BOOKSTORE SNUBS GAY CUSTOMERS
The country’s second largest bookstore – Exclusive Books in Nelson Mandela Square in Johannesburg – has closed its gay and lesbian section.
The store’s gay nook, which usually housed a good selection of gay themed books, magazines, and a smattering of erotica was missing in action this weekend – replaced instead by a plethora of crime novels.
A staff member at the store explained that the section had been closed by the manager who, he said, “was sick of the books being damaged.”
Further enquiries to the shop by Mambaonline on Tuesday did not entirely clarify matters. We were told that the manager was on leave but the assistant manager denied that the section had been closed. “It’s not true. We have just removed them [the books] temporarily,” he said.
When asked when the books would be back onto the shelves, he replied that he was unsure, adding that, “I will only know when my superior returns. Although they are likely to be back by Monday next week.”
But, according to Jill Van Zyl – Retail Development Manager at Exclusive Books, the section has indeed been closed – as “an experiment.”
Van Zyl, who stressed that books are ordered directly by stores and not by head office, said that the motivation for closing the gay and lesbian section was indeed because of the damage inflicted on books in the section.
“We have to make a profit and if the books are so damaged that none of them get sold then we have to think about that,” she said. She added that the manager would monitor the reaction to the section being closed for a month or so before deciding whether to re-open it.
In the meantime, Van Zyl, who suggested that there may no longer be a need for the section because of the “country’s constitution and the integration” of gays and lesbians in society, said that some gay themed novels would be incorporated in the standard fiction section under the authors’ names.
“This is for purely practical reasons. We are not anti-anything,” she added.
Mambaonline’s Editor Luiz DeBarros, expressed shock at the section’s closure. “This is a slap in the face to the company’s gay and lesbian customers. As the only significant book-chain in the country, the company, which is in essence a monopoly, has a responsibility to give its gay and lesbian customers some visibility on its shelves,” he said.
He went to add that, “Exclusive Books has long had a positive and progressive relationship with the gay community – and this action is short-sighted. Closing the section may be a matter of profit for Exclusive Books, but it’s a social and political issue for its gay clientele.”
He further expressed concern that the trend could extend to other Exclusive Books stores: “Without shelf space distributors will stop importing gay and lesbian themed books into the country.”
Van Zyl said that she would consider a suggestion to only have display copies of books on the shelves rather than all the title’s stock to reduce the impact of damage. “I would have thought that would be common sense for a bookstore,” said DeBarros.
Those wishing to contact Exclusive Books on the matter can do so through Jill Van Zyl on 011 803 3773 or via the store itself on 011 784 5416.
Shocker. I’m really surprised. I;ve always seen exclusive books as a gay-friendly haven for us gays. Guess we can never take anything for granted.
What a Pity. I agree.. Although it is nice to sometimes go through the books, maybe they should change their policy and not allow customers to read the books, (as in the case of what CNA does). The books are plastic sealed so that they dont get damaged. Or as Luiz has mentioned, they only have display books – BUT DONT REMOVE THEM COMPLETELY!!
Now we have our Government changing to give us freedom but other organisations are doing the opposite – how IRONIC!
Objectivity??. I have not formed an opinion on the story yet although “shocked” is not an emotion I am feeling. What bothers me more about this article is that the author/ess has interviewed the editor for his opinion. This strikes me as completely odd behaviour for journalism.
Another thing, why give out the telephone numbers? If I may be given the oportunity to speculate, I think that the “mambaonline reporter” is none other than Luiz DeBarros himself and he’s a bit p**ed off that he can’t buy his books at the local store anymore and is trying to use bully tactics to get them on the shelves again.
Am I being too harsh?
Really now. This is total overreaction!
I mean isnt the point of equality not standing out? Yeah be yourself for Pete’s sake but we really don’t need a separate ‘section’ for anything gay.
We are part of society now…just like we wanted.
Its time to get off our battle ships and live life.
Obviously if they close the section they’ll lose money cause you’ll go somewhere else to buy your books.
They lose…we lose nothing
Profit or Not?. The logic here for me is simple:
Firstly, the books are getting damaged as a result of being man-handled. If nothing else, this clearly indicates that there is a demand for the content on the shelves.
Therefore, from the perspective of a retailer (that is supposedly in the business of making a profit), the rational thing to do would be to put up a display edition, not remove the section entirely!
Secondly, the reason for such a section is to reduce the search costs for the customer upon entering the store. If folks want gay-themed content, which clearly quite a few people have an interest in, why should they have to scour the entire store? This is the whole point of having sections based on categories.
To therefore justify the removal of the gay/leb section by citing damaged books or the “integration of gays into wider society” (a fallacy if I ever heard one) makes no sense whatsoever.
That is of course, if this particular Exclusive Books store’s primary interest is in providing a good to a customer in the best way possible. Which in this case, seems somehow doubtful.
Cheaper. Why bother going to EB or any other bookstore anyway? It’s cheaper to import books and DVDs from amazon.
exclusive books. good on you robinaurochs – we are being ripped off by the South Africn booksellers- and if you probably look at the so-called “damaged” books, one might ask, who is damaging these books? – look right!
Power of the pink Rand – my arse!. Well done Exclusive Books!
Business is Business! Not a single one of these “outraged” gays would buy a well-thumbed or damaged book. Methinks they are really complaining because they no longer have a pretence of “browsing” in the bookshop’s corner section where they can be easily seen by like minded prowlers (if you know what I mean.. been there, done that!). And what sort of books are being frequently damaged anyway? Certainly not the fictions, I presume. Don’t they have internet??
Isn’t it time we get honest with ourselves and realise that those who spend an inordinate amount of time paging and drooling over the same pubication are not really looking to buy anyway?
And why the hell SHOULD Exclusive Books treat us any differently? We marched up and down suburbs determined to show we had equal rights (much to the now rapidly tiring amusement of ourselves and some spectators) and now we have them, we want to stand out all over again? Frankly, all the serious book buff needs to do is ask at the counter for gay literature and be directed to alphabetically arranged works (what a misnomer..).
As for giving out the store’s number… what a low blow! Is this an unsubtle attempt to get us to call the store and offer our outrage??
Start your own exclusively gay shop in the area for heaven’s sake.. You have just identified an apparently captive market… or not!
Now thats a good answer. I fully agree!! Business is business!!
What the hell?. How narrowminded are the rest of u? They said that the books would be integrated into all the other books under their categories. You want us to be excepted into society as equals, but when it happens you still want to walk into a book store and be told that you’re section is over there. Why should there still be a “Gay section”?
pick up the phone book. Actually the book store’s phone number is not a state secret revealed by Mamba. You can find it in the bloody phone book! And I’ll be phoning to complain!
Pff.. you and all the other idiots. Just don’t join the diplomatic corps..You would do gays no favours!
Amen!. You said it!
Angry at your ignorance!. We have equal rights? Ha! You bunch of stuck up middle class snobs who think that their lives represent the rest of the gay world. For some people who don;t have credit cards and access to the Internet or who might be killed for being gay – a gay section in a bookstore can be the only place where they feel legitimised. Ignorant stupid arseholes – the rest of the world has pride in their gay culture. As a gay person you will never be the same as a straight person. Deal with it! We don’t fight – or march through the streets – for the right to be the same as others but to be TREATED the same as others. It’s not about being assimilated!! There is a difference arseholes! I can’t believe what I’m reading? Why do you even come to mamba? What is the point of a gay website or a gay magazine or gay club? Get some education and grow up!!!! Go mamba for looking out for us – and sadly you idiots don’t even deserve it!
you go boy!. Roberto – you are a tad “vocal” but I share your thoughts!
People should get much more involved in what is really going on and stop thinking that we are such a “free and integrated country”!!!!!
WAKE UP guys – the easiest way for homosexuality to be criminalised again is through CRAP attitudes like DO!
Do yourselves a favour and go and visit Behind the Mask, FEW, OUT, Triangle Project! Listen and hang your heads in shame! Read up on Stonewall and see really how long we have been fighting for the bare minimum BUT dont ever think that we have everything just because it is in our constitution! It is still up to us to make ourselves heard and to stand up for we need and want!
Agree, but… .. that doesn’t include displaying Roberto’s attitude. I agree with feathers & stilettos! I also happen to think Roberto’s arguments don’t hold water. Gosh… TWO that disagree with Roberto.. oops, methinks he may have isolated himeslf..
Silly Roberto… Oh dear Roberto, did you think your angry reply through?
“We have equal rights? Ha! You bunch of stuck up middle class snobs who think that their lives represent the rest of the gay world.”
Now THERE’S a massive generalisation. By your vitriolic reaction, are you proposing that you DO represent the gay world? For that matter, even the middle class can’t claim to represent all classes, which is hardly what I picked up in the postings!
“For some people who don’t have credit cards and access to the Internet or who might be killed for being gay ?..”
You mean like others (irrespective of sexuality) who get killed for a cell phone? The reality of this world is that people are killed for ALL sorts of sad reasons, and sexuality is certainly one of those. Only idealists, in my opinion, out of touch with reality, believe that a bookstore with a gay section (or even gay pride marches, where crowds of queens dress up in feather boas and stilettos to HIGHLIGHT their differences and in so doing, actually marginalise many gays who don’t behave that way) just cannot hope to stem the crime you used as an example. What a silly argument!
“..a gay section in a bookstore can be the only place where they feel legitimised. Ignorant stupid arseholes – the rest of the world has pride in their gay culture.”
What sort of person obtains “legitimacy” from secretly paging through thumb-worn calendars and pin ups in an out-of-general-eyesight section of a gay book store, and then doesn’t buy anything? Even worse, these poor sacrificial elements of society paint yet another sad image for gay people. I’d love to know what your sources are for saying the ‘rest of the world’ has pride in their gay culture. I believe you to be out of touch ? there are many gay people who prefer to be described in terms OTHER than their sexuality, or even to have their sexuality assigned to a ‘culture’. Why else do may ? even here on Mamba ? ask to meet straight acting and looking people? They certainly do NOT take pride in those who do not behave that way!
“As a gay person you will never be the same as a straight person.”
And your point is?
“Deal with it! We don’t fight – or march through the streets – for the right to be the same as others but to be TREATED the same as others. It’s not about being assimilated!! “
I sense a contradiction. The “others” you write about don’t only dress as opposite genders and parade down streets so they can be treated the same, as you suggest. Some actually want to stand out. Your paragraph begs a question – are you saying that gay people should NOT be assimilated into general society and ALSO treated as the “others”? Frankly, as a gay man myself, I don’t WANT to be treated the same way our queens or dykes are treated. One way for me to achieve this, is by not making a clown of myself or portraying a garish form of sexuality that I don’t identify with. That too is my right!
“Why do you even come to Mamba? What is the point of a gay website or a gay magazine or gay club? Get some education and grow up!!!!”
Your point(s) may have bearing had you been equally vitriolic about INSISTING on a gay dance floor in a straight club. And even you should be able to see the foolishness of that! As for my reasons for visiting Mamba, they have absolutely nothing to do with my education, or levels of cognitive development. The point of debate ? provided by Mamba incidentally ? is for all interested parties to express themselves in whichever way they like ? even if it is in an outraged or uninformed manner.
good answer but one question…… …. are you a gay man that doesn’t wear feathers and stilettoes, or are you a gay man that wears stilettoes but not feathers????
let me un-esufnoc you. lol.. I wear neither.. I should have edited the text but was in a hurry. Well spotted!
Ah! I see. Thanks for clearing up! lol
actually a pity!. Thought you might be the guy on the FMO ad banners running on mamba!
*sigh*
hell no… Send me yr profile name & I’ll send you a pic.. lol
Vote for …….. Hmmm …
Gays want to “stand Out” and be seen and when this is recognised Constitutionally ( I agree that there is always room for improvement … be it gay or straight or any other culture or sub-culture etc.), then “what’s next???” … Maybe being a part of Society is not as glamarous as expected. Maybe there are more gays out there that “liked” the idea of being “different”, of standing out from the crowd (and I don’t mean by wearing high heels and feathers) and now that has partly been taken away a new standard has to be created? (to fill the gap?).
If being yourself means that you feel the need to stand out then, I think the greater need is to look inside yourself and ask what is missing that “standing out” will fill?
“I need to be heard”
“I want the world to see me”
“I like the attention” … are all statements that speak of a desire to be recognised at a deeper level than just on the surface.