Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Is My Son Gay’ App Has Gay Community Outraged

"Is My Son Gay?" a new app offered in the Android Market, claims that it can determine whether or not your son is gay in an updated version of the classic game of "20 questions."

The controversial app (which sells for $2.68) prompts users to answer 20 questions about their son. It enquires "does your son dress up nicely?" or "does he pay close attention to his outfits and brand names."

Other questions include:

"Does he read the sports page in the newspaper?"

"Does he like musical comedies?"

"Is he a fan of divas (Madonna, Britney Spears)?"

"Does he spend a long time in the bathroom?"

"Was he shy as a child?"

The app even asks the user if, before their son was born, they hoped for a girl.

If the app determines that the users' son is in fact gay, it says:

"No need to look the other way! ... He is gay! ... ACCEPT IT!"

The other two possible responses read:

"Your son is a normal young man: modern and concerned about taking care of himself assuming some feminine habits while maintaining his attraction to girls. However, he may have already had some homosexual experiences with his best friend. These things happen. It is more and more usual in these times to maximize pleasures without taboo."

"You do not have to worry, your son is not gay. So there are chances for you to be grandmother with all the joys it brings."

The Android app was created by French developers "Emmene Moi," whose only previous work was on the French version of the same app, "Mon Fils Est-Il Gay." The English version appears to be a direct translation of its French equivalent.

"This app was conceived with a playful approach," the developers told The Huffington Post in a statement. "It is not based at all on scientific research... Through humor, 'Is My Son Gay?' and the forthcoming novel have the sole objective of toning down/improving the situation and helping mothers to accept their sons' homosexuality."

However, many don't see it that way. Several organizations are calling upon Google to remove the app.

"Socially responsible companies should have standards that prevent such offensive and derogatory content," Mike Thompson, Acting President of GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), told IBTimes. "The 'Is My Son Gay?' app promotes inaccurate stereotypes about gay people and should be removed immediately," he added.

Online magazine Jezebel remarked that the app's laughable results are based on "horrible, stereotypical questions," while Instinct magazine accused it of being based on "the science of tired and offensive stereotypes."

Controversial apps pop up from time to time. Earlier this month, Apple dropped the "Jew Or Not Jew?" celebrity identifier. That too was created by a French company. Apple also pulled the plug on a "Gay Cure" app that used Biblical teachings to help "cure" homosexuals and make them straight.

Android is no stranger to controversial apps either. In March, they came under fire for not dropping the virtual dogfighting game "Dog Wars."

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