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Controversial Documentary Finally Available on Twitter
Twitter has been at the center of a storm of controversy recently, surrounding the streaming of The Daily Wire’s documentary “What is a Woman?” After initial promises to promote the documentary, Twitter faced backlash as it considered censoring the film. However, after much anticipation, the documentary is now available to stream for free on the platform throughout the entire weekend.
Unexpected Endorsement
Even Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, expressed his support for the film. On Friday morning, Musk tweeted to his enormous following of 140 million people, stating, “Every parent should watch this.” The unexpected endorsement from Musk added further excitement to the film’s release. Matt Walsh, who stars in the documentary, also took to Twitter, saying, “Once again, the Left’s efforts to censor and suppress have backfired in spectacular fashion. What a great way to ring in Pride Month!” Clearly, the film’s message resonated with many people.
Massive Reach
The Daily Wire’s tweet featuring the documentary has already been viewed over 130 million times, highlighting the wide-reaching impact of this important film.
Twitter’s Change of Heart
Twitter’s decision to allow the streaming of “What is a Woman?” without significant restrictions came after The Daily Wire’s CEO, Jeremy Boreing, made a compelling argument through a lengthy Twitter thread. In the thread, Boreing revealed that Twitter had initially planned to create a custom landing page to promote the film, but then abruptly labeled it as “hateful conduct” due to two instances of “misgendering” within the documentary.
Instances of “Misgendering”
One instance involves a Canadian father who refers to his 14-year-old daughter as a “she.” The father had been arrested by the Canadian government for objecting to doctors who were administering cross-sex hormones to his daughter. In another instance, a Vietnam veteran who owns a store selling Star Wars memorabilia refuses to refer to a trans-identifying councilman as a “councilwoman.” These examples prompted Twitter’s initial decision to label the film as “hateful conduct.”
Backlash Against Twitter
Boreing’s thread ignited a firestorm of criticism against Twitter from a wide range of political perspectives. Journalist Matt Taibbi tweeted, “There are no possible legitimate grounds for suppression of ‘What is a Woman?’ The movie contains no threats, no trick editing, and no hate speech – its satirical point is made using the statements of trans activists. If this can be suppressed, anything can.”
Musk’s Response
Prominent figures from The Daily Wire, including Ben Shapiro, Candace Owens, Andrew Klavan, and Michael Knowles, also condemned Twitter’s sudden decision to censor the film. Musk personally replied to Boreing’s thread, acknowledging that there had been a “mistake by many people” at Twitter. While Musk did not name individuals responsible for the decision, Twitter’s head of Trust and Safety, Ella Irwin, left the company, followed by brand-safety official Maie Aiyed, who has a history of denigrating white people. Additionally, Friday saw the resignation of Twitter’s head of brand safety and ad quality.
Initial Setbacks
Despite Musk’s involvement and the subsequent resignations, when The Daily Wire first premiered the film on Twitter, it was initially labeled as “hateful conduct” and users were unable to share it.
Positive Changes
However, Musk clarified that users would soon be able to share the documentary, with limitations. It would not be recommended to non-followers, and no advertising would be associated with it. Boreing continued to engage with Musk, questioning why the film was considered “sensitive content.” Unfortunately, Musk did not provide a direct response.
A Victory for Free Speech
Overnight, Twitter implemented the changes promised by Musk. Walsh, from The Daily Wire, shared the good news: “Thanks, @elonmusk! Overnight, visibility limits on the movie have been removed. Elon continues to work to make good on his pledge to keep Twitter an open platform!” This reversal is not only a success for The Daily Wire but also a testament to the importance of freedom of speech.
As the documentary “What is a Woman?” starts streaming, it serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle for open discourse and the impact that influential platforms like Twitter can have on shaping public opinion. So grab some popcorn, relax, and enjoy this thought-provoking documentary that has sparked so much controversy.
