Saturday, March 30, 2019
Friday, March 29, 2019
Google Caves On Hosting Anti-Gay Conversion App
Internet giant, Google, has removed an app which promotes ‘gay conversion’ therapy.
Apple, Microsoft and Amazon removed the app by Living Hope Ministries months ago. But until Thursday, Google refused to remove it from its Play store. It had been downloaded about 1,000 times, but Google argued it did not violate its terms of service.
Gay conversion therapy is a discredited pseudo-science. It claims to ‘cure’ a person’s sexuality or gender identity through medical interventions or therapy.
But a Change.org petition signed by 140,000 and the removal of Google from a LGBT Equality Index forced the company to respond.
‘After consulting with outside advocacy groups, reviewing our policies, and making sure we had a thorough understanding of the app and its relation to conversion therapy, we’ve decided to remove it from the Play Store, consistent with other app stores,’ a Google spokesperson told Axios.
LGBT rights group, Truth Wins Out, started the petition to convince Google to remove the app.
‘This is what people power looks like, when 140,000 people can convince one of the largest companies in the world to take a bold stand against the dangers of ex-gay therapy,’ said Michael Jones, managing director of campaigns at Change.org.
‘This was the perfect storm of online pressure and institutional activism from the LGBT movement, and tonight supporters can claim a big win in convincing tech companies to stand up for equality.’
The US’ leading LGBT advocacy group, Human Rights Campaign, congratulated Google for dropping the controversial application.
‘We applaud Google for making the right decision to pull this app from their online store,’ said HRC president, Chad Griffin.
‘So-called conversion therapy is a debunked practice that’s tantamount to child abuse and is proven to have dangerous consequences for its victims.
‘Google and other platforms that have pulled this app are taking an important step to protect LGBT youth.’
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Conversion Therapy For Gay Youths Banned In Puerto Rico
He wrote: “Today we sign and executive order that prohibits conversion or restrictive therapies to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of minors. These therapies lack a scientific basis and, in addition, cause unnecessary harm and suffering to LGBT people.”
Rosselló first announced his decision last week, days after a bill on the subject was blocked in the House of Representatives by his own party, the New Progressive Party.
In explaining his motivations to take a decisive stance against conversion therapy, Rosselló said: “I strive for Puerto Rico to be a society in which everyone, no matter who they love, can be accepted and live without fear of persecution. This includes the most vulnerable in society, our children, who must be supported and loved. Conversion therapy does not benefit anyone in any way, it only causes unimaginable pain and suffering.”
The DC-based LGBT rights group Human Rights Campaign welcomed the executive order in a statement.
“We commend Governor Rossello for his leadership in issuing this order to protect LGBT minors in Puerto Rico,” said HRC Senior Legislative Counsel Xavier Persad.
Persad added: “The dangerous and debunked practice of so-called ‘conversion therapy’ not only doesn’t work — it can have life-threatening consequences. This is why it has been condemned by every major medical association in our country.”
Puerto Ricans are American citizens even if the island is considered an unincorporated organised territory within the US commonwealth rather than a state—they can vote in party primaries but do not elect representatives to Congress or the Senate.
Federal US law applies to Puerto Rico, as the First Circuit Court of Appeals reminded US District Court Judge Juan Pérez-Giménez in April 2016, when the lower court tried to ban the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage across the nation.
In banning conversion therapy on minors, Puerto Rico joins 15 US states and the District of Columbia in enacting such protections towards LGBT youth.
The LGBT community in Puerto Rico remains target of prejudice and violence. Earlier this year, the murder of 24-year-old outspoken gay trap artist Kevin Fret shocked the community but, as Paper magazine noted, also highlighted persistent homophobia against LGBT people.
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