Just starting another discussion (sorry tom!), about the gender community we have. [email protected]
The sub sidebar states that it is designed for balanced debate. It links to a gender-critical and anti-lgbt locations, while also linking to blahaj, and referring to beehaw as a hugbox.
@babe made a post the other day raising concerns with the posts arriving on the sub, and the mods locked it.
There are cross-posts from a community named parental-rights, a common dogwhistle for people wanting to block minor access to trans healthcare, and users posting about how trans healthcare is a conspiracy by the medical industry.
Someone affected directly by the issues being raised isn't going to want to stick around and argue with someone who thinks they shouldn't exist.
They're more likely to write off the whole server, and leave.
It's still early days on this instance, but imho this is not a good look for us.
That's troubling.
On the face of it the stated aim is commendable but that's a very thin line to walk and, unless your moderation is up to snuff, there will be people along to force their agenda on it.
In the side-bar they link to an anti-LGBT space and then there are three consecutive crossposts from that site, two of which are originally from Breitbart, hardly known for its fair and unbiased reporting. Just the high percentage of transition regret articles is a sign that there isn't much balance going on and shutting down a perfectly reasonable post asking about the community is another red flag as it suggests at least one of the moderators isn't open to discuss the scope of the community.
They need to get their house in order or it will just become a cesspit.
Also, although there can be general interest communities on here, there doesn't seem to be a UK angle to c/gender and I wonder why it isn't on one of the larger general interest instances. Describing one as a "hugbox" suggests they know they won't be welcome on some/most because a lot of Lemmy instances take a strong pro-trans. I'd hate to think it is here purely because we are a bit more relaxed and easy-going.