Eventbrite, an online platform renowned for hosting diverse events, recently deplatformed the “Let Women Speak Austin” event, dubbing it as contravening its “policy on Hateful, Dangerous, or Violent Content and Events.” The move has sparked a robust debate about free speech and women’s rights in America.
Michelle Evans, a prominent advocate involved in the event, challenged Eventbrite’s decision via social media, asserting, “Being a woman is not a hate crime.” She and many other women were poised to use the platform to address pressing issues related to “the harms of gender ideology, the erasure of women, the mutilation of healthy bodies, and the protection of our biologically-based rights.”
Attention @eventbrite – being a woman is not a hate crime. #LetWomenSpeak #LetWomenSpeakATX @StopXXErasure @MeghanEMurphy @KnownHeretic @IWN @IWF @ThePosieParker @whosebodyisit @jordanbpeterson pic.twitter.com/YveT4zI8TG
— Michelle Evans (@ThinkerMichelle) July 13, 2023
Yet, Eventbrite’s abrupt dismissal of the ‘Let Women Speak’ event is not an isolated incident. The platform, which prides itself on facilitating events that “fuel passions,” has a history of censoring content that seems to challenge leftist ideologies. It previously pulled the plug on events related to Matt Walsh’s conservative-leaning documentary, “What Is a Woman?”
This disturbing trend was displayed during a similar “Let Women Speak” event in New York City last November. The tour, led by British women’s rights campaigner, Kellie-Jay Keen, has consistently met with fierce opposition. Protests by transgender rights activists led to clashes with the NYPD and multiple arrests, contributing to a hostile atmosphere that stifled open dialogue.
Keen’s passionate reaction to the leftist backlash at the time underscored the gravity of the issue. She said, “I think this is indicative of the United States in 2022 and how they feel about women speaking.” Threats from Antifa and transgender activists also forced her to cancel a tour stop in Portland, Oregon, a testament to the pressure applied by so-called “progressive” voices.
Happily unsubscribed from Eventbrite junk emails. https://t.co/qUrfThsu0c
— Sharon 🦖🇺🇲 (@SLOleinik) July 13, 2023
Maybe it’s time to recognize that there are people who label hate speech as anything that is contrary to the agenda they want to drive. Stop being afraid of the “cancel”. https://t.co/vHKtC9huc6
— Steve Miranda (@stemiranda62) July 13, 2023
Accusations of transphobia are now being thrown around with relative ease, with even celebrities like singer Macy Gray and author J.K. Rowling facing outrage from the progressive mob due to their views on gender identity. But does disagreement truly equate to phobia or hate speech?
The cancellation of the Let Women Speak Austin event has forced organizers to find alternative fundraising methods to cover their public speaking costs. However, the critical issue isn’t just about finding a new platform but defending the right to express diverse viewpoints, even if they challenge popular ideologies.
Mothers are fighting back in Austin next month https://t.co/6TxkdNnyie https://t.co/NJajKzenJM pic.twitter.com/vsHvo1HMuY
— Michelle Evans (@ThinkerMichelle) July 10, 2023
One commentator said it well: “If our rights become dependent upon ‘gender,’ then they are no longer women’s rights, they are ‘feminine’ rights.” The issue’s core lies not in denying anyone else’s rights but in preserving rights based on biological gender, not a chosen “identity.”
As this saga continues, we should remember that stifling voices doesn’t facilitate progress; open dialogue does. An environment where women can’t speak at their events may lead to a backlash against companies like Eventbrite.
