Name one thing you would like to have for free.
These days, businessmen claim to sell speeches free of cost and consequences.
Elon Musk, a free-speech absolutist, acquired Twitter to present a platform with no censorship, bias, or political correctness. He wanted to dismantle the “Woke agenda” of sensitivity and increasing cancel culture.
As a result, Twitter 2.0 was aimed at a non-consequential portal where everyone has the right to state their opinions.
So, what happens when Twitter bans something based on hate speech?
What Happened During The “What Is A Woman” Twitter Stream?
Marking one year after the release of Matt Walsh’s documentary, “What Is A Woman?”, The Daily Wire made a deal with Twitter to stream the documentary for free.
The deal stated that Twitter offered an agreement to stream the documentary on a dedicated event page. They will also promote it to every Twitter user for the first 10 hours.
However, after the first few minutes of streaming, Twitter limited the reach of the documentary citing “hateful conduct” under the Terms Of Service. As per the resources, there was blatant ‘misgendering’ in the documentary.
What Was The Issue and What Is The Resolution After “What Is A Woman” Was Restricted?
According to Walsh’s Tweet, he posted the clips that misgendered people in the documentary.
(Let us know in the comments section what you think about these clips).
The Daily Wire CEO, Jeremy Boreing, expressed his discontent with the situation on a Twitter Thread–
- “Brought all our shows to Twitter Tuesday because we believed Twitter was committed to free speech, especially on this issue… The other tech platforms have already decided where they stand in the trans debate and demonetize and deprioritize all those who disagree. Now, Twitter has joined the ranks of the other tech superpowers in ensuring one side of the debate is suppressed.”
- “When we asked how much they would limit the visibility if we posted the film anyway, Twitter replied that our own followers would not be able to see it in their feeds. This, they said, is part of their ‘speech not reach’ policy.”
- “[Musk] is not beholden to conservatives. He has the right to run his business as he sees fit. But if Twitter is going to throttle one side of one of the most important debates facing society, it cannot claim to champion free speech,” Boreing said. “I hope [Musk] will reconsider this terrible policy.”
Elon Musk did issue a statement to the Daily Wire’s original thread, expressing his dissonance with Twitter employees–
“Whether or not you agree with using someone’s preferred pronouns, not doing so is at most rude and certainly breaks no laws,”
“I should note that I do personally use someone’s preferred pronouns, just as I use someone’s preferred name, simply from the standpoint of good manners. However, for the same reason, I object to rude behavior, ostracism or threats of violence if the wrong pronoun or name is used.”
In the latest update, the documentary is back up, and Musk has urged people to watch it.
Now the question is, why is the documentary so controversial? Let us analyze the context frame-by-frame…
Review Of “What Is A Woman” – Analyzing What Worked and What Didn’t
The documentary’s creator, Matt Walsh, is a far-right political commentator, host of The Matt Walsh podcast, and a columnist in The Daily Wire. He has strong opinions on the trans-activist movement. He primarily advocates for the children exposed to transgressions and published a book, “Johnny the Walrus,” to educate children and parents on the dangers of transitioning at a young age.
However, some of his commentaries are borderline satire, or rather “trolling.” He even labeled himself as a “Theocratic Fascist” in his Twitter bio (sarcastically). Some of his statements have not aged too well, and he is also perceived as a provocateur.
WHAT WORKED WITH THE DOCUMENTARY
Unlike most obnoxious street interviews, Walsh had a unique take on the format. He interviewed people but asked only one simple question, “What is a woman?” He even hopped to Kenya for answers.
The compilation of the responses is what makes the documentary fascinating. Some described it as “performative contradictions” since people left the interviews mid-way.
But on a more serious note, he did interview professors, medical experts, and surgeons who performed gender affirmation surgeries. Again, the simple question of “what is a woman” did not have a unanimous answer, or no answer at all.
He tactfully interviewed people who have faced the ramifications of transitioning. He also interviewed a trans man whose surgeries led to severe complications.
This helped shed light on unsupervised transitioning among young children, especially in their teens. One specific interview with the child’s father was mentioned in the “misgendering” clip. The documentary urges authorities to contemplate the permission to allow kids to transition.
Overall, the documentary raises valid questions.
WHERE THE DOCUMENTARY FAILED
The documentary highlights only the failed cases of trans people. If you are advocating free speech, why not show all sides? Several influential people in the trans community could have chimed in on the more scientific aspect of transitioning. Instead, he interviews an old man who blatantly misgendered a transwoman– irrelevant to the discourse.
Next crucial point: Walsh has equated the majority of Trans-activism as danger-to-children. This fallacy is actually problematic and encourages negative stereotypes. The trans movement focuses on fundamental rights and integrating transgender people into society. By focusing only on the dangers, the documentary perpetuates a one-sided view.
And my last question to Mr. Walsh is– will there be a sequel to this documentary called “What is a Man?”
It seems that, again, the debate is around women. Regardless of who you think is or isn’t a woman, they still have the freedom of choice. His interview with a woman in sports discussing trans-inclusion again controls the narrative that only women’s sports should be monitored. For a change, let’s ask the men….what are they up to and what exactly are they?
What do you think of the documentary? Do you believe thought-provoking documentaries should be banned just because it differs from your opinion?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
