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Cloudflare blocks trans harassment forum Kiwi Farms following escalation of 'targeted threats'
DNS and internet security provider Cloudflare has blocked Kiwi Farms, an infamous forum known for its online and real-world harassment campaigns.
Meta asks Oversight Board if it should soften COVID-19 misinformation policies
Meta has asked the Oversight Board if it should merely downplay COVID-19 misinformation instead of removing it.
Amazon employees call on the company to stop selling books deemed anti-trans
A group of employee disrupted a company Pride event with a demonstration.
The Wachowskis are auctioning iconic film props to support trans youth
Lana and Lilly Wachowski have announced that they're holding an auction of props from films like The Matrix and Cloud Atlas to raise money for vulnerable trans youth
Netflix fires employee for leaking data about controversial Dave Chappelle special
They were reportedly a leader of a trans employee group, which has been criticizing Netflix leadership for defending Chappelle's trans jokes.
Twitch is adding over 350 tags to help make streams more inclusive
Twitch has added over 350 stream tags to foster inclusiveness, including for the LGBTQIA+ community and people with disabilities.
'Hogwarts Legacy' may allow players to create transgender characters
Harry Potter creator JK Rowling has made comments that were widely perceived as transphobic.
Google unwittingly allowed advertisers to discriminate against nonbinary people
An investigation by The Markup has found that Google inadvertently allowed advertisers to discriminate against nonbinary and some transgender people.
'GTA V' brings transphobia to the next console generation
"Nobody seems to complain about having trans characters in Grand Theft Auto, because they're not there to be taken seriously." - Dr. Ben Colliver
IMDb alters birth name policy following criticism from LGBTQ+ groups
IMDb will allow people in the entertainment industry to remove their birth names from the site. The move follows criticism from several LGBTQ+ groups for continuing to publish the birth names of transgender people in the industry without their consent (an act known as deadnaming).
UK design student creates a smart chest binder for trans people
A UK design student created a smart wearable that could make chest binding safer, easier and more comfortable for transgender men and non-binary people. Chest binding is the act of flattening one's breasts using a tight garment in order to make the chest appear more masculine. While it can have immense mental health benefits, it can take a physical toll. Many people have reported broken ribs from too-tight wraps, and binding can be especially difficult in the summer, when the wearer is at risk of overheating. With this garment, called Breathe, Loughborough University industrial design student Miles Kilburn hopes to address many of those of common issues.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez guest-stars in a 'Donkey Kong 64' Twitch stream
Having conquered Twitter and Instagram, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez jumped on a Donkey Kong 64 Twitch livestream on Sunday to clap back at Aaron Sorkin and voice her support for trans rights. The stream in question was YouTuber H.Bomberguy's fundraiser for Mermaids, a UK charity that provides support for gender diverse and transgender children.
Apple, Google and others denounce Trump’s transgender policy
More than four dozen global brands pushed back against a report that the Trump administration would require a person's gender be defined by their birth anatomy, a move that could endanger federal protections for more than a million Americans who don't identify with the gender assigned to them at birth.
Grindr adds more transgender-inclusive features
Grindr is rolling out new features to be more inclusive of transgender members. User profiles now include a new "identity" feature that includes options for listing gender and preferred pronouns. Members can pick from a list of common gender identities such as "trans man", "woman", "cis man", "non-binary, "non-conforming" and "queer", or specify their own identity if it doesn't appear on the list. Pronouns such as "he/him/his", "she/her/hers" and "they/them/theirs" can also be chosen, or specific pronouns written if not listed. Writing throughout the website has also been updated to include gender neutral terms.
Apple, Facebook and Google condemn Texas transgender bill
Proposed legislation in Texas has irked some of the biggest names in tech, sparking condemnation from the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook and 12 other influential tech leaders. If passed, this controversial state law would only allow transgender students to use restrooms that match the gender printed on their birth certificate. While Texan lawmakers continue to debate what's become known as the "bathroom bill", the influential executives have penned a letter urging the state's governor not to pass the "discriminatory" legislation. Senior employees from Microsoft, Amazon and game developer Gearbox Software have also co-signed the letter with Facebook and Apple, claiming that the proposed law would be "bad for employees and bad for business." Governor Greg Abbott has revealed that he intends to pass the controversial bill before the end of May.
GDC opens up its arms to the trans community
Two weeks ago, the Trump administration rolled back federal protection for transgender students who wish to use the restroom that aligns with their gender identity. The act has drawn criticism for not just discriminating against transgendered people, but also putting them in harm's way. Several Silicon Valley companies have also come forward to decry the rollback, proclaiming their commitment to LGBT rights. At the Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco last week, it was clear that the gaming industry shares the sentiment too.
Transgender protection rollback sparks opposition from tech
On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced that it would roll back federal protections for transgender citizens and require states and local school boards to decide how (or, more accurately, whether) they would enforce these people's civil rights. Given that Silicon Valley tech companies routinely portray themselves as paragons of diversity and tolerance, these companies would surely be equally incensed at the government's current attempts to regulate where children can pee. However, the responses so far have failed to directly address the president's recent actions, instead generally relying on passive statements that extol their valuation of diversity and inclusion.
Apple speaks out against regressive transgender policies
Apple spoke out against the Trump administration yesterday, criticizing its stance on transgender rights in schools. While the previous administration offered inclusive guidance to schools on transgender rights, the government yesterday revoked a federal law that allowed transgender children access to the bathroom of the gender that they identify with.
Tinder adds trans-inclusive gender options
Starting today, Tinder users in the US, UK and Canada will have the option to define their own gender. Where previously, users could only choose between male or female, now they can pick transgender, trans man, trans woman, or whatever term they identify with. Additionally, they can opt to appear in male or female searches, and decide to not disclose their gender at all.
The Engadget Podcast Ep 11: Everybody Hurts
Managing editor Dana Wollman and senior editor Mona Lalwani join host Terrence O'Brien to talk Macbook rumors, Amazon ISP ambitions and Julian Assange. Then they'll talk about all the work that went into Engadget's five part series covering the world's first cyborg games, Superhumans and look at VR's ability generate empathy.
