"Can gays be cured of being gay?” RTÉ issues apology over Tweet.

Lapin · 16-01-2014 11:39PM #1

RTÉ has apologised over a Tweet relating to the subject matter of a programme they were making with an undercover journalist covering a group that claims to be able to cure gay people.

From The Mirror -

A late night RTE radio show found itself at the centre of a social media storm tonight after tweeting “Can gays be cured of being gay?”.

RTE show ‘The God Slot’ posted the controversial question shortly before 4pm.

And several hours later hundreds took to Twitter to blast the show due to be hosted by Eileen Dunne tonight.

The tweet was removed shortly after 9pm and an apology was issued.

“Apologies if offended by a promo for @TheGodSlot tomorrow night The contributor refutes the value of any conversion therapy for gay people.”

An RTE spokeswoman explained that the tweet was meant to stir debate and not offend.

She explained: “The show involves an undercover journalist going to an organisation which claims to cure homosexuality.

“The journalist exposes the fact that it is not possible to convert homosexuals.”

I think its a storm in a teacup and the apology isn't warranted. It was a rhetorical editorial question based upon the ignorant belief that some religious people hold.

Those who called for an apology either don't get it or are too easily (and willing to be) offended.

Sulla Felix · 16-01-2014 11:41PM

Eh, the tweeted reply to some of the criticism was a bit more heartfelt than that warranted if it was a rhetorical question imo.

alchemist33 · 16-01-2014 11:41PM

"Hundreds blasted the show" before they'd even seen it?!?

But I suppose that isn't surprising in Twitterland.

GoldFour4 · 16-01-2014 11:42PM

Poorly phrased obviously but some people just love to use twitter to criticise every little thing. Not much of a story.

Artful_Badger · 16-01-2014 11:42PM

That actually is political correctness gone mad.

darkpagandeath · 16-01-2014 11:43PM

Can I be cured of being addicted to online Fps games ?

keith16 · 16-01-2014 11:44PM

Sulla Felix wrote: »

Eh, the tweeted reply to some of the criticism was a bit more heartfelt than that warranted if it was a rhetorical question imo.

So what, the weight of the apology = how wrong they were? More like how scared they were.

Sarky · 16-01-2014 11:44PM

It was the title being criticised, not the show. Asking "Can gays be cured of being gay" paints homosexuality as a disease or something that needs fixing. We've known that "gay cures" are bollocks for at least 40 years, RTE is really not doing a good job convincing anyone it's current with this sort of silliness. It's the same as asking if being black can be cured. It's entirely the wrong way to go about discussing the evils of gay therapy, if that's what they're claiming it was about.

FreshKnickers · 16-01-2014 11:45PM

Can RTE be cured of being RTE?

Wacker The Attacker · 16-01-2014 11:46PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3wFHEm33Aw

Sulla Felix · 16-01-2014 11:46PM

keith16 wrote: »

So what, the weight of the apology = how wrong they were? More like how scared they were.

No, this reply is more than a little defensive.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BeIceRkCYAApZVp.png

efb · 16-01-2014 11:46PM

You only cure diseases and ham IMHO

hfallada · 16-01-2014 11:47PM

Not even Ryanair tries to pull off this shock value tacky advertising any more. Why is RTE even doing a documentary on what Americans call "pray away the gay", when there is countless journals on how harmful it is? You can hardly expect an RTE "journalist" to produce a decent and accurate documentary on a sensitive topic, when they make a complete balls of simple topics.

P_1 · 16-01-2014 11:47PM

Poorly phrased tweet but an interesting premise for a radio show. Conversion therapy sounds pretty barbaric so I guess an attempt to understand/debunk it is fairly noble.
Scratch that after seeing one of the replies from the account I can't exactly expect the show to be very impartial.

Having said that RTE haven't exactly been covering themselves in PR glory WRT the LGBT community between this and the John Waters legal letter inspired schenanigans over Brendan O'Carroll's tv show

Chazz Michael Michaels · 16-01-2014 11:47PM

Some questions are thought crime now.

enfant terrible · 16-01-2014 11:48PM

Sarky wrote: »

It was the title being criticised, not the show. Asking "Can gays be cured of being gay" paints homosexuality as a disease or something that needs fixing. We've known that "gay cures" are bollocks for at least 40 years. It's the same as asking if being black can be cured. It's entirely the wrong way to go about discussing the evils of gay therapy, if that's what they're claiming it was about.

Could they not argue its a defect in nature that could possible be changed?

Femme_Fatale · 16-01-2014 11:48PM

Sulla Felix wrote: »

No, this reply is more than a little defensive.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BeIceRkCYAApZVp.png

Lol, I've less sympathy now - that's straight out of the David Quinn Book of Sh1te, Tired Clichés.

Uriel. · 16-01-2014 11:50PM

It's grating the way society is developing. In my view theoonly way to deal with this "offended at anything" crowd is for organisations / people to stand up to them and not back down out of a fear of some backlash.

If a child gets sweet every time it cries. It'll never learn and keep crying.

Unfortunately, it'll never happen

Sarky · 16-01-2014 11:50PM

enfant terrible wrote: »

Could they not argue its a defect in nature that could possible be changed?

Bit late after painting all gay people as being sick and in need of treatment, don't you think?

J_E · 16-01-2014 11:50PM

Sarky wrote: »

It was the title being criticised, not the show. Asking "Can gays be cured of being gay" paints homosexuality as a disease or something that needs fixing. We've known that "gay cures" are bollocks for at least 40 years. It's the same as asking if being black can be cured. It's entirely the wrong way to go about discussing the evils of gay therapy, if that's what they're claiming it was about.

That's the problem I have with the title too. I only just saw this story now, but all this title seems to suggest is they just wanted the chirpy Breda O Briens of the nation to stir the pot and get viewing numbers.

Point is, there should never have been a debate here. Also funny, the people who will likely argue against it aren't gay in the first place...how could they ever understand in the same way?

Nothing to do with people being 'offended at everything'. Yes, I do take offense, because even having this argument suggests that I am somehow sick.

aidan_walsh · 16-01-2014 11:50PM

the John Waters legal letter inspired schenanigans over Brendan O'Carroll's tv show

John Waters would get himself a lot of new respect if he managed to get Mrs. Brown off the air.

Maximus Alexander · 16-01-2014 11:50PM

Can they be cured though?

*BRACE FOR IMPACT*

Edit: This post was a joke. I have come to realise that was not entirely obvious.

enfant terrible · 16-01-2014 11:52PM

Sarky wrote: »

Bit late after painting all gay people as being sick and in need of treatment, don't you think?

Is it that big a deal, if Louis Theroux did a documentary on "curing" gays would the BBC ban it?

Chazz Michael Michaels · 16-01-2014 11:52PM

Sarky wrote: »

Bit late after painting all gay people as being sick and in need of treatment, don't you think?

Who said that?

efb · 16-01-2014 11:52PM

I am not a fcuking defect

P_1 · 16-01-2014 11:52PM

aidan_walsh wrote: »

John Waters would get himself a lot of new respect if he managed to get Mrs. Brown off the air.

Feck I think I got my annoying Brendans mixed up

Lapin · 16-01-2014 11:53PM

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Can they be cured though?

*BRACE FOR IMPACT*

Depends on whatever illness or ailment thay may have.

Just like yourself.

Uriel. · 16-01-2014 11:55PM

efb wrote: »

I am not a fcuking defect

I hate to break it you but you are....

....

....

Cos you is purple.

P_1 · 16-01-2014 11:55PM

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Can they be cured though?

*BRACE FOR IMPACT*

Well if they have a nasty cold then I'd imagine so, if they have a terminal illness then sadly no

J_E · 16-01-2014 11:55PM

enfant terrible wrote: »

Is it that big a deal, if Louis Theroux did a documentary on "curing" gays would the BBC ban it?

For one, he wouldn't not call it something as abrasive as that, and he'd do it a hell of a lot classier than RTE ever could.

Karl Stein · 16-01-2014 11:55PM

Chazz Michael Michaels wrote: »

Some questions are thought crime now.

It's a horribly loaded question which presumes that being gay is some sort of medical affliction. We're supposed to have moved on from that bullshit a few decades ago.

On another note, do people who are gay get annoyed at being called 'the gays' and 'gays'?

"Can gays be cured of being gay?” RTÉ issues apology over Tweet.

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