The social media platform X formerly known as Twitter has started enforcing restrictions on posts that use the terms “cis” or “cisgender.” This move comes eight months after the platform’s owner Elon Musk announced his intention to categorize these LGBTQ-related terms as offensive language on the site.
Saying I'm cisgender is hate speech? pic.twitter.com/RswLuMPOEB
— florida woman đ (@stephanicci) April 19, 2024
In June 2023, Musk wrote, “The words ‘cis’ or ‘cisgender’ are considered slurs on this platform. Repeated targeted harassment against any account will cause the harassing accounts to receive at minimum temporary suspensions.
Users attempting to publish posts containing these terms on the X platform were met with a warning message indicating a possible violation of the site’s rules against “hateful conduct.” While no accounts appear to have been deleted the visibility of test posts was significantly reduced with a label stating “Visibility limited: this Post may violate X’s rules against Hateful Conduct.”
X’s policy manual does not explicitly list “cis” or “cisgender” as offensive terms and the platform has not updated its policies since April 2023. However, the manual does prohibit “hateful conduct” especially direct attacks based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability. It also cautions against the repeated use of slurs or negative stereotypes targeting legally protected categories.
When criticising queer theory is 'hateful', whether judged by AI or people, you know something is wrong in society. Theories are just that. Theories. They are open to academic, activist, or public scrutiny. They are not necessarily rules for living. I stand by my 'hate'. pic.twitter.com/ytMGTkVFsg
— Paul Peace đŁâŞď¸đ˘ (@NoCisgender) May 14, 2024
Your assertion that your feelings have any impact on those suffering from hateful slurs like "c#s" is extremely problematic. Using systems of oppression like White supremacist dictionaries shows just how internalized your hate is. It is not our responsibility to teach you, bigot!
— Eric Simmons, MPA (@BicGladius) May 16, 2024
The terms “cis” and “cisgender” are frequently employed by LGBT activists in a pejorative manner. Previously, X modified the former Twitter policy that restricted so-called “misgendering” allowing users to utilize biologically accurate pronouns to refer to individuals without facing restrictions or account suspensions except in jurisdictions where such usage is prohibited by law.
