In a recent Twitter exchange, Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of the social media platform, made a controversial statement, asserting that the terms “cis” and “cisgender” are slurs. Musk warned users engaging in “repeated, targeted harassment” by employing these terms that they could face temporary account suspensions. The incident unfolded when James Esses, an anti-trans commentator, tweeted about receiving messages from trans activists after expressing his rejection of the term “cis.”
Twitter’s guidelines classify slurs and tropes as language that aims to degrade or reinforce negative stereotypes about protected categories. However, it is worth noting that other platforms like Facebook and Instagram do not consider ‘cis’ as a slur. Musk’s proclamation about these terms comes just two months after Twitter quietly removed its policy protecting trans individuals from deadnaming and misgendering, a move that garnered criticism from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.
GLAAD, a prominent LGBTQ+ organization, recently published its third annual Social Media Safety Index, which highlighted the consistent failure of major social media platforms, including Twitter, to adequately protect LGBTQ+ users from abuse. Twitter received the lowest score of just 33%, showing a 12-point decrease from its 2022 score. GLAAD attributed this decline to the removal of Twitter’s deadnaming and misgendering policy, urging the company to reinstate it to enhance safety for LGBTQ+ individuals.
The incident involving Musk’s statement reignites the ongoing debate surrounding free speech versus harmful language and the responsibilities of social media platforms to protect marginalized communities. The impact of such decisions on the experiences and safety of LGBTQ+ individuals remains a pressing concern, and the call for greater inclusivity and safeguarding measures continues.
As the conversation unfolds, it remains to be seen how Twitter will address the concerns raised by LGBTQ+ advocates and if Elon Musk’s stance on these terms will have a lasting impact on the platform’s policies and approach to addressing harassment and promoting a safe online environment for all users.