Ever wonder just how many times the words gay, faggot, dyke and the phrase 'no homo' are posted on Twitter? Wonder no more as the site NoHomophobes.com seeks to file each utterance of these words on their site for concentrated viewing.
At a time when homophobia is such a prevalent issue, the site looks to call out Twitters on their individual and casual use of the words in all of their varying tweeted contexts. The masthead on the site features the quick description: "Homophobic language isn’t always meant to be hurtful, but how often do we use it without thinking?".
NoHomophobes.com is self-described as a 'social mirror' and looks to have words reflected upon after their use. The homepage features constantly updating counters and a thread of each tweet as it is written. While there is a brief section of information behind the workings of the site, it is truly self-explanatory at first glance of the opening page.
It is clear that users need to become aware that the words they post on social media sites are visible to all and thus open to scrutiny. If one posts a homophobic word, phrase or slur, they should be open to the criticisms that come about as a result. NoHomophobe.com shows a brief snippet of how words used on a pacifistic level can continue to permeate everyday life.
It may seem uneventful when an individual uses one of these derogatory terms once and a while, but put them all together in one place and it is truly understandable why this is an issue worth discussing and taking a more serious approach to.
Implications - Homophobia is an ever-prevalent issue. The casual use of derogatory words is just one aspect of the issue but as is documented on the site it is clearly the most widespread one. While social media is meant to connect us in ways we had not previously thought possible, it’s evident that it can be a means to accelerate and accentuate hurtful words.
On a deeper level, we can connect NoHomophobes.com back to the overarching conversation regarding social media archiving and what kinds of effects these quickly shared thoughts and ideas will have on the poster in the future. Everyone should be given the benefit of the doubt; perhaps one of these homophobic words was typed in a moment of haste with their implications not recognized. What happens in the future when it can be judged by a prospective boss, friend or family member who makes a haste judgement of this person?
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