Elon Musk’s X platform suspended more than 200 LGBTQ+ marketing accounts without explanation

Last Thursday, on Independence Day, a startling and unexplained silence fell over Pink Media and the #ILoveGay network on X, the platform formerly known asTwitter. They had a reach spanning over 1 million followers, so the abrupt suspension of their more than 250 profiles shut down a leading voice in LGBTQ+ marketing.

Pink Media, known for its strategic engagement with diverse LGBTQ+ audiences, found itself inexplicably shut down by X, allegedly due to a “user report” of violating platform rules. However, the specifics of the infraction remain shrouded in mystery, leading to speculation about the true motives behind this mass suspension. According to a blog post by Pink Media, the timing of this action is particularly jarring, coming on the heels of a highly successful Pride Month campaign that saw Pink Media’s content go viral, achieving over 17 million views. The company said its network’s role in amplifying marginalized voices cannot be overstated; each profile served as a vital conduit for regional and thematic LGBTQ+ content, from music and sports to transgender and bear communities.

In an interview with The Advocate, Matthew Skallerud, president of Pink Media, described the shock of the suspension. “We have over 200 profiles, and they were all shut off at the exact same moment,” he said. “We just got flooded with hundreds of emails from X saying we’d been suspended. The specifics were vague; it was based on a user report, but the reason was left blank.”

He said several other accounts not directly associated with Pink Media but that had engaged with its content were also suspended. These included profiles such as Gay Desert Guide and Visit Britain’s Visit Gay Britain account, suggesting a broader, coordinated effort to suppress LGBTQ+ visibility on the platform. The Advocate confirmed that these accounts were suspended as of press time.

Skallerud’s immediate response was to file dozens of review requests. “I filed around 75 appeals just to cover myself and see if we could bring back more of them, but nothing happened,” he explained. The network’s activity in June, particularly during Pride Month, included extensive sharing of user-generated content and promotion of a music video by Kristine W, which garnered over 17 million views, he said. This heightened visibility, according to Skallerud, potentially contributed to the suspension. He noted that far-right media outlets pointed at the company after it was featured in several news stories about rainbow capitalism during Pride Month.

“We were interviewed for USA Today about brands sidelining themselves during Pride Month, and right-wing blogs picked up our quotes. This might have put us on the radar,” Skallerud said.

The broader implications of this suspension are significant. Pink Media has long been influential in LGBTQ+ engagement on social media, using its network to connect with diverse communities across the globe. Their profiles, dedicated to specific regions and interests, played a crucial role in amplifying LGBTQ+ voices, he said. Skallerud noted their extensive reach with the mayor’s offices inWashington, D.C., Racine,Wis., and various Pride events and theatre around the globe.

GLAAD has voiced strong opposition to the suspension, calling on the company’s CEO to explain the suspension and to re-enable access to the accounts. “It is extremely concerning that any social media platform would systematically suspend the accounts of one of the leading LGBTQ media networks, seemingly without reason,” a GLAAD spokesperson said in a statement to The Advocate. “Silencing LGBTQ voices while letting anti-LGBTQ hate speech thrive unchecked is a despicable way to close out Pride season, and is harmful to all LGBTQ and ally X users and advertisers. GLAAD urges X, and specifically CEO Linda Yaccarino, to convey an explanation justifying their reasoning and to restore the accounts.”

The Advocate’s attempt to contact X for comment was met with an automated response: “Busy now, please check back later.” Skallerud said that despite attempts to contact human representatives at X, he and his company have not received any responses.

The incident raises broader questions about the treatment of LGBTQ+ voices on social media platforms. Skallerud emphasized the need for transparency and accountability from X. “It would be great if they realized we shouldn’t have been swept up in whatever it was they did,” he said. “ The big question is how we ensure this doesn’t happen again.”