Gay Men Are Like Rutting Dogs
Same-sex attraction is a disease
Do you think the title to my story is clickbait?
I wish it were. Instead, my title and my subtitle are direct quotes from a Christian gay conversion therapy app that Google makes available on its Play Store. The app is filled with similar hate speech, and it fraudulently promotes “therapy” to turn gay people straight.
According to Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out, an advocacy organization dedicated to fighting conversion therapy,
“Ex-gay” programs are a sham. They don’t work, they destroy lives and they are condemned by every respectable medical and mental health organization in the world. The American Psychiatric Association says that sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) can lead to “anxiety, depression, and self-destructive behavior”, including suicide.
Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple deleted the app from their online stores almost as soon as Truth Wins Out alerted them to it toward the end of last year. It clearly violates their anti-discrimination and anti hate-speech policies. Deleting was a no-brainer.
Google has refused to delete the app —
Even though activists directly informed senior executives of the app’s content, it remains available on Google Play right now. I just installed it on my phone and tested it. All the hate speech is still there. All the fraudulent claims are still there.
Would you like some irony? Check out this tweet of mine:
I posted that content to Facebook this morning.
It took Facebook bots approximately five minutes to find my post and delete it as hate speech. I assume that human reviewers will eventually see it and restore it when they realize I’m quoting and protesting. I’m not mad at Facebook. They recognize hate speech against LGBTQ people and they take action.
Why won’t Google take action?
Gay men are rutting dogs? Seriously, Google? Gay men are diseased? Seriously, Google? What’s wrong with you? Why won’t you enforce your policies? It’s not ignorance. Your senior executives know about this app.
Google, your lack of response is unacceptable. Your facilitation of homophobic bigotry and hate speech is morally wrong, and contrary to your own internal policies. Moreover, they damage your reputation for being a corporation that takes social responsibility and inclusiveness seriously.
Remember when your motto used to be, “Don’t be Evil?”
Your stubborn insistence in hosting and facilitating hate speech is turning that sentiment into a complete farce. We gay men will not be characterized as diseased, rutting dogs. If you insist on continuing to host this app, be prepared for direct protest, zaps, and actions. We will not take this lying down.