RE: https://www.news.com.au/technology/home-entertainment/gaming/gamer-reportedly-banned-from-twitch-for-claiming-there-are-only-two-genders/news-story/80d33347cc41fae6959d45d5d6eead82?fbclid=IwAR0i6YAYVELfsU4UjBspEG8Q7FB2CUpPNP2-gzh5wgl63ygxgVVNeCRqbyU
[Excerpt] "A polarising gamer says she has been banned from streaming platform Twitch after telling followers there are only two genders."
[Excerpt] "A popular online gamer who regularly broadcasts on streaming platform Twitch claims she has been permanently banned from the platform for stating her “beliefs” that “there are only two genders”. HelenaLive says her partnership with the video game streaming platform — owned by Amazon — was terminated and her account shut down after her comments were deemed “offensive toward the transgender community”. The website lets gamers broadcast their live action to fans, which typically includes a split screen so viewers can see the player as well as the gameplay. Users can be banned for a range of indiscretions ranging from overtly skimpy outfits to offensive speech."
[Excerpt] "I specifically said, it’s okay if a man wants to be a woman, and a woman wants to be a man, you cannot be anything in between,” she said in a YouTube video explaining the ban. “Isn’t it wrong to ban me for my beliefs?” she wrote on Twitter.
[Here's my response posted in a few transgender groups, responding to the outrage and selected posts popping up over there.]
Firstly, let me clarify, as a (binary) transgender person, I do acknowledge the existence of non-binary people; just like bisexual people exist! ~Like duh!? I don't think anyone should be banned for voicing their honest opinions regardless of how offensive one may think they are. People should be allowed to express their opinions while those who disagree should be also allowed to respond and debate on it and may their voice heard as well. That is the only way mindsets can truly change. That being said, Twitch is still a company and they CAN actually decide what they want to appear on their platform; Governments however, have no right to regulate thoughts and speech, otherwise, it justifies insane laws such as blaspheme laws and banning of people practicing their own believe-systems and religious lifestyle, etc.
My view is that her believes were obviously wrong, and is born out of ignorance. However, ignorance needs to be addressed, and not swept away allowing them to continue fester elsewhere. I do not believe she was "intentionally" hurtful with her uneducated comments, from what I have gathered, and do not see what she have said as an "attack". Its a long-shot to compare what she said to Nazism. But of course, as I've said above, if her views could potentially lead to a space for more harmful ideologies to fester, then counter it, debate and criticism it openly and intelligently, don't let such ideas be safe, by all means. An individual's view takes time to evolve and mature, and to overcome biases that we were all being taught since an early age -- especially on a complex topic (and perhaps still a "new" one to many) -- and its natural that people don't get it straight off.
I do see a concerning slippery slope where pushing away and ostracizing the ignorant, and regarding any ignorant speech as an "attack" and hate-speech that should not be addressed/debated but simply censored, may lead towards. A lot of religious ideas and teachings (including many in their so-called "holy books") are extremely harmful IMO, and so does the views expressed by ignorant climate-change deniers too -- but should we allow governments to start over-stepping and censoring and banning such religious-teachings? But do note: as I've mentioned above, I do support the right of platforms to decide for themselves what kind of space they wish to create for their users; but just not on a government/state level (where such power can easily be misused in so many ways).
Without dialogue, misunderstanding will only grow (and spread unnoticed until it is too late); rather than letting the "free-market" of opinion to create opportunity for people to come to a common understanding. Suppressing people's voices will only breed anger and more irrational hatred in the end.
My concern is that attacking and censoring ignorant individuals who may have only just started out exploring the topic, rather than educating them, may in fact irreversibly push even more people into become REAL haters who starts seeking actual hate groups and banding together as a group; while in the end, their ignorance persists (elsewhere), and their views takes an even darker/hateful turn out of spite from being aggressively ostracized and stop listening completely (since the channel for dialogue have been shut down). This is where I am coming from.
Note of interest: I've got banned from a transgender facebook group for voicing my opinion! Amazing!
This is why censorship resistant blockchain based blogs and social media platforms are crucial in this day and age!