Neither the Netflix iPhone app, nor the Apple TV hardware device was showing users a “Gay/Lesbian Film’ category when it first shipped. Users could only find the genre if they searched for a flick in that category and then navigated to the parent directory. Claims of homophobia — quite rampant when it comes to Apple — flew! But has the issue been resolved?
Fox & Friends personality Clayton Morris says he “searched for the very same movie and category mentioned by Gizmodo’s users and found out that these reports are unfounded — unless Apple or Netflix changed something overnight.”
Nope, they didn’t. What Morris likely did was search for the gay interest film Newcastle (surfer romance!) and then, as explained, navigate up. But Netflix’s iPhone app still lacks a Gay/Lesbian category, and it appears Apple TV’s native navigation remains without it either.
When Apple chief Steve Jobs was emailed by a customer about the issue (he’s known for personally replying to emails), he answered: “Netflix programs their service.”
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An instance of homophobia from two tech giants? Or merely an oversight? I’d say it’s the latter, and I suspect if we do hear back from Netflix it’ll be something about them not wanting to clutter their navigation menu.
Cam
His excuse was that “Netflix Programs their Service” but if you go to the NEtflix site, Gay and Lesbian IS a catagory right under the Genres tab. So somebody is B.Sing here.
merkin
Seriously? This is a news story? Netflix has a very impressive collection of LGBT movies–well beyond the usual “Brokeback Mountain” and “Fried Green Tomatoes” you’d expect. The gay section on the regular site is broken down into a number of sub-genres. I bet they put more money into acquiring LGBT titles than they see in subscriptions from gay members. But because their mini-app doesnt have a gay & lesbian pulldown—even tho all the LGBT titles are available—yr gonna scream homophobia? Blacks make a MUCH larger segment of our country and they don’t have an African-American genre. Someone call the NAACP!! Lets stop working toward gay marriage and ending DADT and focus on this crisis.
alan brickman
yes…. where are the black and jewish sections?….c’mon….
Tony
In the heady days of iTunes6, LGBT-related podcasts were also a “navigate-up” affair.
You had to know what title you were looking for, and once on the page, you’d find that it was tagged LGBT, then navigate back up through that category to find the parent/grandparent/root category – I think it was something like “society” at one point, but it changed over time. But LGBT? Never made it to the front page.
Throw in what Apple did to the “graphic novel” version of “Ulysses” when it was delivered as an iPhone app; and the selective editing of Lady Gaga’s twitter history when their PING service launched with iTunes10, and you’ve got a picture of a company skittish at every “technological” (business model, really) turn.
Maybe it’s all down to business concerns, and the content panels at Apple are more banal than evil – like the MPAA’s ratings board. But that’s still not a good thing. If you’re happy with a cultural world circumscribed by the Cupertino Content Police, go for it.
Adam
Why are we attacking Apple for homophobia again? They gave money to the no on 8 campaign and they were among the first to grant equal partner benefits for their gay and lesbian employees.
And Steve Jobs is right, it’s Netflix who designed the app, he has no say over what’s in there or not (other than straight up approval for the application, which is a whole ethical question in and of itself over net neutrality. But then again this is the device that runs GRINDR.)
Why in the last few weeks has Queerty been attacking our allies?
GuyDads
My list of over 200 of the best gay DVDs available on Netflix: http://guydads.blogspot.com/2010/05/gay-dvd-movies-from-netflix.html
D
Unfortunately, 99.9% of gay movies are awful anyway.
Cam
I actually wish they would subdivide the sections a little bit more. Into a Gay and a Lesbian section. It would make searching even easier.
Gaybriel
It’s clearly a Netflix oversight, as Apple did approve this: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/out-cafe-gay-lifestyle/id392039419?mt=8 which is a gay movie catalog
Baxter
When did Gay/Lesbian become a genre? What’s wrong with putting those movies into comedy/drama/whatever?
Andrew
They aren’t necessarily hiding the Gay and Lesbian movies and tv shows, but what they are doing is leaving it out of the “selectable” categories. If I want to view Gay and Lesbian movies/tv shows I have to use my MacBook and use the online category view. You can however search for specific movies and still have access to all the movies/tv shows in the category. It’s just more of a disappointing inconvenience.
Justin
@Baxter: If you’re in the mood for a movie with a same-sex relationship (and sometimes, I just get so sick of heterosexual love stories, I like seeing a movie with a little m/m or f/f romance going on), but you don’t know which film specifically you want to watch, it’s good to have a category that contains those movies, don’t you think?
Baxter
@Justin: Should they segregate their movies by race too?
scott ny'er
@GuyDads: Hey Thanks. I was searching for something like this.
Justin
@Baxter: I’m confused by your question – how does segregating by race help me find movies with same-sex romance to watch on Netflix?
Hilarious
It’s an oversight. I am a Netflix subscriber and they have a very large selection of gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual movies to choose from.
Frankster
It is also happening on the WII Version.
Donn
@Donn: Noticing today, Mar 6, 2012, all the Gay and Lesbian listings at NETFLIX have disappeared.
Really
Im just trying to find out how to not see the channel..good god I don’t need my six year old asking me about any sex gay straight or bi
Franklin Cardoza
My Android Netflix app doesn’t have a gay/lesbian category either, does that mean Google is homophobic?