“Gender Edit" Facebook Campaign Gets Retracted, Public Apology Issued

Late last week, I reported about Gender Edit, a campaign to create the largest "gender change” in history by using Facebook. After the campaign received a lot of criticism, it was shut down by its organizers and a public apology was issued.

Many readers had concerns against how the campaign used the word “sex” and “trivialized” the concept of being transgender. Another major concern was that the campaign was scheduled for the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia.

The campaign organizers told Equaldex that their "intentions in creating this were entirely pure” and that they were working to revise the campaign. The campaign video was soon after taken down.

A few days later, the campaign was completely retracted and a video apology was published.

“I really do hope this helps. The stir this project has caused was never our intention. We screwed up, and we’re sorry.

Regardless of gay, straight, cis, or trans, we are all human, and mistakes are part of the human experience. Please reach out to me, I want to hear from you.”

Please share your thoughts about Michael’s apology video.

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Gender Edit Campaign Aims To Create Largest Group Gender Change In History on November 20

November 20th is the Transgender Day of Remembrance. A new campaign called Gender Edit aims to create the largest group gender “change” in history… by using Facebook.

The campaign is asking participants to change their gender on Facebook for a day on November 20th to prove that even if your [gender] changes, "who you are doesn’t.“

From the campaign:

"In a world where what we post is who we are, your gender can help commemorate the importance of acceptance.

It’s pretty simple. On November 20th, 2013 we’re asking you to pledge your support by changing your gender on Facebook for just one day.”

Learn more on GenderEdit.org.

What are your thoughts? How do you feel about this campaign? Will you be participating?

EDIT: Many readers had strong concerns against the campaign, particularly the use of the word “sex” and the “trivialization” of being transgender. I sent a note to the people who organized the campaign regarding the concerns brought up by readers and I received this response from them:

“I can honestly say that our intentions in creating this were entirely pure. […] While we are both cisgender people, we are also members of the LGBT community and were only trying to gain some additional support and awareness for the struggles faced by that facet of our community.

We’re working on some revisions to the project now. (Moving it off of TDoR and onto a different day in TransPride week as well as addressing the already topical Facebook gender issue.)”

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Pope visits Spain, greeted by gay kissing flash mob

The Pope visited Barcelona, Spain on Sunday, and was greeted by gay kissing flash mob. Participants were protesting the Pope’s condemnation of gay marriage laws in Spain.

The flash mob, which was organized on Facebook, attracted around 200 participants, according to the New York Times.

“Many gay Spaniards don’t see why they should pay for the Pope’s visits, only to have their way of life criticized”

During the Pope’s homily on Sunday, he defended traditional families and denounced Spanish laws allowing gay marriage.

The protest gained more media attention last week, when Facebook shut down the event’s page, but was later reinstated. A Facebook official stated that the event was created by a fake account, which violates Facebook’s policies.

Gay marriage has been legal in Spain since 2005. A 2007 Pew Research study showed that 82% of Spain supported homosexuality and 9% did not (9% were unsure).