All Companies Are Bastards, but Google still manages to make itself stand out amongst the Facebooks and Disneys of the world. We’ve written previously about how Google has been weaponized in the war on choice, with false women’s health clinics paying to advertise themselves on Google to women searching for abortions. Now it appears that trans rights activists are being forced into a similar fight.
Content warning for discussion of transphobic violence, anti-abortion violence.
Journalist Alejandra Carabello and activist Erin Reed tweeted out warnings about anti-trans activists making Google Maps of “LGBTQ community centers, gender affirming care clinics, and non profit orgs.” According to Carabello, so-called “GenderMapper” Twitter account was banned, but all other social medias are still active (including their use of the Google Maps API, embedded on their website).
The group’s website claims, “The Global Gender Mapping Project is an educational resource for anyone who has been affected by the gender industry, we offer no apologies for our dedication to abolishing the gender industry,” and goes on, predictably, to talk about how their dangerous crusade against support for the transgender community is “about humanity and children.”
What makes this so dangerous is that these maps read like a hit list and can potentially be used to commit vandalism, arson, and threats of violence against these facilities and those who / use them, like how some abortion clinics have been targeted by anti-choice terrorists. There’s some evidence that it’s happening already, with Twitter users having celebrated after the Knoxville Planned Parenthood was burned down in a case of arson back in January.
So what can we do to help?
- Donate to local LGBTQ organizations, especially ones that help the most vulnerable (homeless shelters, free health clinics, etc) or donate to ones that have recently experienced arson/vandalism.
- Demand action from Google. The more attention we bring to it, the less likely it is to be buried by their algorithm. Google needs to take responsibility for its lack of oversight in allowing hate groups to use their tools.
As John Oliver said in his show on tech monopolies, “These companies only do the right thing after they’re pushed up against the wall.” Well, we need to start pushing, unless we want to be the ones pushed and cornered by violence, intimidation, and hate.
(featured image: Google)
