In late February, RuPaul posted a video standing in a blue suit in front of an American flag, encouraging his followers to visit rupaul2024.com and stay tuned for an announcement. But despite the theories that he was about to run for president, he had a different type of campaign in mind. On March 4, RuPaul announced that he has co-founded a new online bookstore called Allstora, a “revolutionary, all-inclusive world of book lovers.†But it didn’t take long for potential readers to realize that there’s some pretty polarizing content among the 10 million titles that Allstora claims to offer. Below, here’s everything you need to know about the controversy, including why RuPaul’s bookstore initially said it was against removing any books from its platform — but has since issued an apology and reversed course.
What do we know about Allstora?
Co-founded by author Eric Cervini, drag performer and actor Adam Powell, and RuPaul, it’s supposed to be something new and different. Allstora says it will pay authors equitably, splitting profits in a way that doubles income on the sale of each book, “as opposed to another retailer whose name rhymes with ‘Glamazon.’†Part of its stated mission is also to uplift voices “of underrepresented groups, including LGBTQ+ people, women, and communities of color.†On the site’s home page, you’re able to get book recommendations by picking categories like “Trans,†“Black,†and more.
Paid Allstora members get discounts on book purchases. RuPaul’s Book Club offers separate paid memberships for those who are interested in receiving his curated monthly reads (obviously, starting with his upcoming memoir). Finally, Allstora has a philanthropic arm called the Rainbow Book Bus, which plans to drive across the country distributing diverse titles to communities facing book bans.
Got it. So why is it controversial?
According to Allstora’s website, it offered 10 million titles upon its launch. As it turns out, that included controversial books with right-wing and anti-LGBTQ+ messages. On March 6, for example, you could still purchase copies of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf , Matt Walsh’s What Is a Woman?, and a children’s book by Chaya Raichik (a.k.a. Libs of TikTok) on Allstora. Riley Gaines, Robby Starbuck, and Kirk Cameron are among other authors known for anti-LGBTQ+ stances whose work was available on the site.
Critics felt that this meant Allstora was not actually committed to inclusivity. For example, Lady Bunny took to Instagram to describe the new venture an example of “rainbow capitalism, while a TikToker who runs a lesbian bookstore criticized Allstora as “a dropshipping operation with a kind of veneer of progressivity over it.†â€
How did Allstora initially respond?
A pop-up note on the site’s homepage alerted visitors that “you may find books you disagree with.†The note, attributed to Allstora’s team, stated that the store doesn’t agree with every book it carries, but argues, “We cannot fight the ideologies of hate if we lack the ability to study, understand, and react to them. We do that by reading books.â€
A section about “offensive books†on the site’s FAQ page further added that “Allstora has made the decision to carry all books,†emulating the model of “university libraries and online book marketplaces across the world.†In Allstora’s view, “censorship of any book, perspective, or story is incompatible with the survival of democracy,†and “banning books is never the answer.â€
Allstora also outlined two ways that it is “determined to mitigate the potential harm of specific books.†First, a community-led system will be used to flag titles that are “contrary to†Allstora’s “core values.†(Several controversial books on the site now are accompanied by this disclaimer.) Second, all proceeds from these flagged titles will be donated to the Rainbow Book Bus to “fight book bans of diverse literature.â€
Has Allstora apologized and decided to remove the books after all?
Yes. On March 9, Allstora co-founder and CEO Eric Cervini published a lengthy apology on the store’s website. Cervini, who is a queer historian, said he now knows the difference between a library (“where the principle of free speech is paramountâ€) and a bookstore. “I’m devastated that I’ve caused Ru’s name to be even loosely associated with hate, and I take full responsibility for the decision to include these books,†he wrote. “I’m horrified by the thought of a queer or trans youth accidentally stumbling upon a harmful book on our platform. I confused my duties as an academic and a bookseller, and I brought pain instead of joy into the world. And for that, I am sorry.â€
Multiple books have already been taken down, and Cervini said visitors can continue to report “hateful material.†As of publication time, users with Allstora accounts can flag books by filling out a form that asks for context on “why this title is potentially harmful, and to whom.â€
According to Cervini’s note, Allstora is “designing customer surveys, focus groups, and a diverse committee of authors†to build a community-based framework that will be used to curate its catalog in the long-term. “While other online bookstores will continue selling hate-filled books, Allstora will not,†he said. “We will be a community, a home, for all.â€
This post has been updated throughout.