Saturday, October 1, 2011

Android app 'Is your son gay' creates controversy

Popular search engine Google has landed in a soup after launching a smartphone app that helps parents determine their son's sexuality.

The Android program 'Is Your Son Gay?' has recently hit the market and has outraged gay-rights groups, with one brandishing the app 'ridiculous and horrifying'.

The controversial app asks parents 20 questions, including 'does he like to dress well?', 'does he like football?', 'does he like musical comedies?' and 'does he like Madonna?' to help them discover the sexuality of their son.

Once the quiz is completed parents receive one of two answers- 'You have nothing to worry about, your son is not gay.' Or it informs parents: 'Your son is gay. Accept it and know it's not his choice.'

Meanwhile, the French developer of the app insisted that the concept was meant to be a humorous approach towards helping moms accept their sons' homosexuality.

However, Eliza Byard, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Educational Network in the U.S., has denounced the app.

"The questions in this app are horrendous stereotypes that would be completely laughable if they weren't so dangerous," the Daily Mail quoted her as telling CBS New York.

"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," she added.

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