Google Heavily Criticized For Its ‘Is My Son Gay?’ App For Android

Questions Asked Said To Be 'Horrendous' And 'Dangerous' By Experts, Moms

September 27, 2011 11:59 PM

(credit: screenshots from market.android.com)

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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — It’s true, there’s an app for even that.

A new smart phone program promises to help parents determine their son’s sexuality in a modified version of “20 questions.”

On Tuesday night, CBS 2’s Sean Hennessey took the app controversy to the experts, and you.

Does your son like musical comedies, Madonna, or football? Those are just some of the questions posed in a controversial app aimed at mothers who want to know, “Is my son gay?”

“It’s not good,” said Queens resident Joanne Wilson. “No, I wouldn’t be a fan of it.”

Few moms Hennessey spoke to are fans of the new app, sold in Google’s Android market, which asks a mother 20 questions including: Does their son dress well? Is his best friend a girl? Are you divorced? Depending on the answers, the program may tell you not to look the other way because your son is gay, so accept him.

Eliza Byard, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Educational Network, called the app ridiculous and horrifying.

“The questions in this app are horrendous stereotypes that would be completely laughable if they weren’t so dangerous,” Byard said.

“The implication, one, is that there is one way to be if you’re gay and, two, that there’s sort of blame to attach to parents.”

And psychologist Alan Hilfer said the app will never replace a heart-to-heart talk.

“It implies that you’re kind of going behind someone’s back to discover things about them,” Dr. Hilfer said.

The French developer says the app is a non-scientific yet a humorous approach towards helping moms accept their son’s homosexuality.

“Instead of having a machine to tell you what’s happening in your son’s life, talk to your son,” one woman said.

Talk instead of technology to get to the truth.

Hennessey called and e-mailed Google to see what kind of vetting is done when it comes to selling controversial apps, but the company never responded with a comment.

Are you offended by this app? Please offer your thoughts in the comments section below.

Google Heavily Criticized For Its Is My Son Gay? App For Android

Hank Warren

This is all about limiting Free Speech. After all, censorship is everywhere. The gov’t (and their big business cronies) censor free speech, shut down dissent and ban the book “America Deceived II”. Free speech for all.
Last link (before Google Books bans it also]:
http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000190526
Anon

Poor grammar is the result of ignorance.

Justin

Liberalism is the result of ignorance.

idiotmitten

Liberalism is a mental disorder.
beedogs

Typical unoriginal Drudge reader. Have you stopped beating your wife yet?

benth165

DaMav, you have no idea how it pleases me that idiots like you are still out there posing as targets, for real humans who have a brains. If I espoused idiocy like that, I would hope someone would put me out of my misery, because I would be fairly close to death anyway. Morons like you need to get a serious grip !!!

iron mike

Benny, I think you are the ignorant one.
Spud

You must be a homo.
paul

DeMav hit the nail on the head destroying all progressive PC forced on those with a moral compass. If you are condoning or partaking in such a life choice remember, Sheol is very real and very large.

TricknWV

Why should anyone care WHO is gay. What we should care about are the worthless fat slob child breeders who are leeching off of our welfare coffers, living in HUD housing complexes, robbing the food stamp store, while doing drugs all day long – at the burden of taxpayers

David

You are correct. People should need a license to procreate. Can’t read? No kids. Never had a job because you really don’t want one? No kids? On welfare? No kids. We could end child poverty, AND stupidity, in a single generation. But of course, the illiterate, non-productive taker sponges have ALL the kids. That”s why America will be gone soon.

iron mike

How about adding to your list, On welfare, no vote. No job, no vote, Can’t read, no vote…can I get a witness?

beedogs

No, you can’t. Because that is asinine.
William

Oh yeah!

Sam

Sounds to me like someone was scanning the apps and saw it, Got all butthurt and used their media power to report it.

Jeff

Most likely their butt was already hurt.

James Hodges

Does your son practice picking up bars of soap from the floor… while he’s in the shower?
Ben Dover

“Does your son speak with a lisp?”

“Does your son know who Judy Garland is?”

“Does your son own a Maroon 5 CD?”
oinick

C’mon. Get a life. This is funny as hell, accuracy of the test notwithstanding. Can’t anybody take a joke???
Joe

Does your son like movies about gladiators?

Jimbo

Turkish bathhouses?
Buttchop

Jimmy, have you ever seen a grown man naked?

Justin Bieber

I hope my parents don’t use this app against me!!!

David

It’s OK, Justin. She already knows. It’s OK, buddy.
andrew

hahaha… it was the “womens jeans fit better” comment that tipped us off.

Yeth Thir, Thargent!

I want an app for outing gays in the military. Oh, wait. BHO beat the developers to it.
http://creativedude11.wordpress.com creativedude11

As a Libertarian, I find this friggin’ hilarious. Question 21 should be… “Would you consider you son to be anal retentive?”

Lovin it

God, I would hope so…….
beedogs

As a Libertarian, you should kill yourself.

commie_shooter

Such vitriol and hate that come from left wing commies….sad
commie_shooter

Such vitriol and hate that comes from left wing commies….sad

jerrykregle

I Guess Im the only straight guy that went to a Bette Middler Concert
or has watched The Sound of Music and South Pacific
or appreciates the arts like Philharmonic Orchestras and Shakespeare
Hamlet is my Favorite

Soqueesh

I’ve got news for ya pal…
Lola

Question 21: Does your son leave comments about the fact that he likes musicals and Bette Midler yet claims he’s straight?
iron mike

Actually, I am normal too and I like those also, along with UFC, shooting guns, practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, feeding the homeless, and rescuing dogs.

Frank

AND you even call yourself “Iron Mike”… How un-gay is that?

Michael Lambert

Clearly a joke app. Way to report on the important issues!

Bill Whiteman

Exactly. Well put. Stupid people talking about an app, for christ’s sake. Like the app, is evil or something. These people are so stupid they must be american.
Wei

Clearly, we’ve ran out of news to cover in the country. Why else would a real reporter spend time covering a story with this angle?!

Seriously, it should have been a… “To all mothers who doesn’t have a brain… This is a joke app! Do not really pay for it and use it to determine your son’s sexual preference!!”

John M

Since when does someone’s sexuality become the property of the public domain? In short, it doesn’t. A person’s sexuality is PERSONAL. To those who spend their time poring over whether a person loves women or men in an effort to harm them…IT’S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, GET A LIFE…

Slim Picnic

Exactly. Now if homosexuals would retun to the closet and stop trying to legislate and litigate acceptance, we can all relax. Pologamists , pedophilles (minor-attracted persons) are next.
http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/changing-the-name-changes-nothing/

beedogs

Actually, bigoted imbeciles such as yourself are next.

ralph martin

How is it bigoted? I personally dont care what others do in the bedroom, it is NONE of my business and i dont want any information or hints or anything else about what they do in the bedroom i dont care if they are straight gay or whatever else kind of proclivity you can come up with. You dont see swingers out there claiming they need to be given equal rights or anything kind of special treatment for what they do in the bedroom. Its ridiculous.
slim picnic

I’m sorry – truly I am – that the light of truth would sear your conscience and cause you to lash back like that. I know you have been hurt and feel that tthis lifestyle will bring you ameliorate that hurt, but that is the big lie. I too suffer with base lusts – albeit different ones. I suppose if I had a support network that was like your’s so willing to convince me that being born feeling a certain way was a license to ACT that way – I would probalby engage them and demand others accept them too. Just know that those who truly love you will help you out of self-destructive situations – not tell you you’re denying a part of yourself if you don’t engage them

Nicholas

I think parents pretty much know their kid is gay — they don’t need an app to tell them. They usually are just in denial if they ever act surprised. That or you’re an out-of-touch parent and probably deserve the surprise. My parents knew – although they didn’t want to admit it to themselves. It was a bit of a shock at first but they got over it soon after they said they guessed but didn’t want to believe it.

As far as this phone app goes – who cares … there are so many stupid phone apps out there, are we going to police them all?!
Jake W

DANG all these comments are GREAT! better then the article!

Where have you been?

That’s how it usually is here when the topic is about HOMOsexuality or race.

BM

Wow Thomas, anyone that would beat his son for being gay should never be a parent and could most certainly never be considered a father. Lets hope you are sterile.

Bill Whiteman

Got that right. Beating your son for being gay is most gutless thing. Why not “man up” yourself and talk to him about things thatreally matter. A**hole.

Michael H.

No you’re not correct. You’re a terrible father.

Scott

Shut you sperm receptical Michael H. Does the H stand for HOMO?

Jeff

“A**hole”

Well, that is what “really matters” to most gay sons.

Very conservative

Liberalism is a mental disorder.
PIGamer

The article should be titled, “Google Heavily Criticized For Its belief in free speech”.

Bill Whiteman

Perfect. Exactly right. Well said.

Nate

After being bombarded with gay this and gay that and playing the victim card over and over, I have lost my ability to care about your whiny plight. It’s not even about morality, it’s about your loud, obnoxious activism and demanding you get your way like a unrestrained four year old throwing a tantrum. Shut up.

RogerCfromSD

Agreed. Tired of the inundation of gay flamboyance and omnipresence in the world. For 1% of the population, if that, they sure intrude upon all aspects of my life.
Wayne

You got that right. If you want to be a pole smoker do it in the privacy of your own home. Quit trying to shove it down everyone elses throught. Your judgment day will come for your immoral lifestyle.
FedUp

Best. Comment. Ever!!! Pretty much sums up the common man’s reaction to anything/everything with a PC/liberal bent.

joex51

people being gay is not Normal Plain and simple you were created to procreate, Male with Female, if it was supposed to be any other way we would be asexual, sorry if your gay thats OK but it is not normal there is something physiologically( chemically) wrong with you. sorry but science is science

Nicholas

Science is science? What is normal? If science discovered that a certain % of people are born with a genetic mutation that makes them same sex attracted, that’d be nature at work — seems normal then. Science doesn’t have an explanation yet as to what forms sexuality of an individual. And science doesn’t make moral judgements, just observations using shrewd skepticism.

sagerat

Sorry I cant help it if my brain is to small to comprehend what you trying to Illustrate

I’m right and you’re wrong

WHOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!! WELL SAID!!!
Wei

Normal is determined by majority, but doesn’t mean it’s correct/incorrect. In nature, fish does not determine gender until later. It adapts to the environment and becomes either male or female later in life.
One can say that it is normal for nature to create homosexual people because we are over populating the earth and nature is stopping us from procreation to prevent further depletion of resources. Not to mention we’re killing off other beings on earth by dominating the majority of livable space on this planet. We learn, in school, that the ecosystem has a way to balance itself. Perhaps this is one of the ways… a mutation in our dna/gene or whatever it is.

Sean

Ummm…except scientists have mapped the human genome (i.e. determined what all of our genes affect) and have declared, unequivocally, “there is no gay gene.”

Kurly

Source please? I know they have mapped the human genome in a chemical DNA sense, but last I heard they only knew the purpose and function of about .5% of the genes.

Kurly

From the human genome project website.
In summary: the best estimates of total genome size indicate that about 92.3% of the genome has been completed[10] and it is likely that the centromeres and telomeres will remain un-sequenced until new technology is developed that facilitates their sequencing. Most of the remaining DNA is highly repetitive and unlikely to contain genes, but it cannot be truly known until it is entirely sequenced. Understanding the functions of all the genes and their regulation is far from complete. The roles of junk DNA, the evolution of the genome, the differences between individuals, and many other questions are still the subject of intense interest by laboratories all over the world.

Julia

I was alarmed when I saw the ad and tv promo in scary red letters about how to find out if your son was gay. I guess scarying people and feeding into homophobia on the heels of young kids struggling and killing themselves rates lower than ratings. Shame on you. Yes, let’s all laugh and make jokes about young people discovering who they are. Are we a country that does not except people?

Truth Detector

“Are we a country that does not except [sic] people?”

Julie, this country excepts people all the time.

E.g., if you’re a minority and your test scores are too low, the university will accept you due to the exception it makes for you.

Gummint skoo’ hab not been berry gud 2 u, Jules…

DaMav

lol!

DP

Some people are so ignorant!
Donald Pennington

Does nobody have a sense of humor anymore? Folks, kindly remove the boards from out of your self-important a$$es.

Truth Detector

Boards? Lumber? Is that all?

Whew, for a minute there he thought he had Gay Bowel Disease…

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Google Heavily Criticized For Its ‘Is My Son Gay?’ App For Android

Questions Asked Said To Be 'Horrendous' And 'Dangerous' By Experts, Moms

September 27, 2011 11:59 PM

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