Brokeback Walton

A special edition of the short story on which the movie Brokeback Mountain is based is being sold in at least one Reno Wal-Mart.

The hit film about gay ranch hands is based on an Annie Proulx story from a short story collection, and since the movie came out, it’s been reissued as a booklet. It’s the booklet that is being sold at the Northtowne Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart has a reputation for rejecting or altering some products that might not sit well with conservatives. John Mellencamp changed the cover art on one of his CDs to accommodate Wal-Mart. But Sheryl Crow rejected a request that she change one of her lyrics, with the result that the chain didn’t carry her CD.

But the giant chain has shown an unusual comfort level with the Oscar-winning movie. Earlier this month, it began selling the DVD of the film, drawing criticism from the anti-gay American Family Association. The Mississippi-based group posted a statement on its Web page: “It’s quite obvious to anyone who shops at Wal-Mart that they’re no longer the family-friendly company that they used to project in their image.”