In a recent controversy, conservative commentator and online provocateur Candace Owens has accused YouTube of harassment, claiming that the video-sharing platform is targeting her for accurately gendering individuals in her videos. Owens alleged that she was given an ultimatum to delete any content related to gender, specifically regarding misgendering and deadnaming individuals. However, YouTube’s perspective on the matter presents a different narrative.
According to a spokesperson from Google, YouTube took action by blocking ads on several of Owens’ videos, citing violations of their monetization policies. The platform’s decision was based on the presence of hateful and derogatory content within her videos. While YouTube’s guidelines do not explicitly address misgendering, the spokesperson referred to deliberate misgendering as a potential violation of the monetization policy on hateful conduct. The guidelines clearly state that YouTube has the right to prohibit advertising on videos that promote discrimination, disparage, or humiliate individuals or groups, including the LGBTQ+ community.
This development is significant as it represents the platform’s closest approach to an outright ban on deadnaming and misgendering transgender people. Owens, however, characterized the situation as YouTube censoring her “truth” and expressed concern that some of her videos may have disappeared. It is worth noting that many of her videos, still accessible on the platform, are tagged with #pronouns, #trans, and #transgender.
Candace Owens has a long history of engaging in anti-LGBTQ+ invective. Her controversial statements have targeted various individuals, including celebrities and prominent figures within the LGBTQ+ community. Owens has accused So You Think You Can Dance judge JoJo Siwa of feigning homosexuality for attention, expressed hostility towards transgender individuals, attacked the daughter of former NBA player Dwayne Wade, Megan Rapinoe, and Lil Nas X. She has also falsely associated trans people with mass shootings in Memphis and Texas. Notably, Owens has positioned herself as a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and has been critical of the Black Lives Matter movement.
This clash between Candace Owens and YouTube follows a similar incident involving another conservative influencer, Matt Walsh. Walsh claimed to have lost $1.2 million in revenue after YouTube removed ads from his channel due to his consistent misgendering of celebrity influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Despite these controversies, both Owens’ and Walsh’s channels remain active on the platform.
In an era where social media platforms grapple with balancing freedom of expression and combating harmful content, YouTube’s response to Candace Owens serves as another example of the ongoing tension between content creators and platform policies. The decision to block ad monetization for violating policies on hateful and derogatory content reaffirms YouTube’s commitment to creating a safer and more inclusive environment for its diverse user base.