LGBTQ+ Rights Groups Worry Elon Musk Will Allow More Hate on Twitter
Elon Musk is now the owner of Twitter, and LGBTQ+ and other civil rights groups are worried this means more hate speech on the platform.The $44 billion deal closed Thursday night, and Musk, the world’s richest man, has assumed the title of “chief twit.” He has said he will reverse Twitter’s permanent ban of former President Donald Trump, and he wants to allow a variety of viewpoints on the platform — but progressive advocates say he will likely allow hateful content.“Despite his claim that he wanted to buy Twitter to ‘help humanity,’ Elon Musk has a record of posting and defending harmful anti-LGBTQ content as well as content that harms other marginalized communities,” said a statement released Friday by GLAAD. “GLAAD remains deeply concerned about the safety of LGBTQ people on Twitter and we join other organizations that are now questioning Twitter’s future policies and actions against extremist content.”Twitter’s moderation wasn’t great under the previous ownership, and it undoubtedly will be looser under Musk, Cathy Renna, communications director for the National LGBTQ Task Force, told The Advocate. “He has made it clear that he doesn’t have a problem bringing back the more extreme, the hatemongering viewpoints,” she said.Indeed, Twitter has apparently undone its ban on the term “groomer” as a slur against LGBTQ+ people.
Gays Against Groomers is using that name on its Twitter account again, and Libs of TikTok has tweeted the slur in capital letters.
