Anti-Gay Profiles
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America
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America Online Anti-Gay
Profiles: Is AOL picking on gays?
Update: AOL Responds to Profile Scandal, Activist fires back!
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AOL Anti-gay Profile page)
[Read this email from the bottom up, to get the whole story]
From: "tony"
To: <support@aol.net>
Subject: Re: Is AOL anti-gay???
Date: Fri, 15 Oct 1999 09:41:58 -0400
Dear Jay:
This answer is unacceptable, as you have not addressed the question I asked. I want to
know why AOL has censored a gay man's user profile (which only said that he was "a
bottom", meaning sexually submissive -- hardly what anyone I know would call
objectionable) while leaving so many NON-gay user profiles intact, which had EXTREMELY
OBJECTIONABLE language, some even advocating VIOLENCE against gays (such as "DIE
FAGS", "KILL A QUEER", "AIDS KILLS FAGS", and others -- see
examples below)???
AOL needs to clarify its policy on what is (and is not) considered
"objectionable" once and for all, as this entire mess makes NO sense whatsoever.
Would you care to explain this policy at this time? Or do you people just make it up as
you go?
Perhaps if YOU people do not have an answer for this seeming inequity, then the United
States Department of Justice might be able to help me further. You may consider "KILL
FAGS!" to be an expression of "diversity", but I consider it to be online
terrorism and I plan to pursue this matter until I get a reasonable answer. I am looking
forward to hearing from you again very soon, and I expect a REAL ANSWER this time! Feel
free to share my complaint with your superiors, if necessary. Good day.
Sincerely,
Tony
-----Original Message-----
From: support@aol.net <support@aol.net>
To: tony
Date: Friday, October 15, 1999 3:05 AM
Subject: Re: Is AOL anti-gay???
>Dear tony
>
>Hi! I am Jay from America Online and it is my pleasure to assist you regarding any
concerns you may have. Please accept my apology for the extremely long delay in responding
to your e-mail.
>
>America Online by nature is a community, and as a community we feel it is important to
recognize diversity. Along with the forums you mentioned, there are forums that are
aligned with more traditional family values. Please understand that we continue to provide
alternatives to many groups of people. We appreciate your understanding.
>
> If you have any inquiries, suggestions or comments, please feel free to write back to
us and we will be more than happy to assist you. Thank you very much for your continued
support. Have a wonderful day! \\=^ )
>
>Jay C.
>Customer Care Consultant
>Techmail Department
>America Online Inc.
>
>
>
>----------original message----------
>From: tony
>To: temp-general@aol.net
>
>
>email: tony
>subject: Is AOL anti-gay???
>message: America Online
>Anti-Gay Profiles
>
>America Online Anti-Gay Profiles: Is AOL picking on gays?
>October 11, 1999
>
>America Online (AOL) again faces accusations that its service is not gay friendly. A
representative of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas issued a public
letter today on gay journalist Rex Wockner's email network questioning whether AOL is
selectively targeting gay member's user profiles. According to the ACLU, a gay subscriber
to AOL received a terms of service violation in his AOL record (a record which can be
subpoenaed in a court of law) because the online service found "objectionable"
language he used to describe himself.
>
>The ACLU noted that the "man's self-written user profile is far far more tame
than many that AOL allows for heterosexuals." The ACLU has apparently tried to get
AOL to clarify its policies regarding member profiles, but said that to date "AOL has
not responded to our inquiries of clarification of their policy."
>
>Interestingly, a cursory check of AOL turned up scores of presumably heterosexual
member profiles that disparaged "fags," and even several that seem to advocate
the murder of gays. As today marks the opening day in the Matthew Shepard murder trial,
and tonight the one-year anniversary of Matt's death, it only seemed appropriate to
reiterate the ACLU's concern that America Online publicly state its policy with regards to
member profiles, particularly those that seem to disparage, and advocate violence against,
gays.
>
>Below are several anti-gay AOL profiles that were found in a cursory search this
evening:
>
>STOP AIDS.... ..KILL A QUEER!!!
>
>
>ALL FAGS MUST DIE, AIDS CURES QUEERS
>
>die fags
>
>
>AIDS cures fags
>
>
>Hobbies: Go kill some fags
>
>
>aIdS cUrEs FaGs
>
>
Read about additional problems America Online has had with the gay community: