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debris_k. I'm pretty sure she won't mind me passing the message on. I'm honestly stunned any Apple employee (whoever the hell approved this one) thought this was a good idea.
~~~
A controversy is erupting around a new application for the iPhone that claims gay people can be "cured," and that gay kids should be put through therapy to "fix" their sexual orientation.
Believe it or not, Apple is providing Exodus International — an organization that promotes "conversion therapy" to try to brainwash gay people into turning straight — a platform on iTunes for their homophobic iPhone app. This, despite the fact that Exodus believes that LGBT people should be confronted with "spiritual warfare," and that "freedom from homosexuality" should be a societal goal.
Worse, Apple has given the Exodus app a 4+ rating on iTunes, labeling the app "non-offensive," even though the group tells gay kids that their sexual orientation is "immoral," "satanic," and in need of a cure — factors that contribute to teen suicide.
The grassroots group Truth Wins Out has started a petition on Change.org, asking Apple to follow their own editorial standards — and remove this dangerous "ex-gay" app from iTunes now. The more signatures they deliver, the more likely Apple executives — like Steve Jobs — will do the right thing. Click here to add your name.
~~~
I've got to add...if the technology had existed back then, there probably would have been an app to persuade kids to get help for being left-handed. In days gone by (fortunately, long gone by), left-handedness was seen as bad. It was a sign of the devil. Therefore, kids were broken of being left-handed - either by having their left-hand tied behind their back to force them into right-handedness or by having their knuckles rapped every time they tried to use their left-hand.
Fortunately, times have changed, and someone figured out that left-handedness is all to do with how your brain is wired. Wired one way? You're a rightie! Wired another? You're a leftie! Wired goodness knows how? You're ambidextrous!
What does that have to do with being gay, straight or bi? It's pretty much the same thing - it's all to do with how your brain is wired. They might as well bring out an app to stop people from having blue eyes or being tall or short. Yeah, you can persuade people into being ashamed of their sexual identity and into lying about said sexual identity, but it makes just about as much sense. Gah!
~~~
Edited again to say that Apple pulled the app when the petition got 146,000 signatures! It's up to 151,000 so far, so please go sign, if only to show how many people find it offensive.
debris_k. I'm pretty sure she won't mind me passing the message on. I'm honestly stunned any Apple employee (whoever the hell approved this one) thought this was a good idea.~~~
A controversy is erupting around a new application for the iPhone that claims gay people can be "cured," and that gay kids should be put through therapy to "fix" their sexual orientation.
Believe it or not, Apple is providing Exodus International — an organization that promotes "conversion therapy" to try to brainwash gay people into turning straight — a platform on iTunes for their homophobic iPhone app. This, despite the fact that Exodus believes that LGBT people should be confronted with "spiritual warfare," and that "freedom from homosexuality" should be a societal goal.
Worse, Apple has given the Exodus app a 4+ rating on iTunes, labeling the app "non-offensive," even though the group tells gay kids that their sexual orientation is "immoral," "satanic," and in need of a cure — factors that contribute to teen suicide.
The grassroots group Truth Wins Out has started a petition on Change.org, asking Apple to follow their own editorial standards — and remove this dangerous "ex-gay" app from iTunes now. The more signatures they deliver, the more likely Apple executives — like Steve Jobs — will do the right thing. Click here to add your name.
~~~
I've got to add...if the technology had existed back then, there probably would have been an app to persuade kids to get help for being left-handed. In days gone by (fortunately, long gone by), left-handedness was seen as bad. It was a sign of the devil. Therefore, kids were broken of being left-handed - either by having their left-hand tied behind their back to force them into right-handedness or by having their knuckles rapped every time they tried to use their left-hand.
Fortunately, times have changed, and someone figured out that left-handedness is all to do with how your brain is wired. Wired one way? You're a rightie! Wired another? You're a leftie! Wired goodness knows how? You're ambidextrous!
What does that have to do with being gay, straight or bi? It's pretty much the same thing - it's all to do with how your brain is wired. They might as well bring out an app to stop people from having blue eyes or being tall or short. Yeah, you can persuade people into being ashamed of their sexual identity and into lying about said sexual identity, but it makes just about as much sense. Gah!
~~~
Edited again to say that Apple pulled the app when the petition got 146,000 signatures! It's up to 151,000 so far, so please go sign, if only to show how many people find it offensive.
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(no subject)
Date: 2011-03-23 09:19 pm (UTC)TODS has heard talks at social work conferences by professionals who run orientation reassignment programs (or whatever they're called), and they only work if the people who sign up for them want to be there. If someone really doesn't want to be homosexual for their own personal reasons, psychological conditioning will work for them just fine. If they've been pressured or forced or shamed into it, not only is that unspeakably cruel, but the program won't work.
So not only are these people bigoted, they're lying - their product can't do what they claim it does.
Edited again to say that Apple pulled the app when the petition got 146,000 signatures! It's up to 151,000 so far, so please go sign, if only to show how many people find it offensive.
I am SO glad to hear this!!!!
(no subject)
Date: 2011-03-24 04:29 pm (UTC)I'm sure the people pushing this product think it can work - if you work hard enough at it. So obviously anyone who fails the programme just didn't try hard enough. ::eyeroll::