Elaine ScattermoonNov 20, 2022

After seeing someone have a post removed from mastodon.social for racism/sexism when it was from an Asian woman talking about exclusively reading books by non-white and/or non-male, it's clear that this isn't an instance that values disadvantaged groups, and so I'm looking to move server.

So while I may regret asking, what instance do you think I should switch to? I'm a bi Scottish trans woman who writes a lot as a freelance journalist and who works in tech, if any of that makes a difference.

Show threadJess O'Thomson ♿️ 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 20, 2022

@scattermoon

There's journa.host for journalists and tech.lgbt as potential starting points.

Show threadBeeNov 20, 2022
@jessothomson @scattermoon as a trans person I’d avoid journa.host based on toots about them permitting transphobia and blocking people who call it out.
Show threadJess O'Thomson ♿️ 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 20, 2022

@msbee

@scattermoon

Am also trans - it turns out it's actually slightly more complicated than that (as the person who was blocked herself admits) and the admin involved is trans himself.

Show threadBeeNov 20, 2022
@scattermoon @jessothomson well, it usually is (more complicated, that is.) IDK lol
Show threadJess O'Thomson ♿️ 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 20, 2022

@msbee

@scattermoon

worth reading this: https://journa.host/@jessothomson/109373731843426570

Jess O'Thomson (@[email protected])

Okay as a trans journalist on this instance I am seriously concerned and would like to see someone immediate transparency re. what is going on from the admin team. If this is not dealt with imminently I imagine this instance will be blocked by most trans-friendly instances incredibly quickly, and that is not good for anyone's journalism, let alone mine.

Mastodon
Show threadBeeNov 20, 2022
@jessothomson @scattermoon not a journalist, so wouldn’t be my home instance anyway, but none of that makes me feel like it’s the safest of spaces. Complicated, indeed.
Show threadJess O'Thomson ♿️ 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 20, 2022

@msbee
@scattermoon

Yeah I am probably going to have to move again, purely from the fact that regardless of what actually happened, loads of lgbt+ instances are blocking the instance and that doesn't really work for me as a trans journo

Show threadElaine Scattermoon
@jessothomson @msbee yeah, which will only end up taking the trans folk away from JH and attracting the trans-agnostic and trans-hostile which will only perpetuate the cycle, unfortunately
Nov 20, 2022 at 5:34pmMastodon for Android
Show threadJess O'Thomson ♿️ 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 20, 2022

@scattermoon

@msbee

it's a nightmare

Show threadElaine ScattermoonNov 20, 2022
@jessothomson @msbee feels like this sort of thing extrapolated with higher use in the future will eventually make different servers here into the equivalent of different countries.
Show threadBeeNov 20, 2022
@scattermoon @jessothomson hard to argue with that- clearly these moderation / (de)federation issues aren’t scaling so well with the influx of users. I think Mastodon doesn’t solve the underlying problems Twitter has, it just tries to scale them back down through federating so you have many ‘dictatorships’ rather than one big one. Perhaps that looked good before #Twexodus when instances were small but already we’re seeing the limitations.
Show threadBeeNov 20, 2022
@jessothomson @scattermoon one hopes there’s a way back when instances defederate each other? Obviously fashy instances are never going to sustain federation with inclusive ones, but if JH’s intention is to get its moderation right, and it actually does so, I’d hope to see refederation.
Show threadJess O'Thomson ♿️ 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 20, 2022

@msbee

@scattermoon

I really hope so. I have told @info as much and said they need to post a proper apology, plan for modertation in future, and go round with a begging bowl asking instances to refederate them