YouTube is known as a creative platform for everyone, with support avalible for any person to start up a channel, and more recently a “commitment“ to censor harmful content in order to keep YouTube a safe space. However, homophobic ads are a prevalent issue on YouTube, specifically on LGBTQ videos/content. By allowing for these ads to be shown to viewers, YouTube has failed in their own promise of censoring harmful content to their users. 

I myself, have recived a number of homophobic ads while watching YouTube, and every time it has been while watching an LGBTQ creator/content. While it's generally understood that homophobia is boderline "hurtful", the real impact seems to often get overlooked. I felt extremely hurt when having to see these ads, especially when I ONLY saw them on LGBTQ content (these ads were not sponsoring LGBTQ creators, they were solely YouTube ads) and it hurt me even more to know that another member of our community had either already been subject to this, or soon would be. 

While it's easy to think that YouTube ads are randomized, it's actually more complicated than that due to what many people know as "the algorithm". If you consume certain content then certain ads based on the content get recommended to you. However, this "algorithm" is not perfect. It's the same reason why you watch one cat video and suddenly your recommended is flooded with them. It's also why LGBTQ videos are getting homophobic ads, because they "relate". So here we have the algorithm, a factor in this issue, but not the actual problem. An algorithm cannot be blamed for homophobic ads being recommended to people like me, and others. But YouTube has full control in what organizations and adverts that are available to be played as ads. Often, these ads are those that are unable to be skipped. So no, artificial software/algorithm is not to be blamed, because there are real people fully in control, behind these decisions. When I attempted to report these ads, the options were more than disappointing, as there was no option for a harmful content complaint, just double ads etc. YouTube has made their own goal of a "safe place" impossible. 

One of the most aggressive homophobic adverts on YouTube I have experienced, and the most hurtful has been an ADF ad. The ad shows an animated video featuring a string of transphobia and a "call to action" to not support the recent "Equality Act". The main arguments include a general "unfairness" to have to treat trans individuals equally with cisgender individuals. The video shows various scenes (that were honestly just painful for me to have to watch) showing trans athletes "cheating" in events, and a trans woman who was trying to seek shelter in a woman's shelter, "making women uncomfortable and feel unsafe." The ADF refused to call trans women and men by their genders, instead referring to them by their "biological" gender. Another addition includes the constant phrase of "a man who BELIEVES that they are a woman" or " a woman who BELIEVES that they are a man", darkly alluding to the opinion of transgender identity being a mental illness. (This petition is not addressing the ADF, this is simply an example of a homophobic ad on YouTube.) Link to the ADF ad page: https://adflegal.org/campaign/stand-against-equality-act?sourcecode=10016928_r500&utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=apr2021&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5oiMBhDtARIsAJi0qk0v0TAcAw1V1sinb8hJgXaFk7eNkVVaT6mkFhMTXDfdN19oa2DzF5EaAuCUEALw_wcB

Beyond the example of this ad and more alone, homophobic ads on YouTube, and homophobia in general has devastating, serious effects on individuals and groups. Yes, the experience of homophobia is painful (I have experienced it countless time BECAUSE of YouTube ads) but beyond that, many individuals espically young LGBTQ youth who are questioning their sexuality or gender identity, are the most at risk group. A quote from an article by The Trevor Project about LGBTQ suicide as a result of homophobia states that "at least one LGBTQ youth between the ages of 13–24 attempts suicide every 45 seconds in the U.S. " Every 45 seconds. And that's only in the USA. 

I still remember the experience of seeing homophobic ads on YouTube. The pain from the discrimination, knowing that this was being allowed, seeing this on LGBTQ PRIDE content, and thinking about others who would be affected. These ads WILL keep playing until they are removed  for good. Sign to get YouTube's attention (it's the only way as there is currently no contact method) LGBTQ community member or ALLY, please sign to remove homophobic ads on YouTube.