Comments on: Google Defends Offensive Anti-Gay Phone App

By: apple repair store n

apple repair store n — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 01:21:26 +0000

You’re signing the wrong petition:

http://www.change.org/petitions/truth-wins-out-stop-with-the-reverse-suppression-from-gays-4

By: Joe Kort

Joe Kort — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:27:43 +0000

I am usually very bothered by anything homophobia but this one did not bother me. I used to have an app on my Treo phone for “Gaydar” and it was a button you pressed and directed it at someone to show if they were gay or not. I don’t recall negative publicity around that.

By: John Bisceglia

John Bisceglia — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 04:57:30 +0000

Was this “thing” ran by, I don’t know, 4-5 actual Q’s?

It’s kind of like the folks at the New York Post who did not run that cartoon by a few people for feedback. Anyone with eyes and common sense would have raised a concern.

By: Alex H

Alex H — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:16:19 +0000

I thought it was funny, but I can see how this is offensive and one-sided. Perhaps the maker of the app should change the “Sorry” to “Congratulations…” or “Yay!” and so it wouldn’t have the negative connotation that it has now.

Oh, I just read the update.

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 23:44:57 +0000

I’m glad the author of the ap did the right thing and pulled it back.

And those angry with Google may wish to recall that Google took the extremely rare company position of officially opposing Proposition 8. The co-founders also gave heavily to the No on 8 Campaign. Sergey Brin gave $100,000 and Larry Page gave $40,000. Google used it’s name in advertising opposing the proposition.

By: b

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:30:29 +0000

Jason D,

In response to the defenders of the app calling those offended by it “self-loathing”, as you mentioned, I think that the defenders saying that isn’t a strange thing for them to say. This isn’t to say it’s not strange in that those who are offended by it are self-loathing, that’s NOT my point AT ALL. By calling those offended by the app “self-loathing”, I can tell that those individuals think that it’s all gay men of varying stereotypes voicing displeasure at the app’s homophobic, “that’s so gay” undertones. Thus those particular defenders of the app are calling anyone offended by it “self-loathing” because they think that “well if you were truly happy being gay, this wouldn’t upset you unless you secretly felt ashamed of yourself for acting all flamboyantly”. They are just showing their biased notions of what it means to be gay (and male) by calling offended parties “self-loathing”. Saying such things just shows they feel that if you’re a man, then being gay is one VERY undesirable thing to be.

By: Karol

Karol — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:24:29 +0000

We can avoid (ie: boycott) Google by using http://www.Goodsearch.com. It is as good a search engine, but the best part is that it donates money to the charity or cause that you select. I found out about this in Lesbian Connection. There are many, many agencies, charities, causes, etc that you can choose from. If yours is not there, I would bet you can propose it to the site. Everytime you use the site, Goodsearch donates 1 cent to your designated cause. All those pennies add up to many dollars. At least check it out, it is worth it.

By: Arya F. Jenkins

Arya F. Jenkins — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:05:51 +0000

This is just the kind of thing that should be challenged. Kids, most especially, do not need to have this kind of game added to what they already experience in terms of racist and homophobic stress in school. What’s the point, Google?

By: Jason D

Jason D — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:50:10 +0000

The developer has removed the application from the marketplace and has made an apology here The app is still available at the developer's website, Bendroid.com. Personally, I have no problem with it being isolated to their own website. My issue was the presence on the Google-Sponsored Marketplace. Apparently there was quite an online debate on the issue. The google help forum started getting responses not long after BTB posted, and the TMobile Forums have like 27 responses, most of them defending the app, calling people "self-loathing" for being offended (an odd charge), and generally missing the point.

By: Trooperz

Trooperz — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:54:19 +0000

When I read the Boxturtle’s response, I wondered if we were bordering on oversensitivity. Was it really that bad?

But then MattyMatt added his comment, and I was surprised at how effective it was in changing my opinion.

Why is it okay to validate the ‘emmasculated gay’ stereotype? Good job Timothy in pointing out a better alternative: the concept of the app isn’t bad– rather it’s pretty funny– but it shouldn’t play into others’ expectations of gays.