An official Target company Twitter account announced Thursday they had removed author Abigail Shrier’s book, “Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters” from the retailer’s “assortment” after an unverified Twitter user complained the book questions transgender ideology, especially the concept of irreversible hormonal and surgical experimentation on minors.
“I think the trans community deserves a response from @AskTarget @Target as to why they are selling this book about the ‘transgender epidemic sweeping the country.’ Trigger warning: Transphobia,” wrote the user.
Target thanked the user for bringing Shrier’s book to their attention.
Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. We have removed this book from our assortment.
— AskTarget (@AskTarget) November 12, 2020
Friday afternoon, a Target spokesman told The Federalist they would be adding the book back to their online catalog, but refused to specify why the book had been pulled in the first place.
“We removed a book from Target.com based on feedback we received,” the statement said. “We want to offer a broad assortment for our guests and are adding this book back to Target.com. We apologize for any confusion.”
The company’s lack of transparency raises questions about whether it has any set standards at all beyond arbitrarily bowing to anonymous social media mobbing.
Shrier’s book is not about sexual orientation or transgender adults. It examines the growing social phenomenon of transgender identification among teen girls and how underage medical “transitions” can be a form of self-harm.
“Girls who might have encouraged each other in bulimia, anorexia or cutting are today deciding they have ‘gender dysphoria,’ pushing for hormones and surgeries—and easily obtaining them,” writes Shrier.
Target is not the first corporate entity to censor Shirer’s book. When the book was released in June, Amazon barred Shrier’s publisher from running ads for the book because it contained copy and content that “infers or claims to diagnose, treat, or question sexual orientation.”
After Target’s announcement, Shrier noted the retailer’s eagerness to make books disappear on behalf of woke activists.
https://t.co/NRY9T9nAfA just made my book disappear.
Does it bother anyone that Woke activists and spineless corporations now determine what Americans are allowed to read? https://t.co/dbIbjm96Ll
— Abigail Shrier (@AbigailShrier) November 13, 2020
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a feminist and human rights activist, tweeted that she was horrified by Target’s actions.
To my horror, I've learned that @AbigailShrier's book has been removed from @Target. I've read it. Every grown-up who is in a position of looking after teenage girls (parents, teachers, therapists, religious leaders, coaches, etc) should read this book.
— Ayaan Hirsi Ali (@Ayaan) November 13, 2020
Watch Abigail Shrier discuss her book on The Federalist Radio Hour here:
