Holy epic fail, Batman!
Amazon.com is stripping the sales ranks from gay and lesbian books. That means, essentially, that gay and lesbian literature will not show up on Amazon searches or their bestseller lists. I am sort of incoherent with anger at this, so I'll let other people do my talking for me.

Such as copperbadge! He talks well. He also has several links to things you can do, such as sending Amazon a letter through the support page (which I have done), signing the petition, or participating in Smart Bitches Trashy Books' Googlebomb.

Amazon Rank

Mark Probst, an affected author, talks about things here.

And Dear Author sounds off here.

You know it's a big story when Sf_drama gets hold of it.

Meta_writer has an alert here and a list of affected books.

And a Real Newspaper weighs in, very articulately.

With Amazon's fail in mind, I think today's daily poet should be Sappho. Don't you?

On the throne of many hues, Immortal Aphrodite,
child of Zeus, weaving wiles--I beg you
not to subdue my spirit, Queen,
with pain or sorrow

but come--if ever before
having heard my voice from far away
you listened, and leaving your father's
golden home you came

in your chariot yoked with swift, lovely
sparrows bringing you over the dark earth
thick-feathered wings swirling down
from the sky through mid-air

arriving quickly--you, Blessed One,
with a smile on your unaging face
asking again what have I suffered
and why am I calling again

and in my wild heart what did I most wish
to happen to me: "Again whom must I persuade
back into the harness of your love?
Sappho, who wrongs you?

For if she flees, soon she'll pursue,
she doesn't accept gifts, but she'll give,
if not now loving, soon she'll love
even against her will."

Come to me now again, release me from
this pain, everything my spirit longs
to have fulfilled, fulfill, and you
be my ally

--Translated by Diane Rayor