Elon Musk has claimed Twitter went ‘way too far’ in suspending Jordan Peterson from the platform over comments he made about Elliot Page.
On 22 June, the Canadian psychologist shared a tweet in which he deadnamed and misgendered the actor while also referencing his top surgery.
His message was a reply to an article shared by the New York Post in which Page said he’s proud to introduce a transgender character to Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy.
Twitter swiftly deleted Peterson’s response for violating its rules against hateful conduct and shortly after his account was temporarily suspended.
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Speaking to the National Post, the psychologist said he would ‘rather die’ than delete the tweet and regain access to the social media platform.
Musk, who is in the process of buying Twitter, was soon dragged into the online debate after he shared a fake tweet mocking its misinformation labels.
Replying to the message, one person asked: “Did you see that JBP was recently banned from the bird app? Strange time.”
In response, the billionaire said: “Yeah, they’re going way too far in squashing dissenting opinions.”
One of the Tesla founder’s key reasons for his attempt to buy the company for $44 billion was the intention of promoting what he described as ‘free speech’.
“Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,” he said in May.
However, many feared this would give way for extremists to promote hateful content on the site.
Michael Kleinman, technology and human rights director at Amnesty International USA, said in a statement back in April: "The last thing we need is a Twitter that wilfully turns a blind eye to violent and abusive speech against users, particularly those most disproportionately impacted, including such as women, non-binary persons, and others.”
Musk’s latest comment arrives shortly after the Los Angeles County Superior Court gave his daughter the green light to change her name to Vivian Jenna Wilson in order to represent her gender transition and identity.
According to court findings obtained by TMZ, Wilson listed the reason for her name change as: "Gender Identity and the fact that I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form."
The comment hints at a rift between the two, although neither have confirmed this publicly.
Some suggested her decision to get her surname changed is sparked by the SpaceX boss's previous posts about the transgender community.
In response to a tweet about a recent documentary by right-wing political commentator Matt Walsh, titled What is a Woman?, the 50-year-old businessman questioned gender-affirming surgeries.
"We are simultaneously being told that gender differences do not exist and that genders are so profoundly different that irreversible surgery is the only option," he wrote.
“Perhaps someone wiser than me can explain this dichotomy," he continued, later adding: “It is a better world if we are all less judgy.”
His statements sparked a huge backlash online, as did a comment he made in 2020 claiming ‘all these pronouns are an esthetic nightmare'.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence contact Mindline Trans+ on 0300 330 5468. The line is open 8pm–midnight Mondays and Fridays and is run by trans volunteers
Topics: Elon Musk, LGBTQ, Elliot Page, Twitter
Daisy Phillipson