“Digital spaces used to help gender diverse people find their voices, but now they have turned into places of instability,” Islam said.
In Bangladesh, LGBT people fear extremists and British-era laws
In Bangladesh, LGBT people fear extremists and British-era laws
They often live in poverty, with no access to work or proper education, and many are forced to beg or engage in sex work to survive.
The government’s decision last year to publish new school textbooks featuring sections on transgender people was hailed by LGBTQ campaigners as another sign of growing acceptance.
However, the move caused an uproar on social media, with a video of a part-time lecturer at the university ripping out pages from a book in protest.
The government responded by setting up a committee to scrutinize the book, fueling concerns among rights campaigners that anti-trans sentiment online could lead to setbacks in real life.
The backlash has also made transgender people fear for their safety and brought back memories of the 2016 murder of transgender rights activist Shulhaz Mannan.
Ho Chi Minh Islam, the country’s first transgender nurse and human rights activist, has left Bangladesh, saying her life is threatened by the transphobic movement.
In early November last year, she was selected to speak at a local university event, but she was eventually removed from the event after postings on social media platforms such as Facebook opposing the participation of trans women. Ta.
Since then, she has faced abuse in real life, as well as doxxing, the malicious posting of hate and personal information online, and complaints that social media platforms are not doing enough to remove harmful content. criticized.
When she or her colleagues report hateful posts or videos on Facebook, she said, they are often told that the content does not violate community standards.
āWhile some posts may sometimes be deleted, key figures known for campaigning against transgender rights continue to use these digital platforms to gain attention. ā she said.
Queer Indians fight for safe online space amid ‘rampant’ social media abuse
Queer Indians fight for safe online space amid ‘rampant’ social media abuse
A spokesperson for Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the company has a dedicated LGBTQ+ safety page with information about its policies and tools to keep people safe on its platforms, as well as information about hate speech, bullying and bullying. said it provides resources on how to deal with the issue. harassment.
The spokesperson added that the company is removing posts that violate hate speech rules and investigating reports.
“We will continue to take action wherever our policies are violated,” a spokesperson said.
But critics say stricter regulations on hate speech are needed.
Sewti Saboor, an anthropologist who studies gender issues at Bangladesh’s BRAC University, said existing safety measures are patchy and inadequate.
“When hate speech is reported, it’s possible for platforms to notice the spike and shut it down, but they often don’t,” she says.
Rasha Younes, a senior researcher in Human Rights Watch’s LGBT rights program, said social media companies have a responsibility to protect users through more consistent enforcement and improvement of safety policies.
A safer digital space could not only make trans Bangladeshis safer, but also help them fight economic exclusion, says trans entrepreneur who sells handicrafts and eco-friendly fashion products online. said Ava Muskan Titi of the house.
āI want to grow my business and open a brick-and-mortar showroom where I can employ more people, including people from the trans community, so they can live with dignity,ā she said.