If Meta Permits Calling LGBTQ+ People Mentally Ill, What Will Follow?
What Meta's moderation policy could signify for the mental health of LGBTQ users on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
Meta has updated its content moderation guidelines, jeopardizing the mental health of LGBTQ users on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
Meta’s latest content moderation guidelines have crossed a dangerous line. By allowing allegations of mental illness based on sexual orientation or gender identity, they’re not just sanctioning hate speech — they’re actively jeopardizing the mental health of LGBTQ+ users.
As a gay man and a therapist specializing in LGBTQ+ mental health, I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact of these harmful narratives.
This isn’t just about online discourse; it’s about real-world consequences.
Meta’s new guidelines state:
We do allow allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation, given political and religious discourse about transgenderism and homosexuality and common non-serious usage of words like ‘weird’.
As you can tell, allowing users to call LGBTQ+ people “mentally ill” under the guise of “political discourse” is…