Google Pride

Google is recognizing pride month by having a rainbow that appears whenever you make a gay related search. I’m not sure what a gay related search is, but I’m not really sure what it means to be a gay person. Does a search for Gladys Knight made by a man summon up a rainbow? What about a search for flannel shirts by a woman? It would be nice if they had the rainbow appear when people made searches like “homosexuality is an abomination” or “homosexuality: genetic or choice.” Unfortunately, they don’t. They don’t have anything on the initial search page either, which is upsetting a lot of folks. I have to admit that I don’t see this as a big issue. I think what they are doing is perfect. Would they really have a rainbow for a whole month? Do they do that for anything? Is there a moon up there during Ramadan? I think the placement of a rainbow for gay searches is a nice way to acknowledge the month all month long. Personally, I think every search that uses the words homosexual or gay should conjure it up. Someone doing searches to come up with evidence that supports the marginalization of homosexuals and the denial of their rights should have to stare at a rainbow as they do it. It just seems right. But, the fact is that the ambiguity involved in this policy is appropriate. In my fantasy world it would serve to highlight that in many ways homosexuality is a culture more than a sexual preference. In the real world it does just what it should. It recognizes gay pride month and it generates conversation on important issues concerning homosexuality and our treatment of it.