No Gender critical books in bookshops

[Ritascornershop]

What’s it like in the UK? I’m in Canada and live in a medium sized city. I’ve gone to every bookshop in town (or called a few that are further out) & not a single one carries Helen Joyce’s Trans, Kathleen Stock’s Material Girls, or Abigail Shrier’s Irreversible Damage. They do carry a lot of trans-positive books, including in the kids’ section.

I’ve asked and been told I can order them, but it strikes me as a choice that they’re not stocking them and I’m not 100% sure I wouldn’t be doxed. Obviously I’m not very brave as in Canada it can feel like you’re the only gender critical person in your area (I know that’s not true, but adherence to trans ideology is vast and most institutions are captured).

Has anyone noticed if they’re on the shelf in UK bookshops? Also, every single shop no longer had a feminism section, they all have “gender studies” sections. Is this also the case in the UK?

I know that people have had difficulty getting hold of Trans in bookshops like Waterstones, TRAs amongst the staff keeping it in the stockroom instead of the shelves etc..

You have to hunt. I've made a habit of slipping some of Birdy Rose's stickers inside the Shona Faye one when I see it. I don't stick them in. I keep the backs on.
And any Shona Faye or similar, I put it to the bottom of any pile it's in or put something more worthy (basically anything) on top of it so it's not obvious that it's available.

I bought Trans in a local independent bookshop (south east UK) and Material Girls from a Waterstones (north west)

The staff-led censorship in bookshops has been really disappointing (not all staff, not all shops).

I worked in bookshops in the 90s and we were all about non-censorship, despite frequent customer complaints about us stocking objectionable books (on all sorts of social and political topics). It was a point of pride that we didn't judge.

My local Waterstones (south east London) has a lot of gender critical books displayed prominently. TRA books are also there but not as prominent. Has definitely made me buy more things in store!

Interesting - sounds like it’s a mix then. I’ve worked in bookshops too and am quite shocked that they aren’t stocking Trans here. It’s number 2 in sales for its subject area on Amazon . Ca.

I’m also sad to see the feminism sections turned into gender studies sections. Why and when and how did this happen?

And since when do bookshops only stock books that reflect their own beliefs? Surely that’s the job of niche bookshops? General bookshops staffed by atheists should carry books on Catholicism, staffed by meat eaters carry vegan cookbooks, staffed by philistines carry books on art, etc.

No problem buying Material Girls, Trans and Irreversible Damage from my local Waterstones. I think it depends on the staff of individual shops. I've had to order from my small independent bookshop because I think they were nervous of having them on display and being picked on by the TRAs. I've also ordered every title I can think of via my small local library and although it's taken a few weeks for them to come through they have come, and the librarian gives me a thumbs-up when I collect them.