Big W removes sex education book from shelves after staff members abused

3 years ago by Thecornershop to c/australia

Publisher of Welcome to Sex by Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes defends book after conservative campaigners claim it is ‘teaching sex to children’

Australia, don't become America.

SkaraBrae 78 points 3 years ago

Big W, take your books off the shelves if you feel that's the right thing to do, however, you have negotiated with terrorists. These fuckers now know that by abusing staff at Big W stores, they can get what they want. Well done!

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Taleya 13 points 3 years ago

Tbh anyone who's done customer service could tell you this is corporate standard

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Thecornershop 57 points 3 years ago

I didn't realise these kind of culture war astroturfing regressive religious groups were this active in Australia. I hope there is something we can do at a societal level to prevent this escalating.

Antivaxxers
Sovereign Citizens
White supremacists
Anti Trans "protesters" (making threats to libraries)
Religious "mothers" groups banning books

I'm happy for people to have their beliefs but these things all feel like they are being done cynically by dark forces that want to change the fabric of our society - Or maybe I am off with the fairies, I don't know sometimes.

Am I alone in thinking that? What can we do about it?

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fiat_lux 13 points 3 years ago

The alt-right social media propaganda effort from the US over the past decade has been a scattershot approach and had a large effect on a lot of the English speaking world.

Plus Rupert Murdoch, Boris Johnson, other right-wing grifters big and small using it to their advantage.

There aren't many good options except dealing with the people and the money running the operations, I think.

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Kayel 12 points 3 years ago

Start abusing staff for not having sex end books?

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TassieTosser 2 points 3 years ago

Bet someone doing that would just get trespassed and banned from the store.

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INHALE_VEGETABLES 7 points 3 years ago

cookers are gonna cook

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Szilvia -5 points 3 years ago

I don't fall into any of those groups but I find the book absolutely disgusting and not suitable for children. It's basically telling young girls "oh it's up to you... it's fine to send nude selfies but only if you want to and maybe crop you head out of the shot." No no no no no. We need to be empowering girls to respect themselves enough to never send nude photos under any circumstances. And that's only one of my issues with this trashy book.

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lemmyshmemmy -9 points 3 years ago

these things all feel like they are being done cynically by dark forces that want to change the fabric of our society

At least some of it is from Kremlin and CCP shills and bots. They can't compete with "the West" militarily, but they can get on social media and divide people.

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LineNoise 36 points 3 years ago

Capitulation to fascists only emboldens them and perpetuates the problem. You protect your staff by pursuing those who threaten them by every means available to you.

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such_lettuce7970 24 points 3 years ago

Let's all not become America.

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assassinatedbyCIA 21 points 3 years ago

This is a big fear of mine. If or when American democracy collapses Australia may very well follow suit. Too many Australians mimic the politics of the states.

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TassieTosser 6 points 3 years ago

We need to dismantle the media monopoly before then. That cunt Murdoch and his ilk have an outsized influence on our political landscape. They're taking too many lessons learned with managing Americans and using them here.

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gothicdecadence 13 points 3 years ago

Big L

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NorthofReality 11 points 3 years ago

Are these folks wanting to ban "where did I come from?" & it's follow up "what's happening to me?" As well?

I don't get this manufactured outrage we have had books on these topics for young people for generations.

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maniacalmanicmania 10 points 3 years ago

Where was the union in all of this?

* Googles 'Big W EBA'

* Result 'SDA'

I wouldn't be surprised if the upper echelons of the SDA are totally fine with all of this, if not cheering it on.

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Echinoderm 2 points 3 years ago

What would you expect the union to do? One of the union's roles is to protect the health and safety of its members. If taking the books off the shelves stops the abuse, I suspect they would support the move.

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UncleClerk 1 point 3 years ago

The SDA are known to be extremely socially conservative, having donated to campaigns against same sex marriage and anti-abolition. I suspect what the original comment is trying to say is they would likely approve of the customers actions.

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Aqarius 10 points 3 years ago

Big L

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HaggierRapscallier 2 points 3 years ago

Seems counter-intuitive.

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Szilvia -3 points 3 years ago

I don't consider the book sex education. I consider the contents of that book to be filth and promoting child pornography.