A surrogate blackmailed a gay couple for parental rights of their newborn twin daughters

www.queerty.com/surrogate-blackmailed-gay-couple-parental-rights-newborn-twin-daughters-20200107?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

TikTok Blames Human Error on Removal of Same-Sex Kiss Video. Why I Don’t Buy It.

What happens when a man kisses his boyfriend at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve and posts it on the video-sharing social network, TikTok?  The post is removed because it’s a violation of the platform’s community guidelines. That’s exactly what happened to me this New Year’s. 

When I saw the notification on my profile, I was flooded with feelings of shame and alienation.  After being out of the closet for 24 years, I knew I needed to take action for myself and for the entire LGBTQ community.

In a world where bullying is rampant, the relatively new platform that already reaches 60 million active monthly users in the US must support the equal and fair treatment of LGBTQ users and all diverse communities.  

Most importantly, think about a teenager going through the same experience of having their video removed because they simply kissed their same-sex partner.  Imagine how devastating it would feel when a popular social network tells them it’s not okay to be who they are. Many would be too afraid to speak up and would not know how to respond to this type of discrimination.  

That’s why I chose to take action – for those who cannot.  

I started by filing a support ticket and then tweeted the company. Finally, I emailed TikTok’s public relations department. 

After explaining that I was writing a piece on the video being removed and demanding answers, my request was quickly forwarded to the moderation team. Within two hours, TikTok re-activated my video and let me know it had been incorrectly removed due to human error. I can hardly believe this was the reason the video was removed. If I hadn’t shared with TikTok PR that I was writing an article, I doubt the company would have responded so rapidly.

@marknewyork

#newyearkiss #newyear #goodbye2019 #gay #gayboys #gayguys #lgbtq #queer

♬ New York, New York – Frank Sinatra (Tribute) – Studio Sunset

The initial removal of my video appears to be a continuation of TikTok’s reported bias against the LGBTQ community.

Indeed, late last year, TikTok admitted to suppressing videos from LGBTQ users in what the platform called a “flawed attempt” to prevent bullying.

TikTok provided an empty defense of its policies, saying “…in response to an increase in bullying on the app, we implemented a blunt and temporary policy.” 

TikTok said the policy “was never designed to be a long-term solution,” adding, “While the intention was good, it became clear that the approach was wrong and we have since removed the policy in favor of more nuanced anti-bullying policies and in-app protections.”

The removal of my New Year’s Eve video makes the urgent case for a full internal evaluation of TikTok’s policies and moderation practices. A number of tough questions need to be answered. 

If this decision was based on human error, who was the human? How does TikTok make hiring decisions for moderation positions? Is diversity represented on these teams? What about across the organization as a whole? And, most importantly, what will the company do to prevent a repeat of this experience?

The bottom line is we can’t allow a social media platform to commit discriminatory micro-aggressions against any community.  

TikTok needs to continue to be called out for biased practices. It’s critical that the company understands its responsibility to create a safe and welcoming environment for all.

The clock is literally ticking for TikTok to make big changes.  And, guess what, the alarm has gone off. 

Mark Pasetsky, Founder & CEO of Mark Allen & Co. is the former Editor in Chief of Life & Style and Managing Editor of OK! Magazine. @MarkPasetsky

The post TikTok Blames Human Error on Removal of Same-Sex Kiss Video. Why I Don’t Buy It. appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

TikTok Blames Human Error on Removal of Same-Sex Kiss Video. Why I Don’t Buy It.

Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam says he’s a ‘black lesbian in transition’ while defending white men

Terry Gilliam is an illustrious talent: a renowned animator, a member of the surreal comedy troupe Monty Python, and the Golden Globe-nominated director of The Fisher King and Brazil.

But the dude just could not stop airing offensive opinion after offensive opinion in a recent interview with The Independent — defending white men, identifying as a “black lesbian in transition,” and criticizing the #MeToo movement. Read on for lowlights from the interview…

Related: Straight white rapper releases song about how oppressed he is

On white men: “I understand that men have had more power longer, but I’m tired, as a white male, of being blamed for everything that is wrong with the world. [Holding up his hands] I didn’t do it!”

On his identity: “When I announce that I’m a black lesbian in transition, people take offense at that. Why? … Why am I not? How are you saying that I’m not? … You’ve judged me and decided that I was making a joke. … I’m talking about being a man accused of all the wrong in the world because I’m white-skinned. So I better not be a man. I better not be white. Okay, since I don’t find men sexually attractive, I’ve got to be a lesbian. What else can I be? I like girls. These are just logical steps.”

Related: Elton John’s take on Hollywood sexual assault allegations will infuriate a lot of people

On Hollywood: “Hollywood is full of very ambitious people who are adults and they make choices. We all make choices, and I could tell you who did make the choice and who didn’t. I hate Harvey [Weinstein]. I had to work with him and I know the abuse, but I don’t want people saying that all men… Because on Fisher King, two producers were women. One was a really good producer, and the other was a neurotic bitch. It wasn’t about their sex. It was about the position of power and how people use it.”

On #MeToo: “We’re living in a time where there’s always somebody responsible for your failures, and I don’t like this. I want people to take responsibility and not just constantly point a finger at somebody else, saying, ‘You’ve ruined my life.’ … Yeah, I said #MeToo is a witch hunt. … I really feel there were a lot of people, decent people, or mildly irritating people, who were getting hammered. That’s wrong. I don’t like mob mentality. These were ambitious adults.”

www.queerty.com/monty-pythons-terry-gilliam-says-hes-black-lesbian-transition-defending-white-men-20200107?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29