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Full frontal nudity mixed with kid's books at Barnes & Noble

Anyone who's read my blog will attest to my assertion that I am no fanatic, right-wing fundamentalist. (Apologies to my fanatic, right-wing fundamentalists friends - Jesus loves you too!)

But tonight I'm motivated not only to quit going to Barnes & Noble, but also to write a scathing and critical blog post which shall surely be read by tens of people.

After work tonight, I decided to stop by the book store on the way home and check out some design mags. Browsing the local bookstore helps me to decompress and often ends with me adding a copy of HOW, Print, or Communication Arts to my bookshelf.

As I was leaving the store, I walked past the clearance racks. There were a bunch of kids books on this particular rack, so I began digging for a Thomas the Train book for my three year old. I came across one particular book that was mightily out-of-place. It was an art book (didn't ever make it to their name) and on its cover was a realistic painting of a nude trans-sexual reclining - their... um... "goods" in full display. It was literally the focal point of the front of the book.

Now I'm not against painting nudes. I'm not even against painting transgendered nudes. I am, however, very much against stationing such a book in the midst of childrens' books in the clearance rack.

So I picked the book up and took it to a manager. I explained where and how I had found this and guessed there must be some huge mistake.

First of all, let me say that she responded like this wasn't the first time this had happened. Almost before I got it out of my mouth, she explained very forcefully - "Yes sir - that's where that goes." I tried to protest, but she wasn't having any of it and told me that "I understand that you don't like it, but we can't discriminate."

I informed her that I strongly disagreed. It's not that I want to discriminate against the book - just to put it in a place where people who will want to find it will be looking. I STRONGLY doubt that's in the same area as Dr Seuss or Beverly Clearey. She put the book back from where I had taken it. I considered buying it and destroying it. But the $30 price tag was too much of a deterrent to me.

I informed her that I'd be leaving and not coming back. She had already turned me off. I wandered out of the store feeling like someone had kicked me in the stomach. Is this really what we've come to? It was startling to find that the answer is a resounding "YES!"

So here's my statement to Barnes and Noble. No more. I will give you no more of my money. I will tell my friends and my loyal readers (all 6 of you?) about this incident. Unlike my fanatic, right-wing fundamentalists friends, I won't admonish you to "boycott Barnes and Noble". I trust that you will handle it as your conscious dictates. Personally, I'm going to go the B&N website and see if they have a way to file a formal complaint.

I pray for the poor little boy or girl who's going to come across that book and get something stuck in their brain that they're just not prepared for. I hope that somehow that book goes missing tonight - bought or misplaced or spontaneously combusted.