A Langley mother is worried about the impact a local bookstore will have on children by stocking vibrators on its shelves.
“First I walked by, and it didn’t strike me,” said Melissa McEvoy, about a visit to the Langley Indigo bookstore outlet on the Family Day weekend.
Then she realized the shelf had brightly-coloured vibrators and what she called “graphic books” on display near the candles and pajamas, close to the store’s self-help section.
McEvoy said that that sort of merchandise is wonderful for consenting adults, but “not for curious children.”
“I called management, and they said essentially, ‘I’m sorry you feel that way’,” said McEvoy.
She called Indigo’s corporate office, which also acted as if she held a minority view, she said.
A mother with a nine-year-old son, McEvoy said she’s worried about children being exposed to sexualized content before they’re ready for it.
She also took issue with books that were on the same shelf, such as The Vagina Bible, a sexual health guide with a cover featuring a photo of a pink zipper.
Asked about the display, Indigo’s corporate head office released a statement.
“Indigo’s expansion into sexual wellness merchandise is a natural extension of our book business,” the statement read in part. “We offer products that support the information and resources our customers are interested in to help them live their life on purpose and continue on their holistic wellness journey through: sleep, beauty, fitness, mindfulness, cooking, etc. in addition to sexual wellness.”
Over time, there has been an increase in customer interest in books on sexual wellness, and the the company’s “thought leadership” decided there was a need for more accessible sexual wellness merchandise.
“Initially customers were tentative, but when we coupled products with books that provide information and resources, we have seen demand significantly increase in this space,” Indigo’s statement said.
It said the company was trying to reduce stigma and allow customers to be comfortable with sexual wellness and pleasure as a part of overall wellness.
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