Skip to main content

This is huge šŸ‘ Mastodon's flagship server (@Mastodon) has made it clear that targeted misgendering and deadnaming, as well as promotion of ā€œconversion therapyā€ content is prohibited. As GLAAD has noted, all social media platforms should do the same.

ā€œConversion therapyā€ is also a harmful practice that attempts to change an LGBTQ personā€™s sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Itā€™s great to see Mastodon stand up to say that anti-LGBTQ hate has no place on its platform.

Updated server rules:

@Mastodon
This entry was edited (3 months ago)
in reply to GLAAD

183231bcb
183231bcb
• •

Welcome to the fediverse!

Please use alt-text for your images in the future.

in reply to GLAAD

.:fyrfli:.
.:fyrfli:.
• •

#AltText4U

image is a screenshot of mastodon.social's #2 server rule which reads:

"No racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, or casteism.

Transphobic behavior such as intentional misgendering and deadnaming is strictly prohibited. Promotion of "conversion therapy" is strictly prohibited. Criticism of governments and religions is permissible unless being used as a proxy for discrimination."

#AltText4U
in reply to GLAAD

Johanna, CanCon variant
Johanna, CanCon variant
• •
this is wonderful. I hope GLAAD understands, also, that this is mastodon.social, which is the flagship instance run by the software development org. It is only ONE server, although the largest, of the thousands that make up the federated social web - and there are hundreds more that also support you.
in reply to Johanna, CanCon variant

IFTAS
IFTAS
• •

@johannab We (IFTAS) can see ~25% of Mastodon accounts covered by these rules. Our blog lists the servers we know of that have added this guidance for their members and mods.

It's important to note that orgs newly joining the Fediverse may have heard of "Mastodon" as a network, but not the dozens of other platforms that interconnect, or the nuance of federation.

@Mastodon adding this guidance sets the standard for others, great leadership on their part!

https://about.iftas.org/2024/01/30/targeted-misgendering-and-deadnaming-in-the-fediverse/

IFTAS

2024-01-30 14:54:45


A person holding a whiteboard with their hand. The whiteboard has a message written in multi-colored letters that reads "HELLO MY PRONOUNS ARE" followed by a space with a line underneath for the person to fill in their preferred pronouns. The background is dimly lit, and the focus is on the whiteboard and the person's hands.
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

GLAAD and IFTAS recently discussed the important action three platforms (Discord, Post and Spoutible) have taken to update their policies to add express prohibitions against targeted misgendering and deadnaming. In this same vein, thereā€™s been wide press coverage on these advances in protecting LGBTQ+ members from hate including articles inTechCrunch,Them,Engadget,Pink News,LGBTQ Nation, and more.

GLAADā€™s articleAll Social Media Platform Policies Should Recognize Targeted Misgendering and Deadnaming as Hate Speech highlights the need for Fediverse providers to consider adopting similar rules for their own communities.

To help with this effort, we are providing sample language below that can be used in Codes of Conduct, Terms of Service, or Server Rules to help ensure these protections are in place.

The Fediverse has a proud history of longstanding support of LGBTQ+ issues, exemplified both by the ActivityPub protocol being created by a predominantly queer team, and by Mastodonā€™s server covenant, which requires,

ā€œActive moderation against racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia. Users must have the confidence that they are joining a safe space, free from white supremacy, anti-semitism and transphobia of other platforms.ā€


Due to the widespread and insidious nature of expressing anti-transgender sentiments in bad faith, itā€™s imperative to have specific policy addressing this issue.

This approach is considered a best practice for two key reasons: it offers clear guidance to users, and it assists moderators in recognizing and understanding the intent behind such statements. Itā€™s important to reiterate that the focus is not about accidentally getting someoneā€™s pronouns wrong. Rather, our concern centers on deliberate and targeted acts of hate and harassment rooted in gender identity discrimination.

GLAAD and IFTAS believe specific prohibitions can strengthen these commitments. To help promote and demonstrate the Fediverseā€™s commitment to safety, we are offering a Web form for service providers and community moderation teams to sign a pledge affirming they have adopted rules to combat this harmful conduct.

If you have measures in place to prohibit this conduct, please sign the pledge today!

Sample Code of Conduct
Misgendering, the act of referring to someone using a gender or pronouns that do not correctly reflect their gender identity, is prohibited. Deliberate or targeted misgendering, where there is an intentional refusal to respect an individual's self-identified gender and pronouns, is considered a form of harassment and discrimination. Deadnaming, which involves referring to a transgender or gender-diverse person by a name they used before their gender transition, is prohibited.The promotion or endorsement of so-called "conversion therapy" or any related programs or practices is prohibited. Conversion therapy, which aims to change an individualā€™s sexual orientation or gender identity, is a discredited practice that is harmful and disrespectful to the LGBTQ+ community.
Sample Rule
Misgendering, deadnaming, or promotion of so-called "conversion therapy" is prohibited.
or, to add to an existing rule:
[current rule regarding transphobic content, followed by:] (including misgendering, deadnaming, or promotion of so-called "conversion therapy")
Please consider adopting specific safeguards like the above, and show your support for #BetterSocialMedia by signing the pledge today!

To learn more about GLAAD and their Social Media Safety Score, see https://glaad.org/publications/social-media-safety-index-2023/

https://about.iftas.org/2024/01/30/targeted-misgendering-and-deadnaming-in-the-fediverse/

#BetterSocialMedia


2023 Social Media Safety Index

GLAAD's third annual Social Media Safety Index (SMSI), a report on LGBTQ user safety found all five major social media platforms ā€“ Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Twitter ā€“ received low and failing scores on the SMSI Platform Scorecard for tā€¦
GLAAD

@Mastodon @Johanna, CanCon variant
Unknown parent

Jenni Olson (she/her/TBD)
Jenni Olson (she/her/TBD)
• •
@james @iftas - Hi James and please be kind with me as I'm new here and learning to navigate. Just wanted to let you know that IFTAS has been working with GLAAD on developing this system. I run our Social Media Safety program and we've been providing guidance to all the platforms for some years in an effort to get them to improve policies with regard to LGBTQ safety, privacy and expression. We worked with IFTAS on the language they crafted for this sign-up system. Of course it's fantastic that so many servers/instances (such as yours) already are well aware and prioritizing this, but of course many are not. And having IFTAS provide this leadership to give folks the opportunity to stand up proactively for these values has been a powerful thing (it's pretty amazing to see). Anyway, that's a bit of context for you. IFTAS may have more to add. You can learn more about our program and the other things we do at GLAAD.org. Thanks so much.
@james @IFTAS
Unknown parent

IFTAS
IFTAS
• •

@james @JenniOlsonSF

Great feedback! You're absolutely right that there's a way to interpret the list as a negative judgement and that is very much not our intent. We've added some language to the awareness campaign blog post that hopefully clarifies the message. Sorry for not being more clear on this in our first pass.

We'll take your thoughtful comments forward as we continue the effort with advocacy groups to help add context and clarity for moderators worldwide. Thanks!

@james @Jenni Olson (she/her/TBD)
Unknown parent

IFTAS
IFTAS
• •
@james The list is a record of service providers who re-affirmed or added guidance for their moderators and members regarding these specific issues in response to the awareness campaign, not a judgement of their moderators' ability to effect the work - but that said please DM or email us (contact@iftas.org) any specific concerns.
@james
ā‡§