Homophobic rhetoric is not tolerated on traditional media. Aside from the fact that there are rules prohibiting such language, public outcry would be certain if hateful messages were broadcast on TV or radio. Yet, every 23 seconds, a homophobic or transphobic comment is posted online, and unlike traditional media, such vile behaviour on social media is rarely acted upon, reported or removed.

To demonstrate how jarring, and wholly inappropriate, some online messages are, Fondation Émergence – a non-profit whose mission is to raise awareness around the plight of the LGBTQ+ community – brought that online hate to radio.

“Homophobe Radio” was an ad that was so abhorrent it played only once. The radio spot, by Rethink, included actual homophobic comments from social media that sat online, unreported, for more than four years. During a one-minute, one-time ad, vitirolic statements such as “we should create a group to make faggots disappear” or “if my daughter were a lesbian, I would cut out her tongue” were read on-air.

After reading the real comments, the announcer conceded that most listeners were probably offended right now, rightly so. But that was the goal: to shock listeners and remind them that homophobia and transphobia is rampant – and largely ignored – online, while also inviting them to flag, report and mark homophobic and transphobic comments on social media as inappropriate.

As expected, six listeners called the station for the ad to be removed in less than two minutes, proving the point that if such scrutiny was placed online, people could collectively affect positive change.