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LONDON - Canadian authorities have banned a lesbian novel written by a British author.

Canada Customs have seized copies of 'Cherry,' by Charlotte Cooper, which were en route to the Bleeding Rose bookshop in Victoria, British Columbia, last week. Canada Customs also confiscated numerous copies of the book that had been sent to its distributors in North America. 'Cherry' is an erotic novel about a woman's adventures in London's lesbian scene. It is published by Red Hot Diva, an imprint of Diva Books, which itself is a subsidiary of Millivres Prowler Group. The standars Customs form indicated that the book had been seized because it contained sexual scenes deemed obscene.

But Mark Macdonald of Little Sister's in Vancouver, one of the bookshops affected by the confiscation, said: "I think there is a high level of artistic merit in 'Cherry,' with plot development, character development, and sophisticated use of language."

Little Sister's is involved in a long-running legal bid to overturn Canada's obscenity laws which they believe have victimised gay, lesbian and bisexual authors. Their supporters point out that whilst novels such as Irvine Welsh's 'Porno' and 'American Psycho' by Brett Easton Ellis are allowed into the country, books by small independent homosexual publishers are refused. Macdonald added: "Canada Customs' decision to ban the book 'Cherry' just shows their flagrant disregard for the directions of the Supreme Court of Canada. Their actions continue to be heavy-handed and blatantly homophobic. While this book is seized en route to queer suppliers, it can be ordered from Amazon.ca and other 'straight' retailers across the country. We are outraged that Customs continues to apply the obscenity legislation so clumsily and so inconsistently, and in ways that do not reflect current Canadian jurisprudence."

The list of authors whose work has been confiscated because of Canada Customs'
obscenity policies include, amongst many others, Kathy Acker, Dorothy Allison, Susie Bright, Patrick Califia, Dennis Cooper, Diane DiMassa, Marguerite Duras, bell hooks, John Preston, Jane Rule and David Wojnarowicz.

Cooper said: "Whilst I am honoured to find my name amongst these venerable writers, and whilst I look forwards to the publicity and sales this ban will - ironically - bring me, state censorship by Canadian authorities is absolutely sickening."

She continued: "Banning my book is an entirely pointless exercise. The Canadian government is deliberately picking on small scale, independent lesbian and gay businesses and artists, a practise which will not solve any social ills. This ridiculous policy has to stop." [10/4/02]

http://www.outinamerica.com/home/news.asp?articleid=3205

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