First, a question: How far are media outlets willing to go for a click? When exactly is the line crossed? Why are we letting insensitive, exposing, and disrespectful articles slide by with no regards for the lives affected?
This past thursday, August 11th to be precise, DailyBeast writer Nico Hines published an “exposé” titled “The Other Olympic Sport in Rio: Swiping” talking about which Rio Olympians you could get a date with on Grindr. Don’t worry, though. He didn’t use names! So it’s totally safe and fine, right? Because releasing the person’s weight, height, AND sport will clearly not point in any direction. Right?
The Daily Beast released an editor’s note apologizing after receiving the angry backlash from millions of readers who immediately saw how wrong it was. Stating in the process:
The Daily Beast does not do this lightly. As shared in our editor’s note earlier today, we initially thought swift removal of any identifying characteristics and better clarification of our intent was the adequate way to address this. Our initial reaction was that the entire removal of the piece was not necessary. We were wrong. We’re sorry. And we apologize to the athletes who may have been inadvertently compromised by our story.
Today we did not uphold a deep set of The Daily Beast’s values. These values—which include standing up to bullies and bigots, and specifically being a proudly, steadfastly supportive voice for LGBT people all over the world—are core to our commitment to journalism and to our commitment to serving our readers.”
So, okay. They did apologize, but when it comes down to it, if we were to point a flashlight at that poor excuse, we’d find just how terribly fake it is.
Let’s start off by pointing out that initially, Daily Beast never really planned on taking down the article. They said it themselves! “Our initial reaction was that The entire removal of the piece was not necessary.” So, tell me again, please…
You claim your values have always been to stand up to bullies and bigots, especially regarding the LGBT community. BUT DOESN’T PUBLISHING AN ARTICLE EXPOSING ATHLETES THAT COME FROM COUNTRIES WHERE BEING LGBT IS DANGEROUS MAKE YOU THE BULLY? More so when the writer is straight! He downloaded an app knowing he had no use for it other than “investigation”. He intentionally went into the Olympic Village to see if the rumors were true. And, while writing his “groundbreaking piece of investigative literature” not once did he stop to think “Maybe these people’s’ privacy is worth more than the reads I’ll get.” No. Why? Because the athlete’s safety was never a question. Because the writer never once cared for the consequences that his words might bring on these athlete’s lives.
Amini Fonua, an openly gay Olympian from Tonga, a country where it is currently illegal to be gay, blasted Hines on Twitter for his negligence.
As an out gay athlete from a country that is still very homophobic, @thedailybeast ought to be ashamed #deplorable https://t.co/qzS9rDFJwx
— Amini Fonua (@AminiFonua) August 11, 2016
@NicoHines Some of these people you just outed are my FRIENDS. With family and lives that are forever going to be affected by this
— Amini Fonua (@AminiFonua) August 11, 2016
It is still illegal to be gay in Tonga, and while I'm strong enough to be me in front of the world, not everybody else is. Respect that.
— Amini Fonua (@AminiFonua) August 11, 2016
Let me state this again:
Being LGBT in some countries today is still not safe. It is still legal to kill a person for their sexual orientation in some places. People are still being persecuted for who they love.
So no, Daily Beast, we do not accept that weak apology. We want change. We want necessary measures taken. Nico Hines has not even commented on his mistake. Do not let him get away with a simple slap on the hand.
Daily Beast,
If your morals truly stand for standing up to bullies and bigots, why don’t you start by cleaning up the mess one of your own has made?
A petition on Change.org has already been organized with the goal of having Nico Hines’s and DailyBeast’s press passes revoked. If this mess has taught us anything, is that neither one of them cares about serious journalism or respect.
