Somebody Think of the Children
Book Censorship

Classification Board squirms over vagina censorship in this Hungry Beast interview

The ABC’s Hungry Beast recently conducted an extensive interview with the Australian Classification Board’s Greg Scott about the censorship of the female anatomy, in particular the vagina. It’s part of a story on Labiaplasty. I suggest you watch it below and read the complete transcript here (as well as check out interviews with a doctor...

Banned books event at State Library of Queensland (7 June)

This Sunday (June 7, 2009) the State Library of Queensland is showcasing controversial and banned books to the public. About: For centuries books that challenge the moral, political or religious norms of their times have been ‘banned’ or removed from public circulation. Today, studying these banned books provides a revealing insight into the psyche of...

Classification Board’s new website reveals long list of banned titles

The new website for the Australian Classification Board reveals a comprehensive list of content that is Refused Classification (RC) in Australia. Although this information has been available to the public in the past (unlike the contents of the ACMA blacklist of banned websites), to the best of my knowledge the grouping of this data has...

Servos cave into family group pressure, drop porn mags

BP and Shell service stations will drop pornographic Category 1 magazines from their stores after a successful campaign to have them removed by Kids Free 2 B Kids and Australian Women’s Forum. According to Refused-Classification.com, Kids Free 2 B Kids issued a press release in September accusing the petrol giants of selling material condoning rape, incest...

Salt Shakers’ outrage metre explodes over Labor backbencher’s sexy novel

Here’s a ripper: Moral guardian group and soldiers in the battle against filth, Salt Shakers, are going bonkers over a new book from Labor backbencher Graham Perrett. Why? Salt Shakers believe leaders of the nation should not be encouraging reading that contains ‘extremely graphic’ and ‘sexual’ material. Thankfully no one else agrees (okay, there’s probably...

Barnaby Joyce concerned pornography is encouraging paedophilia

I’m not going to waste much breath on Barnaby Joyce, but he’s concerned pornography available in petrol stations and corner stores is encouraging paedophilia. I know. I know. Another ripper from the Barnaby School of No Evidence. Senator Julian McGauran also said shops are selling illegal, explicit magazines by disguising them in opaque packaging. McGauran...

Controversial plastic surgery book for kids not so controversial

The Aussie Today Show wanted to get stuck into American plastic surgeon Michael Salzhauer this morning about his book My Beautiful Mommy, but the M.D left Lisa struggling for words. I get the feeling the Today Show was expecting a bedtime story for kids that advocated plastic surgery for 5 year olds, but Salzhauer’s book...

Peaceful Pill gets all clear in NZ, but not without a fight

Right To Life New Zealand (RTLNZ) and the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards are spitting chips after the Revised International Edition of Dr Philip Nitschke’s Peaceful Pill Handbook was approved by the countries OFLC providing it only be sold sealed to those over the age of eighteen. The original edition of the book...

Borders celebrates banned books

I like Borders bookstores. They’re like a giant library with the convenience of a Gloria Jeans (well at least in Brisbane) for long haul reading sessions when you don’t intend to buy. This week on their Must-Have list are books which have been banned at some point in time. Here’s a few: Alice’s Adventures in...