“The Italian version of Siri is homophobic”: online request to change it

DiversityLab launches a petition on Change.org to request the reprogramming of Apple’s voice assistant: it does not recognize the word “homophobia” and considers “gay” and “lesbian” an insult

There is also controversy in Italy, after the Russia, for Siri and her answers about homosexuality.

The DiversityLab association launched on Change.org a petition to ask Apple CEO Tim Cook to reprogram the Italian version of the voice assistant Siri, because the application considers the words “gay” and “lesbian” as insults.

Chiara Reali writes, for DiversityLab:

“The iPhone 6 is the best-selling smartphone in Italy, where one in five people owns an Apple-branded phone. How many of these people are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender? How many of them have LGBT friends, children, colleagues? If these people ever wonder about the word ‘lesbian’, they will hear Siri reply, ‘It’s not nice of you.’ If these people ever confess to Siri that they believe they are homosexual, the answer would be the same. The phrases are “I think I’m a lesbi

an” (gay, bisexual; “I think my daughter is a lesbian” (gay, transsexual); “Why can’t two gays (two lesbians) marry? Two gays (two lesbians) Can they be good dads (moms)? How to register a homosexual marriage?”

The association also denounces that Siri does not recognize the word homophobia. “We live in a nation where not even the most basic rights are guaranteed for gay, lesbian and bisexual people. A nation where homophobic acts are making the headlines with increasing frequency. And homophobia is fought with. Education. But how can we fight it? if for Siri this word doesn’t even exist? Chiara Reali continues.

With the request, the association asks that “Apple teach Siri to answer correctly: lesbian is not an insult, gay is not an insult “and that the company” appreciates our coming out or our requests for help without implying that being a lesbian, gay or transsexual is not a very ‘nice’ thing ”. So that nobody feels bad. So that everyone feels proud of who they are. “

Like “Tim Cook,” the CEO who said last year: “I am proud to be gay and consider my homosexuality among the greatest gifts that God has given me”.

Gallery