‘Irish Lesbian Mom’ Writes

at

Irish Lesbian Mom.

Too controversial for Twitter and Facebook.

Birdie writes:

I’d appreciate if the Broadsheet readers could help me with my problem. Twitter won’t let me advertise with them because they deem that my account violates their “Adult or Sexual Products and Services policy”.

I don’t think it does but maybe your readers agree with Twitter?

My twitter handle is @IrishLesbianMom. I contacted Twitter to let them know that I am not selling sexual products or services, I am writing a humorous pregnancy blog.

They told me that they would forward it to their policy people. It took them 5 days to respond even though they claim they will get back to you in 48 hours.

I emailed them twice, no joy. I spoke to them on chat twice and was told each time that they would email me. Ironically I tweeted their support but they never tweeted back.

Eventually they did email me today and stated:

“We’ve reviewed and confirmed the ineligibility decision for Twitter Ads based on our Adult or Sexual Products and Services policy. Violating content includes, but is not limited to, nudity, partial nudity, sexual aids and toys, as well as adult/sexual language, video and images. If the violating content has been removed, please respond and we will re-review for policy compliance.”

Interestingly, Facebook would not allow me to use IrishLesbianMom as a URL as they too found it too sexually suggestive. I changed lesbian to lezzer and viola, Facebook has stopped blushing.

Do your readers think that Twitter & Facebook are sexualising the word lesbian? Or am I missing something?

Perhaps my very crappy illustration of a pregnant body (top) is giving too many people the horn? I’m at a loss.

Anyone?

Irish Lezzer Mom (Facebook)

Irish Lesbian Mom

 

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103 thoughts on “‘Irish Lesbian Mom’ Writes

  1. Frilly Keane

    Well
    If you ask me I think if you refer to yourself as Mom
    Then you need to be more accurate

    Pregnant South Dublin Lesbian

    Try that

    1. Birdie

      I’m not from Dublin but point taken. One of us is Mammy/Mam… our bid to differentiate things a bit.

      Thanks for your feedback.

    2. Mick

      I’d suggest that it’s more to do with perceiving ourselves as the centre of the universe.
      In Ireland everybody is loved… all love is, well, love…
      This is good
      But we have less population than Brooklyn… to think that a massive company will create their whole zeitgeist to suit us (even if it is their buzz)… well that would be a very limited way of thinking, a little suburban. Almost a little isolationist.
      The world has a long way to go…. I do love it’s possibilities though

  2. Clampers Outside!

    FB, Twitter and YouTube are under some pressure to “clean up”. There are plenty of indie YouTubers from gamers to trans activists, to left and right wing pundits and indie journos (term used v loosely) suffering the same fate…. censorship on a grand scale? Somewhat…

    1. Birdie

      I see, that makes sense. I might just change out the handle wording to see if that helps.

      Thanks for your comment.

      1. mildred st. meadowlark

        Expertly side-stepped. Also, ignore Eamonn. He’s our resident grumpy aul lad.

        That’s not an excuse for his entirely inappropriate question, I should​ add.

          1. Brother Barnabas

            If you think 5ml of semen constitutes 50% investment in a child, you obviously don’t have any children.

    1. Birdie

      Hi Paps,

      My point is I’m not selling sexual products or services but they seem to think I am because of my word choice.

      Clampers Outside has given me a clear perspective but thanks for your comment all the same.

      1. Paps

        Never commented on her actions, though they are not to my tastes, you simply cannot force platforms to host your views or peddle your services. This has nothing to do with censorship or freedom of speech. Its a list of prohibited words which are used to combat against spam and troll accounts. They can interpret words however they like.

        1. Nigel

          You’re criticisng her for trying to do something about it, which is a comment on her actions. I don’t get people who demand that consumers be passive in their dealings with corporations. Moving to another platform is one option. Trying to get answers and a change in policy is another. I can’t see how someone could be so invested in her doing one but not the other.

          1. Birdie

            Hi Nigel,

            I appreciate you arguing my point. You’ve a great skill at debate and I’m glad you can clearly see my frustrations.

            Thanks :)

    1. Birdie

      Hahaha! Well fingers crossed! To be fair I got some good perspective from Clampers Outside.

      I just found it very frustrating to have to take out the word lesbian and then to replace it with slang for it to be accepted as something that isn’t “sleazy”.

      1. Ben

        WTF is wrong with using IrishLesbianMom? I totally get why you’re frustrated. I thought we’d moved on a bit. That’s a pathetic response you got from Twitter. Anyway good luck with your blog. It looks great.

  3. Brother Barnabas

    Are there real, actual people looking at these things? I always assumed it was some automatic triggering thing that gets it wrong as often as gets it right. And hence the generic email you received.

    1. Birdie

      That’s a good point. But they did say in that generic email if I reviewed my account to make it fit into their policies then to email them back.

      From that instruction I assume real people are reviewing the tickets which has me even more perplexed.

      1. Brother Barnabas

        I think even those replies are automated. Same as when you engage with customer service chat things – an actual person only gets involved after you’ve answered a pottyload of questions. I heard once that you can tell if the email was automated by the time it was sent – so if you sent yours at, say, 4.23pm, the reply by a ‘robot’ will be at something.23 – the system is set to reply exactly 4 or 7 or 12 or 30 hours later.

    1. EightersGonnaEight

      Not enough Facebook likes from the 12 Newstalk protestors obviously. I agree with you.

      How about @IrishLebaneseMeFeiner?

  4. mildred st. meadowlark

    Have you looked at tumblr as a platform for what you’re doing? I understand they’re rather more liberal.

  5. Odockatee

    I remember trying to come up with a punk band name when i was younger. Tried loads of obviously offensive things and it turned out that band Gaydad got an amount of grief for their name. I was mightily impressed. Maybe this is the updated version of that? Not likely though

    1. Birdie

      I think you’ve a point to be honest. What irks me is, what I perceive, to be the sexualization of the word lesbian in the negative.

      It’s like they, FB & Twitter, have given ownership of that word to porn accounts etc and by default that’s their view of the world lesbian, if you get me?

      1. Brother Barnabas

        that’s what I was thinking ~ a good deal of Google searches with the word ‘lesbian’ are likely lesbian action, lesbian porn etc. not like I’d know, but still.

        1. Birdie

          No you’re right. I haven’t advertised on FB but a sizable amount of likes are from porn type accounts which is a tad icky. Maybe I should just change my title to Irish Lezzer Mom.

      1. Birdie

        Sorry didn’t read your first question properly. Do you mean why am I trying to advertise or why I have a blog?

          1. Birdie

            Hi Martco,

            To be honest I’m just experimenting with it to see if it brings in more readers.

            One recent Mammy* emailed me to thank me for my piece around the commodification of pregnancy, she felt other pregnancy blogs etc were too earnest to the point of making Mammies** feel crap. I just thought, well that’s awful that some parents feel that way so I thought by advertising I might reach more of them & as silly as this sounds, maybe make them feel better about themselves.

            I’ve no master plan with the blog as it’s heavily embellished to the point of fictional in parts but I enjoy writing it… also I’m obviously a wonderful artist ;)

            * that’s for the disgruntled Mom haters at the top of the thread.

            ** that’s a flurry of wooden spoons for them too.

  6. Turgenev

    So that’s where Father Ted and his buddies moved to. They’re working in Twitter and Facebook, keeping the moral tone pure, thanks be to God and the blessed Virgin Mary.

  7. EightersGonnaEight

    Mom?

    Surely “Ma”? or “Mum”.

    Looking for notice. Glad they didn’t let you use it on racist grounds.

    1. Birdie

      You know to be honest after all this feedback, even though it’s not what I asked for, I’m strongly considering changing the name!

  8. Garthicus

    Twitter is absolutely chock a block with porn and porn named accounts.

    It’s silly that your account should be blocked/made change. Keep at them until you manage to speak to a human vs an automated service.

    Best of luck.

  9. Pat Kenny's wife

    Why can’t you just be Mom or Irish Mom?
    I’m not being funny but what does being a lesbian have to do with issues around motherhood specifically?

    1. Birdie

      Fair point. I agree, your sexual preference doesn’t alter your ability to parent but at the same time it would be naive for me not to address the more ignorant perceptions at a future point. I am a lesbian and I don’t believe I should shy away from that.

      1. Pat Kenny's wife

        Obviously.

        I suppose I think true equality is not having to explain your sexuality at all but maybe we are not there yet

      2. Frilly Keane

        Any other Mammy here
        Or Daddy
        Go about
        Like into the school yard n’stuff
        And introduce themselves to other parents
        As Johnny etcs Hetro Ma
        Bi Da
        Trans Dammy

        Anyone?

        C’mere Birdie
        Did you tell your Gynie you were a Lesbian Mom

  10. rotide

    I’m a bit confused here. Twitter have no problem with the actual name IrishLesbianMom as a handle, they just won’t let you advertise with it.

    What do you mean by advertising ? Depending on what you want to advertise, they are probably covered by the equivalent of the ASAI in their home country (The US, I assume). Could be something to do with it.

  11. Serval

    “Do your readers think that Twitter & Facebook are sexualising the word lesbian?”
    Lesbian means homosexual female.
    How do you sexualise the word “homosexual”?
    Sexual is part of the word.
    But the words “homosexual” or “gay” or “lesbian” should not break any sort of Adult or Sexual Products and Services policy unless the words “heterosexual” and “straight” also break the policy.

    1. Birdie

      Hi Serval,

      I explained a few comments down, it’s about sexualising the word in the negative.

      I agree with with you with regards to the policy, thanks for the comment.

      1. daniel mallon

        There’s been a big problem on youtube lately with their restricted mode, that’s supposed to be child friendly.
        Problem is it rejects anything that has anything to do with LGBTQ issues, regardless of their actual content. This sounds like a similar thing. There’s a decent video about it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pda2xk4TA74
        I’d suggest you keep at it, but just take it as something you do by rote, don’t expect direct answers etc. but in time with enough pressure it should be fixed, hopefully.

        1. Birdie

          Cheers Daniel for that, very helpful :)

          They mailed me Friday saying that they would “troubleshoot” further. In the interim I changed the handle.

  12. A snowflake's chance in hell

    Your blog is very good, it’s funny, interesting and personal.

    And to be honest I don’t normally go for those kinds of things.

    1. Birdie

      Ah cheers a snowflakes chance in hell, I’m glad you like it. It’s always a lovely feeling to get a compliment. I’ll keep doing it till it ceases to be fun :)

      1. Lilly

        Interesting story on Amazon’s attitude to pregnant employees. What a horrible company. I really must stop using it.

        1. Birdie

          Hi Lilly,

          Thanks for reading the recent blog post :)

          yeah it’s pretty shocking but I believe it prompted Bezos to review their workplace practices but it’s hard to know if that was a PR exercise though.

          1. Lilly

            Hi Birdie, I enjoyed your depiction of the work presentation and all the corporate gobbledygook. And not having a passion. What an overused word!

            I really don’t care if Jeff Bezos has reviewed the practices described in the NYT piece; that he allowed them in the first place tells us all we need to know. I hate this creeping Americanisation of our workplaces with the ugly terminology and always-on stupidity. Do people think they will live forever.

  13. Birdie

    Hi Lily,

    Very well put. I completely agree with your sentiment, as the article said it’s Darwinism in the workplace. It’s not a philosophy that should be celebrated hence why I don’t work for a multi-national anymore :)

    I imagine those type of companies have a high level of burnout. It would be very interesting if someone did a piece on that, that is prove or disprove the prevalence of health issues as a result of that type of culture being transplanted into a different country with different value systems.

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