Since Apple opened the iTunes App store, there have been two things you can count on: one, being able to find either ridiculous, offensive, silly, or completely random apps to download for your personal usage and two, the apps you just downloaded will be banned a few days later. It’s the iTunes app store equivalent of the circle of life.
Now don’t get me wrong, some things should be banned for public consumption. Countless apps called things like “Hottest Girls” (or less family-friendly names) have been banned for being pornographic (sometimes even under-aged stuff has shown up) and I can’t really argue with Apple’s decision to do that. However, when the store bans apps like the “I Am Rich” app, I just have to chuckle. If someone wants to make an app that simply displays a ruby on-screen and costs $999.99, then more power to those that buy it . . . at least proverbially speaking. Sometimes, however, Apple does in fact remove truly offensive apps like the “Gay Cure,” which was submitted by a Christian group called Exodus International from Orlando. The question, however, is: should Apple take things like this off their shelves?
Admittedly, I find Exodus International’s “Gay Cure” app, and the concept of homosexuality as a state needs to be cured extremely infuriating. It makes me see red. I’ve been looking through Exodus International’s website for the past hour or so, with breaks to keep from becoming too irate, and after research they appear to be an organization seeking to help people overcome their gay urges so that they can be closer to Jesus and live a more healthy life – according to their organization’s concept of healthy.
Their website claims that they oppose hate:
“Therefore, we strongly oppose bullying, name calling and acts of aggression against any individual or group of individuals for any reason. These actions have no place in our society and we must, instead affirm behavior that validates the personal worth and dignity God bestows upon every human being,”
You can call it whatever you like, but once you wade through all the pretty words, it’s still bigotry. They add that they do not try to ‘cure’ homosexuality, since they cannot. Their goal is to give people a way to either lessen the feelings, live with them, or perhaps alter them to heterosexual feelings. They end saying they wish that Apple would have given their platform the same sense of equality that they gave to GLBT apps as well as podcasts from the Gay Christian Network (which is a website that offers all sorts of views on Christianity and homosexuality).
So should Apple have let the app remain in their store? I view it as hateful and bigoted, but is that enough of a reason to take it down?
Apple says that it doesn’t allow apps that are racist, anti-Semitic, etc. into their app store, so why should it allow something that is hateful toward gay individuals? In the overview of the petition on Change.org to remove the app from the store it quotes Apple’s guidelines which dictate: “Any app that is defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited, or likely to place the targeted individual or group in harm’s way will be rejected.”
An app that tells you you need to change your sexual orientation, or at least how you live with it (which is impossible) so that you can have a better, more meaningful life would seem to fall under “defamatory,” “offensive” and “mean-spirited” to me.
The petition goes on to say: “This new iPhone app is the latest move in Exodus’ dangerous new strategy of targeting youth. In light of the recent wave of LGBT youth suicides, this tactic is particularly galling as it creates, legitimizes, and fuels the ostracism of LGBT youth by their families” It adds children who are in a home where they have gotten negative reactions from their family are eight times more likely to commit suicide.
If there are facts like this out there then why do we allow people to continue to spew this kind of message when we know that human lives are on the line (not even taking into account psychological damage it can do as well as damage to the community as well)?
In any case, Apple did remove the app. “We removed the Exodus International app from the App Store because it violates our developer guidelines by being offensive to large groups of people,” said Tony Neumayr, spokesperson for Apple on Wednesday.
All in all, I know that not everyone agrees with me in my thinking that being gay is fine, and as much as I don’t like it, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be spoken. It’s a shame, and hopefully in time that will change – but I know that now that isn’t the way the world is. However, I’m tired of seeing hate and bigotry being labeled under “differing opinions” and “just talking.” I’m quite happy that the petition on Change.org reached 150,000 signatures, and I’m happy that Apple pulled the app.
So, thanks Apple, and let’s hope that in time we won’t even have to concern ourselves with apps of this nature rearing their ugly heads.