Sudbury teen calls Apple out on definition of 'gay'

SUDBURY, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) – A history essay on gay rights led a 15-year-old Sudbury girl to take a stand against a giant corporation.

Becca Gorman said she was writing her essay when she typed the word "gay" into her Macbook laptop's dictionary. The two definitions that came up on her screen: "foolish" and "stupid."

"I think my initial reaction was just disbelief," said Gorman.

Merriam-Webster defines "gay" as 1. happily excited; 2. bright, lively; 3. given to social pleasures; or 4. homosexual. Nowhere does the dictionary define gay as "foolish" or "stupid."

Becca's mothers are lesbians, so it especially hurt her to see the dictionary use the terms.

"I was kind of disgusted," said Gorman.

"We haven't really pushed our kids to take on our values but to really develop their own sense of what they think is important," said Gorman's mom, Michelle Bowdler.

So Becca wrote to Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, who is openly gay. An hour later an Apple representative called her back.

"They said that Apple streams its dictionary from four separate sources so they'd have to figure out how to get it removed, but they were also really surprised," Gorman said.

The teen said she wouldn't back down until it's removed from the dictionary, writing to local newspapers and media. FOX 25, the Huffington Post and international media have already taken notice.

Becca said she'd be fine with it being left in the dictionary if it was noted in the context that it's a pejorative expression.

Apple had not responded to FOX 25's request for comment.

Cox Media Group