RuPaul’s ‘All-Inclusive’ Book Store Drops Conservative Titles After Backlash
The self-proclaimed “all-inclusive” online bookstore, Allstora, co-founded by television host and activist RuPaul, has faced backlash for both its inclusion of titles from conservative authors, then for the later removal of them.
According to National Review, the platform, started by RuPaul, LGBTQ advocate Eric Cervini, and drag performer Adam Powell, initially aimed to be a marketplace that embraced diverse ideas, even those considered controversial.
“We’re a marketplace for all books and all stories, with a focus on elevating marginalized voices,” the site originally said. “You may find books you disagree with,” a pop up ad warned.
“Allstora has made the decision to carry all books” and “censorship of any book, perspective, or story is incompatible with the survival of democracy,” the site’s FAQ page originally stated.
This removal of titles from conservative authors controversy unfolded as RuPaul announced plans for a “Rainbow Book Bus” aimed at distributing diverse books to communities facing book bans and censorship, particularly in LGBTQ+ communities.
Originally boasting a broad spectrum of titles, ranging from Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” to the provocative coming-of-age book “Gender Queer,” Allstora promoted itself as a platform for all books and stories.
Critics, including drag performer Lady Bunny and various media outlets, however, accused Allstora and RuPaul of engaging in rainbow capitalism and questioned the logic behind stocking content viewed as hate speech by many.
The criticism centered around the availability of books labeled as homophobic, transphobic, anti-woke, and even Nazi in nature. This swift negative reaction led to a policy reversal at Allstora, resulting in the removal of content deemed offensive, including works by prominent figures such as Donald Trump, Matt Walsh, Abigail Shrier and Elon Musk.
Allstora had initially attempted to address the backlash by promising to create a community-led flagging system for titles conflicting with their values and donating proceeds to combat book bans. However, in the face of intense criticism over the past few days, the platform removed all free speech messaging from the site and eliminated numerous works by conservative authors.
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