Dane Giraud
Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union says Mighty Ape’s decision to ban books on transgender issues shows contempt towards New Zealanders and our ability to arrive at informed opinions. It has today [ 10th May] written a public letter to the company’s founder calling for the decision to be reversed.
Dane Giraud, a spokesperson and member of the Union‘s Council says:
“The point of non-fiction is to have an exchange of ideas which can extend our knowledge. The avenue for criticism should not be ignorant calls to ban but thought-provoking reviews and counterarguments. The right to examine ideas and critique them is the bedrock of an open, diverse, and tolerant society.”
“Allowing veto by threat over which books we may be permitted to read is not acceptable, and is what one expects of an authoritarian anti-democratic regime, not from a major bookseller.”
“We were amazed to see a Waikato University lecturer quoted publicly in support of the ban, despite acknowledging that she hasn’t even read the books. This is literally judging a book by its cover. For an academic to claim a text ‘promotes fear and hatred of transgender people’ when she hasn’t even read the text, is pathetic.”
The full text of the public letter is available below and at www.fsu.nz/mighty_ape
Open letter to Mighty Ape founder, Simon Barton
Dear Mr Barton,
MIGHTY APE’S BANNING OF CONTROVERSIAL BOOKS
- Media report that your company has decided to remove two books from your online store after emails of complaint. At least one is said to be from a person who boasts that they have not read the books. But even if you had a torrent of intolerant complaints from people who had read them, a bookseller’s decision to help prevent others from knowing what is disputed, is a mark of shame in a formerly resilient and tolerant society.
- Because you are a private provider in a competitive market, we do not seek any legal intervention. Instead, we call on you to reconsider, to uphold the best traditions of booksellers. You would uphold tolerance. If instead you are seen to buckle under threats, your conduct both prompts more such gagging action on a wider range of topics. It will also prompt people who value their right to know, to promote boycotts and other commercial sanctions on your business. None of that is healthy. At present, your decision appears to be dangerous cowardice.
- The books Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing our Daughters by Abigail Shrier and When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment by Ryan T. Anderson are serious works that examine an important contemporary subject. They are both subject to substantial international critique and dialog.
- The point of non-fiction is to have an exchange of ideas which can extend our knowledge. The avenue for criticism should not be ignorant calls to ban but thought-provoking reviews and counter arguments. Indeed, the right to examine ideas and critique them is the bedrock of an open, diverse, and tolerant society.
- Allowing veto by threat over which books we may be permitted to read is not acceptable. It is what one expects in an authoritarian anti-democratic regime, not from an international book seller.
- Caving in to demands for censorship of substantial works is intellectually and culturally shameful. By banning the books, and publicly stating so, shows a contempt towards New Zealanders and our ability to arrive at informed opinions. It disrespects our entire literary tradition.
- The Free Speech Union of New Zealand urges you to reverse this decision and return those titles to your shelves.
Yours faithfully,
Free Speech Union (New Zealand) Inc.
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