PRIDE CENTERS LEAVE TWITTER AFTER DEADNAMING PROTECTIONS REMOVED

It’s not just the blue checkmark changes happening over at Twitter — under Elon Musk’s ownership, the social media network has also ended its policy against deleting tweets that misgender or deadname transgender people.

Previously, Twitter’s hateful conduct help center included the “targeted misgendering or deadnaming of transgender individuals.” It’s now been updated to a more generic statement that, “You may not directly attack other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease.”

Twitter’s decision to change its policy, among other changes under Musk’s leadership, has led to droves of LGBT groups leaving the platform. Locally, this includes The Pride Center in Wilton Manors, Compass Community Center in Lake Worth, Orlando Center, and The Center Orlando. Some have chosen to deactivate their accounts while others are leaving their accounts intact but no longer using it. Instead, they are referring followers to their accounts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

CenterLink, a nonprofit network of more than 325 LGBT organizations around the world, announced that they would also be leaving Twitter.

The policy protecting trans users from being misgendered or deadnamed was added in 2018.

In a survey of LGBT organizations and high-profile advocates conducted by Amnesty International, the Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD, 60% said they saw an increase in “hateful and abuse speech” on Twitter from the time Musk took over in October; the remaining 40% said the hate speech was the same as before.

CNN fired Don Lemon on April 24. He has no idea why.

Lemon was the co-anchor of “CNN This Morning,” and he announced his termination himself:

”I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play. With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best.”

Lemon’s termination came after Variety published a story on the allegations his female colleagues made during his time at CNN, which included allegedly “malicious texts,” and “mocking female co-workers.” He also faced backlash over controversial comments he made on-air.

Lemon, who is black, came out as a gay in 2011.

“I have to tell you I can’t even put it in those terms,” he told the Blade. “I mean, it goes way over a scale of one to 10, honestly. And it goes way over incredible. I mean I just feel like a new person.”

Lemon, who has a fiancé named Tim Malone, had “heated arguments” with staff over his negative treatment of “CNN This Morning” co-star Kaitlan Collins that was discussed within the company.

He also came under fire when he remarked that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, 51, was no longer in her “prime,” according to NBC News. He said that while discussing a suggestion made by Haley that candidates over 75 should be subjected to mental competency exams.

A spokesperson for Lemon reacted to the reporting by saying it was “amazing and disappointing that Variety would be so reckless.”

“The story, which is riddled with patently false anecdotes and no concrete evidence, is entirely based on unsourced, unsubstantiated, 15-year-old anonymous gossip,” the statement read.