This blog is about Apple allowing app reviewers to use the word “gay” in their iTunes App Store reviews in a derogatory way — as a synonym of “stupid.” 

-Gay is not Stupid

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[UPDATED 12/09: Apple continues to publish these "gay" = "stupid" reviews.]

Why is Apple publishing reviews that use the word “gay” in a derogatory way?

In some walks of life today, there are people who choose to use the term “gay” to mean “stupid” and similarly-related terms. As a gay person with a partner and children, I find this type of usage very offensive — similar in effect to the host of other derogatory associations some use about other groups of people. Apparently though, Apple doesn’t share my disdain for this use of the term “gay.”

Here’s what Apple is doing… or rather, not doing.

To date, there have been more than 58 million iPhones sold worldwide. To make these phones work to their potential, Apple provides more than 100,000+ applications (apps) that can be downloaded via their iTunes store. Apple encourages user reviews of these apps, as well, through their website. According to Apple, once a review is submitted, if it is “deemed inappropriate, it will not be posted to the App Store.“

I have had an iPhone since summer 2008. Some time ago, I began noticing, quite on accident, that some of these app reviews — which, again, are first approved by Apple before being published — blatantly use the term “gay” in a derogatory fashion. This usage could be found both in the titles and contents of these reviews. At first I thought it must be some isolated occurrences that had somehow slipped by Apple. But, on further review, I found that this type of derogatory usage of “gay” or “homosexual” is rampant throughout the published reviews on their website. Just a few weeks ago, I spent less than thirty minutes reading random reviews of iPhone apps and quickly found more than 15 examples. [See screenshots below] I have no doubt that a more thorough search would likely turn up many hundreds or even thousands of similar using-gay-as-a-derogatory-term reviews. For additional examples, just start reading app reviews on their site.

While Apple does have a process in place to report reviews that are offensive, I do not know if they actually remove reviews using “gay” in such a fashion. And more importantly, why should I or others do their job for them? And is it even practical or doable for anyone to monitor reviews on their site? Also — and important to note — I have never seen any other published reviews on their site that in any way denigrates any other group. So either they are successfully keeping these reviews off their site, or no one in the world ever posts reviews with other forms of denigrating speech.

What I discern from this is that Apple has apparently decided that using “gay” to mean “stupid” “idiotic” etc. is acceptable and meets whatever internal guidelines they have for publishing product reviews.

The big question though is why would Apple — purportedly an otherwise progressive, gay-friendly business — condone and promote the negative use of “gay” in this fashion? I am outraged that Apple, who no doubt could quite easily intercept and refuse to publish these reviews, instead publishes them, and by doing so promotes the derogatory and offensive use of a term that also describes myself and millions of others throughout the world — many millions of whom are customers or potential customers. I attempted to reach someone at Apple who could comment, but was unsuccessful.

Contact Apple today and ask them to stop the denigration of gay people in this way. Apple can and should do better.

SCREENSHOTS: