Not that it's any surprise to many of us, but Elon Musk just once again vowed to use his power over his social media platform to appease bigotes users and further suppress members of marginalized communities.
In response to a cisgender male's tweet claiming he didn't wish to accurately be described as "cis," Musk decided the terms "cis" and "cisgender" are considered slurs on Twitter and the use of either of them will result in negative consequences.
The original tweet by James Esses read:
"Yesterday, after posting a Tweet saying that I reject the word 'cis' and don't wish to be called it, I receive a slew of messages from trans activists calling me 'cissy' and telling me that I am 'cis' 'whether or not I like it'."
Yesterday, after posting a Tweet saying that I reject the word ‘cis’ and don’t wish to be called it, I receive a slew of messages from trans activists calling me “cissy” and telling me that I am ‘cis’ “whether or not I like it”.
Just imagine if the roles were reversed.
— James Esses (@JamesEsses) June 20, 2023
Musk replied to the unsubstantiated complaint from his fellow cisgender White man with:
"Repeated, targeted harassment against any account will cause the harassing accounts to receive, at minimum, temporary suspensions."
"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.
The words “cis” or “cisgender” are considered slurs on this platform.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 21, 2023
According to Merriam Webster:
"cisgender-adjective-cis·gen·der: of, relating to, or being a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex the person had or was identified as having at birth"
Merriam Webster Online Dictionary
The term "cisgender" has been part of common vernacular since 1994.
The free speech absolutist is at it again pic.twitter.com/4zVCvoQkUG
— Natalie Wynn ❌ (@ContraPoints) June 21, 2023
A reminder that the prefix 'cis' has been around for thousands of years and that Elon Musk is straight up openly pandering to transphobes and bigots now pic.twitter.com/CIPkXDFgZS
— Classical Studies Memes for Hellenistic Teens (@CSMFHT) June 21, 2023
If this is true, I am likely to get banned. Cisgender is a descriptor used in scientific, legal, and medical contexts to distinguish between groups with unique circumstances.
Please subscribe and support my work while I'm still allowed on this platform.https://t.co/DWMyGFPXVx https://t.co/Q4byPYokFU
— Erin Reed (@ErinInTheMorn) June 21, 2023
In celebration of Elon attacking free speech on scientific terms while using mental gymnastics to say he's not: get a 20% discount on gender care journals at https://t.co/1ar2r401O6 using the discount code ELONMUSKISCIS#CisIsNotASlur #TransRightsAreHumanRights #ElonMuskIsCis https://t.co/Z94JKyl6uh
— Notably Nerdy (She/Her) (@NotablyNerdyNN) June 22, 2023
Elon Musk: I am a free-speech absolutist
Also Elon Musk: Cisgender is a slur, calling someone cis will get you suspended https://t.co/WFhmI3T0nY
— Joey Politano 🏳️🌈 (@JosephPolitano) June 21, 2023
Cis/trans are now slurs? You can't have one without the other, it's just language like hetero/homo. So Twitter is no longer free speech. You don't have to identify with terminology for it to be descriptive. Its original early 1990s use was never a slur but shorthand for not trans https://t.co/ix8CCrklvN
— Katy Jon Went (@katyjon) June 21, 2023
Cis is something to identify a person that goes by their assigned sex/gender just like how trans refers to someone who doesn't identify as their birth assigned sex/gender.
CIS IS NOT A SLUR#CisIsNotASlur https://t.co/nTXiDunvVJ
— Venn ✨ (comms open: 0/3) (@Dayumvenn) June 21, 2023
cisgender is a neutral scientific term to refer to someone who identifies with the sex they were assigned at birth; the inverse of transgender. notably, too, it has not been used as a weapon to marginalize or attack a group of people
you not liking it doesn’t make it a slur lol https://t.co/GV9fT8bqWd
— the spirit lifter (@ausmacon) June 22, 2023
Free speech overlord announces new forbidden words: https://t.co/9qfI4KD2is
— LeGate🤠 (@williamlegate) June 21, 2023
Buddy, cisgender is just the scientific term for someone whose gender identity aligns with their biological sex. It’s not a slur or an insult. If you were born a male and identify as a male, you’re cisgender. Cis- is Latin for “on this side of,” it’s just the opposite of trans- https://t.co/NaQnF0BIYn
— bob (@williamvhand_) June 21, 2023
Targeted harassment bad, yes
Cis is not a slur, that’s utterly preposterous https://t.co/XEwABXDA4f
— Fed is a mess🗽🌐🏳️🌈 🇺🇦 (@fedtanyl) June 21, 2023
Contrary to your belief, Elonski, you aren't the one person that can declare a word used to describe an identity a slur. It simply is not. It's just another word for "not trans" or "identifying oneself with the gender assigned at birth". As you well know. https://t.co/BNgwyGf6zG
— Mattington (@ButtonEyeMatt) June 21, 2023
Wait how are those a slur? Isn’t that just defined as someone who identifies with the gender they were born with? Confused.
— Dr. Kiki Akula (@TurmericBae) June 21, 2023
As ridiculous as this policy sounds, Musk has proven he has no interest in protecting the trans community, Jews or any other marginalized communities from hate speech.
He has shown a pattern of supporting and amplifying misogyny, racism, momophobia, transphobia and antisemitism.
Just a couple of months ago, Musk removed the Twitter ban on deadnaming trans people.
Thanks for the "positive force for civilization," Elon.