It’s no secret that homophobia is rife on social networks, with more than 30% of the population admitting to it.
It’s also no secret how deeply embedded homophobia is in the fabric of our society.
As such, it is an issue that is constantly discussed in media, with the most visible example being a recent BBC documentary, which explored the issue.
The programme was produced by the Centre for Media and Public Ethics (CMPE) in partnership with the Open Rights Group (ORG), which is a network of civil liberties organisations that provide independent analysis and analysis on issues affecting freedom of expression and democracy.
The film examined a range of topics related to homophobia and its impact on society, and it was a fascinating glimpse into how homophobia is being perpetuated on social networking sites.
The documentary also highlighted the fact that homophobia has become a more potent weapon in the battle for online freedom of speech, with users of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat and Tumblr all using homophobic slurs in order to silence, marginalise or ridicule people who express different opinions.
In response, several major tech companies have taken action to stop such abuse.
While the main purpose of the boycott was to protest against hate speech, it’s also hoped to raise awareness about homophobia and to raise the profile of the issue on the platforms themselves.
As an example, Twitter recently announced that it would stop using the #NotAllMen hashtag, a phrase used by the white supremacist group, the Ku Klux Klan, to denote those who engage in sexual violence against women and girls.
Reddit recently banned the “Rape Culture” subreddit, which contains posts that glorify rape, and banned the subreddit for “threatening, harassing, or stalking women”.
Google has also announced it will stop using its search engine “to remove or remove content that includes content that promotes or condones sexual violence or sexual harassment”.
These measures have been criticised by LGBT organisations, who have described them as discriminatory, misogynistic and exploitative of people of colour, trans people and other marginalised groups.
While it’s important to acknowledge the impact that homophobia can have on people of all genders and sexual orientations, the issue has also been a source of controversy among those who oppose the use of homophobic slurs.
In February, a group of LGBT people launched a petition on Change.org, calling for Google to ban the #RapeCulture subreddit.
They argued that the content contained content that glorified rape and glorified harassment, and were the very same type of content that was banned from Reddit and Google, as well as other social media platforms.
Some of the more extreme responses to the petition were from users who argued that it was the job of journalists to make sure the people involved in the petition received the same treatment as other online activists.
They cited the case of a trans man who faced harassment on Twitter after his name and photos were featured on a Google+ profile.
The hashtag #NotYourShield was created in response to this, with people who expressed outrage at the content being labeled misogynists or bigots.
But despite this, the hashtag still garnered over 8,000 signatures, which was enough to force the company to remove the content.
And the hashtag #notyourshield continues to be a topic of conversation on Twitter and elsewhere.
When it comes to the #GayPorn hashtag, users are regularly called out for using homophobic language, and for not standing up for people who are gay.
This has also lead to the hashtag being used by people to push for greater transparency and accountability in the media, as this is often a place where people feel comfortable talking about the issues they face.
While Google has announced its intentions to remove #GaySexCulture and #GayCultureCulture from Google+, the hashtag is still present in social media and on the forums of various sites, such as Twitter and Reddit.
These forums, and the conversations they have fostered, can also have the effect of legitimising the use and spread of homophobic language.
A lot of people believe that the problem of homophobia is a myth, but it’s a myth that it is still so prevalent in our society and that it needs to be addressed.
