Amazon criticised for selling 'gay cure' books

The retailer has been accused of propagating hate crime

Online retailer Amazon has come under fire for selling books that promote the “treatment” of homosexuality.

Damian Barr, an author and speaker, openly criticised the retailer on Twitter after spotting a book called A Parent’s Guide To Preventing Homosexuality by US psychologist Joseph Nicholosifor sale on its website.

“I just checked and that book really is real,” he wrote.

“I am shocked that @amazon is selling a title that actively advocates self-harm and propagates hate crime.”

Others have since taken to social media to share their disappointment in the retailer with many calling for Amazon to remove the books from its website.

“Amazon is vile and damaging,” one person commented.

“Parents and companies can opt to not buy into hate. What’s so hard about just loving your kids and teaching to embrace and celebrate differences so that they can be who they are?”

Another added: “Last week @amazon were criticised for removing an LGBTI film from its Prime streaming service. This week @PatrickStrud reports that they’re found to be selling conversion therapy manuals. What a s*** show: sort it out.”

The book, which was published in 2000, has also been condemned in the review section of the Amazon website where it has received a 1.5 star rating.

One person called it “silly, extremely close-minded and paranoid work guaranteed to preserve the status quo of messing people up while they’re young”.

Another person wrote: “If the possible ramifications of the existence of such a book were not so frightening, I would find this funny. However, there is nothing funny about the high rate of suicide among LGBT youth”.

The book's author founded the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality - a US organisation that promotes conversion therapy - and claims to have “assisted hundreds of clients with their goal to reduce their same-sex attractions and explore their heterosexual potential".

Despite the death of Nicholisi in 2017, the organisation continues to offer “psychological services to men and women whose same-sex attraction doesn’t define them”.

Speaking to Buzzfeed News, Barr said that Amazon has a responsibility to its customers to not profit from or promote self-harm and hate crimes.

“If you read the comments below you can clearly see the book had caused harm to parents as well as children,” he said.

“Amazon is profiting from the pain of the people affected by this book.”

The author also said that his issue is not with the book itself but the fact that Amazon is choosing to sell it.

“This is not a freedom of speech issue,” he said.

“Amazon is not being neutral by selling these. Amazon is making a statement about their values by choosing to sell these books.

“People can buy this book if they want but you have to ask yourself, ‘Why would you choose to profit from this book?’ Amazon are making money from this hatred.”

The media outlet also highlighted that Amazon is selling a number of other books that fall into the same category, including Healing Homosexuality, Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality, and How a Gay Boy Became a Straight Man.

The news comes just weeks after the New York state legislature passed a bill prohibiting licensed mental health professionals from conducting gay conversion therapy on children.

“New York has a reputation for diversity and inclusion and the Assembly Majority is committed to maintaining that reputation and protecting the rights of others,” New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Democrat, said in a statement.

“Everyone has a right to live their life free from hostility and exclusion, and our youth deserve support in discovering their identity in a way that promotes happiness and positive mental health.”

The Independent has contacted Amazon for comment.