Do You Think Your Kids Should Read “Fifty Shades of Grey”? Wal-Mart Does.

Last updated on: January 14, 2015 at 12:34 am by Nancy French

Do You Think Your Kids Should Read “Fifty Shades of Grey”? Wal-Mart Does. 2015-01-14T00:34:09-05:00 Nancy French

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

WalMart

As the parent of teens, it’s hard to stay on top of all of their viewing and reading choices. It’s even harder when stores categorize “mommy porn” in the young readers section.

In my hometown of Columbia, Tennessee — the “Mule Capital of the World” — Walmart customers started noticing that “Fifty Shades of Grey” was being sold as a book for “teens and young readers.” In fact, it was right next to Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends.” Thankfully, when a mom expressed her concerns to the store manager, he promptly moved the kinky, erotic adult best seller from the kids’ shelves.

A week later, she was doing her normal shopping when she noticed that the book was right back on the same shelf for kids. After another conversation with the manager, the books were moved.

Again.

Today, another mom-of-a-teenager was in the same store. She, too, was alarmed to find “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

When she expressed concern, managers once again responded kindly and considerately by moving the books.

If this is happening in a small, rural, southern town, I wondered if it was happening all over the nation. A very nice customer service representative at the national headquarters said the book was appropriately shelved as “thirteen and up.”

“In fact,” she told me, “I was assigned ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ as a 9th grader as a part of a compare/contrast literature assignment,” she said. “By the way, I liked the book!”

In other words, it seems like this placement is probably intentional and deliberate. It’s probably being sold to your community’s young readers, too.

Will you do me a favor? Go to your local Walmart and see if this book on the “young readers” shelf. I hope it’s not. But if it is, take a photo and send it to me (along with your hometown) via Facebook or Twitter.

Also, feel free to contact Walmart yourself in the following three ways:

1. Talking to your local store manager (in person or by phone)

2. Calling Walmart’s headquarters at 1-800-925-6278. You’ll be prompted to go through a labyrinth of button pushing. This is what works:

A. As a customer, press 2.

B. To talk about the store experience, press 2

C. To discuss merchandise, press 1

3. Using their contact form for the company here.

As an author, I’m a big fan of books and art. I love Walmart, and I love that they sell books at a low cost to America’s reading public. However, we need to all work together to protect unsuspecting kids from picking up a book that could potentially damage their sexual development at a young age.

READ WALMART’S OFFICIAL RESPONSE HERE. (THANK YOU, WALMART!)

Follow Nancy on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Previous Post

December 23, 2014

Why the Left's Anti-Cop Sentiment is Dehumanizing and Wrong

Next Post

January 7, 2015 When Slaughtering Unarmed Cartoonists is Deemed "Victory"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Christmas faith family ministry music Television Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 March 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz