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THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — The gist: A trans man created a phone app (TranSquat) to help trans people find trans-friendly bathrooms. He’s asking $2.99 for the app. “Despicable” some have said. Resistance to paying for this app has come up before so I thought it’s time to put it on the table for hashing out.

This is the exact comment: “It’s pretty despicable that the authors have charged for this app.”

This was posted on a (sort-of) social media site (Reddit) following my posting of a link to an article I wrote for “Just Out” published last week: http://www.justout.com/columns/voices/in-transit/in-transit-where-to-pee/

I do not know the trans man who developed the app, but I do know he’s hoping to use some of the proceeds to help fund his SRS. I also know indie content providers (artists, writers, musicians & filmmakers) and software/app developers aren’t exactly rolling in dough. In fact, the majority are most likely not even covering costs. Yet, there’s resistance to paying for contents and an expectation of getting things free.

Ironically, a number of people in various venues have asked about an Android version of this app — not yet available. “Despicable” isn’t much of a motive to get an Android version developed, is it not?

I’m wondering if the Despicable crowd is actually a very small minority. I do know a number of people have bought the app — some are pleased, others, not so much — their city apparently lacking in trans friendly locations in the database. But when I first wrote about the app earlier this year, https://lexiecannes.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/where-to-pee-new-app-for-transgender-people

there was also similar resistance-to-paying-for-the-app comments posted in social media sites where the topic was being discussed.

Other comments (condensed from a line of discussion): “On one hand I agree that they shouldn’t be charging for it it says in the article that he’s trying to save for GRS (SRS) surgery.”

” . . . Of course he’s just using API from another site so there’s nothing stopping someone else making another version and releasing it free.”

“[the cost] 2.99 I think. I guess if you have an iphone, you have money, but still… Something just sits wrong with me.”

“. . . but paying three bucks for that app seems a little… Out there:/”

“Yeah, I agree. . . .”

What say you? While everyone has a right to an opinion, I’m wondering if this is small minority or part of a general trend of avoidance in paying for contents/apps, even if developed by trans people for trans people?

Read the entire Reddit thread here: Where to Pee? : transgender.

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The Guerrilla Angel Report is associated with Wipe Out Transphobia: http://www.wipeouttransphobia.com/

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Categories: Transgender, Transsexual, Trans