‘Serious, violent incident’: American Booksellers Association apologizes for distributing ‘anti-trans book’

The American Booksellers Association has apologized for distributing a book critical of gender transition for young girls, calling the book “anti-trans” and its distribution a “serious, violent incident.”

“An anti-trans book was included in our July mailing to members. This is a serious, violent incident that goes against ABA’s end policies, values, and everything we believe and support. It is inexcusable,” the association declared in a statement on Wednesday.

Apologizing to its “trans members and to the trans community for this terrible incident and pain we caused them,” the ABA said that “apologies are not enough” and that it would make several steps over the next few weeks “to address the harm we caused.”

Though the ABA did not name the book in question, it appeared to be referring to Abigail Shrier’s ‘Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters’, which was sent to member bookstores in the group’s July promotional ‘White Box’.

Published by the conservative Regnery Publishing house in June, Irreversible Damage – an Amazon bestseller – documents the “trans craze” and “how you can inoculate your child against it.” The book also documents several cases of women who have transitioned into men that now “bitterly regret” the decision.

Controversy over the book’s inclusion in the White Box first arose on Wednesday after a self-described “queer butch” bookseller complained to the ABA on Twitter and asked, “Do you know how that feels, as a trans bookseller and book buyer?”

Despite its apology, the ABA continued to be criticized on social media by some users who claimed the association would have to do more to atone.

One transgender social media user called on the ABA to “physically recover every single copy shipped,” tell its customers that it “won't ship to them until the books are recovered,” and “replace every single person on your selection committee with a trans person.”

The commenter also told the association to “commit to sending a pro trans book with every order for the next 5 years” and to “fire all involved in the decision and their managers,” while another person tweeted, “This didn't happen on accident, this was deliberate and calculated.”

Others protested the ABA for apologizing, accusing the association of “grovelling” to a vocal minority and submitting to censorship.

“If the American Booksellers Association engaged in an act of mass ‘violence’ against vulnerable people – as they say they have – shouldn't they be turning themselves into the police?” questioned journalist Glenn Greenwald, while podcast host Colin Moriarty commented, “I’m glad I bought this book before you and your authoritarian cronies end up having all copies burned with the rest of the Bad Think.”

Wednesday’s incident was the ABA’s second controversy this month alone. Last week, the association apologized after putting the wrong cover on a book called Blackout by several black authors, which was featured on the indie bestsellers list. Though it did not state which cover it used in error, black conservative commentator Candace Owens has also released a book titled Blackout. The ABA apologized for “the racism and consequences of our error.”

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