Despite mounting pressure, Google has ‘refused’ to take down a ‘gay cure’ app.

Available on the Google Play store for Android users, the app, from Living Hope Ministries, claims same-sex attraction is changeable and sinful.

But Google ‘refused’ to meet with LGBTI groups who want to meet company executives face-to-face to voice their concerns, Axios reported today (21 March).

Both the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the Trevor Project have made efforts to contact the tech giant to remove the ‘harmful’ app.

Nearly every mainstream health group considers ‘gay cure’ therapy dangerous to a person’s mental and physical health.

What is the app?

The Texas-based group claim LGBTI ‘lifestyles’ are harmful and compare it to an ‘addiction,’ ‘sickness,’ and ‘sexual sin.’

They claim LGBTI people can ‘walk out of false identities.’

In one advice page, the author said they are ‘confident’ their advice is ‘accurate.’

The advice included ‘getting plugged into church’ and to ‘let go of the lie that you’re different.’

What did they say? 

Trevor Project CEO Amit Paley told Axios: ‘We are hopeful that technology companies recognize the harm of apps that promote conversion therapy.

‘The Trevor Project hears from conversion therapy survivors in crisis every day, and we remain committed to ending the harmful practice in every state.

‘We know it contributes to an increased risk of suicidal behavior among LGBTQ youth.’

Similarly, a HRC spokesperson said the organization has been ‘urging’ Google to remove the app.

They added the app ‘is life-threatening to LGBTQ youth and also clearly violates the company’s own standards.

‘So far Google has refused despite our warnings about the dangers.’

The HRC is weighing whether the decision not to remove the app should impact Google’s score in the group’s annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI).

The CEI is an influential rating of a company’s stances on LGBTI issues.

The index is due later this month.

Banning the app

Similarly, a petition calling on Google to ban the app was founded earlier this year.

Wayne Besen, executive director of Truth Wins Out, started the petition, which has tallied 139,000 signatures.

Besen said: ‘Google has failed to return any of our emails, phone calls or tweets and seems to think they can just pray away the gays.

‘Google is allowing a homophobic app to ruin lives at the click of a button.’

Google’s ongoing silence

The app was previously available on Apple and Amazon’s app stores, but they have since banned the app.

However, Google has remained silent on the issue.

A separate petition, calling on Apple to reinstate the app, has 22 signatures.

Gay Star News contacted Google for comment.