.
They also had a huge stack of "Gender Euphoria" in the social science section. A copy of that may or may not have found its way to the "Religion" section.

I was in Waterstones in Durham yesterday, and they had a copy in the New Non-Fiction shelf right by the door.

I didn’t go to the floor where they have all the non-fiction sections, so no idea if they had any other copies in.

I couldn't see it in the Manchester Arndale branch a couple of weeks ago.

Hi. I went into Waterstones in Leeds city centre. It was awash with pro trans books but Kathleen Stock Material girls was nowhere to be seen. I was informed that I had to order it from them, and it could take some time. Very disinterested. 😡

@user1494244294 well, that’s essentially telling customers to go to Amazon. Wonder how the big bosses would feel about that.

No sign of any gender critical literature in my local Waterstones.

It's not just censorship it's pure secterianisim. It's unbelievable really. Waterstones have been dragged through the press due to this self imposed censoring of staff choosing what should and should not be viewed. My advice don't buy from them.

It is odd that local stores are allowed to censor. I wonder if it's lawful but suspect it's not. The HO should be making clear policy but then it looks as though Urban more likely to protest if it's on display. Hope we don't end up like the US. My local store has it on display

@highame I don’t think it’s a question of being allowed, I think it’s dependant on whether the manager and the staff are gender ideologists (and identity enthusiasts?). My local branch appears to be all young women and there were two lgbtq+ displays with a lot of emphasis on the T when I went in just after Christmas.

It doesn’t seem to be an isolated occurrence by the sounds of it.

Waterstones are clearly looking the other way on this issue. It's obviously far too hot for them to handle in case they upset some members of their staff. It's incredulous. How can you run a business if you aren't prepared to put out the full array of books on a specific subject for fear it may upset some of their staff? Leeds is a huge university city. It has thousands of students and attracts a diverse population of young people. It's shameful of Waterstones to be involved in such subterfuge that Kathleen Stock, Helen Joyce and other Gender Critical writers and authors are not available to view. Sally Hines book is so prominent it's just completely breathtakingly unbelievable.

@Rubidium

Just received this week’s Waterstones Weekly in my In Box, and featured in the 'Recently Reviewed' section is Shon Faye’s new book. It also features prominently if you click on 'Just In - Biggest New Releases'.

I’m sure they never did that for Helen Joyce. Is this just the effect of Faye having the backing of the mighty Allen Lane/ Penguin promotional department versus that of the much smaller Oneworld, who published ‘Trans’? Or are Waterstones being 'selective' in their marketing?

All marketing is selective, Waterstones obviously doesn't promote every single book the same way to the same degree. Waterstones are in this for the money, not anything else, so if Faye's book gets more of a push it's because they expect it to sell better.

I went into the Waterstones flagship store in London just after Christmas, to see if they had Helen Joyce's book. At first I couldn't see it on the Gender Studies shelves but then I spotted a hardback book that had been placed with the spine towards the back of the shelf, so I pounced on it to see if it was 'Trans'. And indeed it was! The dust-jacket wasn't in pristine condition, so either it's a well handled copy or maybe someone roughed it up a bit to make it less saleable.

I later found 2 copies in the display area near the stairs. I bought a copy - it was half price so I didn't feel so bad about giving Waterstones some custom.

The Kathleen Stock book was out of stock at the publishers before Christmas, so shops couldn’t get more copies when they sold out - if you couldn’t find it, that was a legitimate reason. It’s recently come out in paperback and is in stock at most shops. If you can’t find these books, ask - there are many, many allies within the company that will happily sell them to you.