Meta tags are hidden code in a web page written by a webmaster to direct a search engine how to classify that page. Focus on the Family spin-off site Troubled With uses such tags. Blogger GoodAsYou. was curious what meta tags keywords Focus uses on their pages associated with homosexuality and found this.
I’m Troubled With Focus’ hidden self-description of their own resources on sexuality. It should be noted the “Contact Us” page of Troubled With affirms the views presented on the site are shared by James Dobson.
The approach and perspective offered here reflect the views of the organization and its founder, Dr. James Dobson.
To view Focus’ page with questionable meta tags click here. To view the source code, in your browser pull down the “view” menu and select “source” or “view source.” This will open a new window with the web page’s code. In the event Focus gets wise to this and changes their pages, you can access a google cache of the page here.
11/14 Update: Far right WORLD Magazine’s blog has picked up the story after I sent them a tip.
It seems unlikely to me that FOF actually believes that someone seeking help with unwanted same-sex attration (to use their words) would actually type in “flamer” to find a resource.
What does seem very likely to me is that the person who set up the website thought they were being funny.
FOF tells us that they aren’t homophobes, they aren’t hateful, they just want to offer hope. However, the type of person who thinks the terms dyke or flamer are funny doesn’t seem to me to be the type that is loving and wants to offer hope. They just seem like a bigot.
I think what is more likely is that they don’t really care about people with same sex attraction – their goal is to promote social rejection of gays by promoting the idea that we’re just too selfish to change for them. They’re seeking ant-gay heterosexuals to supply them with ammo to use against us and those people are likely to type in “flamer”, “fag”, etc.
Good Catch! I think Good As You is right in pointing out that ‘homosexual’ isn’t in that list, yet ‘fag’ and ‘flamer’ are. Neither is ‘homosexuality’, and yet the page is supposed to be the ‘Homosexuality Section’. It’s quite indicative of the mindset there isn’t it.
I’m told ironically enough, that search engines like google don’t make use of the keywords meta tag anymore, since it’s so easily misused.
Timothy, FOF is a homophobic hate group make no mistake about that. The “hope” that this group provides is false and misleading and highly prejudiced. Their whole premise on gay people is wrong and they promote false information on the causes of homosexuality to fuel hatred and contempt for our community. It is not an act of love to demonize and capitalize off degrading the lives of others, this is an act of prejudice that is no different than the KKK or the Aryan Nation or any White Supremist Group. Their antics would be considered hate crimes and human rights abuses in my country. This is way, way beyond free speech and I don’t support their “right” to discriminate the way they do. I don’t believe a word that comes from that pathetic organization or any other of those hate groups disguised in religous BS.
“effeminiate”. I love that! Thought it might be a typo in your blog, but there it is in the META section on the FOF site……….
Phil, your effeminiate flamer
Well, if’n that don’t beat all…
If I felt like being charitable, I’d wonder if perhaps they were trying to make it for people who feel this way about a classmate or co-worker.
I don’t feel like being charitable. They should know better. They do know better.
I have some names for them, too, but won’t bother posting ’em.
Just in case there was any uncertainty on the issue, the “Contact” page states clearly:
“The approach and perspective offered here reflect the views of the organization and its founder, Dr. James Dobson.”
Per their legal disclaimer: “The content on this Web site is offered as a helpful resource for you, your family and friends and is designed to help TroubledWith.com users obtain information and guidance. The information providers in this area believe the content they dispense is accurate and reliable, but in some instances, the information may represent opinion or judgment. Neither the information providers nor TroubledWith.com guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information in this service area. As such, neither TroubledWith.com nor the information providers will be responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. The information is provided with the understanding that neither the information providers nor TroubledWith.com are engaged in rendering legal, medical, counseling or other professional services or advice, and neither shall be liable or responsible to any person or entity for any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly by or from the information or ideas contained, suggested, or referenced in this service area. Your participation in this service therefore is solely at your own risk.”
Well, that’s a helpful disclaimer. 😉 If Jesus could submit a memo today to FOTH, I’m sure he’d request a legal disclaimer be added as text just following the four gospels…
FOF changed the keywords on Troubled With to:
Homo? Sissy? are these any better? And what does FOF know about tolerance?
I know I say this a lot, but bisexual’s not there, is it? Interesting.
They misspelled “GLSEN”.
I don’t see how “homo” or “sissy”–or “acting out”, for that matter, with all its -child implications–is so much better, either. Just as well that bis aren’t included.
And I still have names for them, in case they’re reading this (which they clearly are.)
Jayelle, I have a few key search words for FOF, see my post above. Hope they are reading this so they know just how much contempt their is for the deceitful and prejudiced tactics. I have some other key words but alas, those would get me banned from this site.
Javelle said “I know I say this a lot, but bisexual’s not there, is it? Interesting.”
I agree Javelle. “Focus on the Family” and the other religious conservatives don’t want to acknowledge bisexuals ’cause it puts further doubt on the deceptive claims of being “exgay”. Funny how Swoopes’ self report of not being born gay is proof, but my self report of being bisexual is not proof and neither is the vast majority of GLBT self reports that we are born this way. I guess the “Truth” is dependent on which self report they like better, not a balanced consideration of reality.
Guess they figured they’d better change those meta tags before some main stream news organization had a look and exposed the reality behind “Focus on the Family”‘s compassion.
What a long and interesting discussion at World magazine!
The people who think you and your readers don’t have a problem with the actual content are clearly not familiar with this blog.
I am VERY glad that some of them also had a problem with the tags.
according to our friends at GoodAsYou, our umm.. fellow humans over at Focus have provided a third version of their META tags:
same-sex attraction
ex-gay
sexual partner
life partner
gay
lesbian
lover
save-sex marriage
Yes folks, that’s “save-sex marriage” not “same-sex marriage”. So I guess we can expect a FOURTH version of the tags. There must be something about hatin’ the gay that makes you prone to typos.
Timothy:
“There must be something about hatin’ the gay that makes you prone to ….”
Love it! Stealin’ it!
Shore up your hearts and keep taking the fight to them so those behind the “x-gay” (my spelling) cells, and other “hatesploitation groups” whose true calling is to churn out Republican-voting automatons, don’t take over in 2006, 2008.
They are very ripe and ready to use stealth candidates or whatever they need to do so het and religious supremacists can take elected and appointed offices (and we all know for certain they can even steal two national elections in a row for their candidates).
Those running USOB, Inc. (United States Of Bush, Inc.) are not just the puppeteers they presume themselves to be. Their greed and gluttonous desire for power make them the puppets in reality, and they can do nothing now to reverse what they have done.
They have allowed true religious zealots to re-align our government with their assistance, to make it easier for those zealots to get in office, to appoint their unskilled friends to office, to use those offices for their own purposes, to spend public money for their purposes, and on and on.
Prediction: One of the first steps post-2008, if they are successful, will be to clear out the phony religious supremacy zealots from the real christohet supremacy zealots.
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