The Luftschacht publishing house is resisting the indexing of the novel “Die Schlampen” by Dennis Cooper by the Federal Center for Children’s and Youth Media Protection. They have therefore filed a lawsuit with the Cologne Administrative Court, the publisher announced.
The book, originally released in the American market under the title “The Sluts,” dates back to 2004. It is a disturbing, experimental novel about digital alienation, voyeurism, abuse, and the dissolution of truth on the internet. The work consists entirely of fictional website entries, customer reviews, forum posts, and chat transcripts from a rating platform for gay escorts from the early days of the internet. The work is widely regarded as an unflinching deconstruction of internet culture.
“The Sluts” has received multiple prizes: it earned the Lambda Literary Award, one of the most prestigious American literary honors for queer literature. It was also awarded the French book prize Prix Sade, which honors works that challenge taboos, eroticism, and philosophical transgression in the tradition of Marquis de Sade. Cooper was the first American author to receive this award. In Germany, “Die Schlampen” appeared in 2021 (TheColu.mn reported). In the German press the book was met with a positive reception — a Deutschlandfunk review described it as “a painful novel that perfectly parodies the madness of digital communication.”
Publisher sues “for the freedom of art”
“’Die Schlampen’ is not a book for children or adolescents. It is a demanding, formally complex, and in content exceptionally bold novel that is aimed at an adult literary audience,” explained Luftschacht. The publisher argues that they are fighting against indexing because the indexing process was not properly conducted, but above all because they are suing “for the freedom of art.”
The publisher contends: “Our belief is that the Federal Center for Children’s and Youth Media Protection has misinterpreted the balance between youth protection and artistic freedom.” It contends that the center reduces the novel to a handful of explicit passages, rather than adequately appreciating its literary form, its overall context, its irony, and its sociocultural analytical dimension. The extreme content is presented not as an end in itself, but as part of a critical literary examination of how violence, sexuality, deception, and identity are articulated, produced, and instrumentalized within digital spaces.”
Indexing means restrictions on sales
Indexing a book in Germany is not a sales ban, but it does lead to broader advertising, presentation, and distribution restrictions. The roster of youth-endangering media commonly includes right-wing extremist and anti-Semitic texts, works that glorify violence, or pulp comics and graphic gore. According to the publisher, their book is being driven out of public literary life by indexing, its visibility severely curtailed, and access for adult readers made more difficult. For a small independent press like Luftschacht, that consequence is particularly grave.
Publisher calls for donations
In light of the costly legal proceedings, the publisher Luftschacht appeals for financial support: “The costs of legal representation, the preparation of scholarly and literary-critical materials, and potential court fees are substantial for a small independent publisher. With your support we can finance the case,” reads a message on a GoFundMe page set up for this purpose. So far, nearly €1,900 in donations have been received.
