Tumblr’s porn ban is an ‘erasure’ of the LGBT community

Dec 05 2018
Written by Ella Braidwood

LGBT+ pornographers warn that Tumblr’s ban on porn will take away a “vital social component” and “further marginalise” the queer community.

Earlier this week, microblogging site Tumblr said it will ban adult content, including porn videos and photos, starting on December 17.

But the policy, which will prohibit “photos, videos, or GIFs that show real-life human genitals or female-presenting nipples,” has been met with dismay from queer adult filmmakers, who use the platform as a safe space to post LGBT+ adult content.

Queer pornographer Courtney Trouble: Tumblr ban is an “erasure” of LGBT+ expression

Artist and filmmaker Courtney Trouble, who was a major figure in the birth of the queer porn movement in the US, tells PinkNews that Tumblr’s porn ban will massively hinder the LGBT+ community’s access to explicit content.

Trouble, who runs queer porn company TROUBLEfilms and joined Tumblr in 2008, says: “The Tumblr ban on adult content will affect queer and trans users by taking away a vital social component to a community that is bound together by their sexual orientation and sexual desire.”

The non-binary artist adds that they have spent the past two days “archiving and deleting adult posts across all of my Tumblr accounts with hopes that I can keep some of my followers, whom I love.”

Courtney Trouble, who has criticised Tumblr for banning porn

A shot taken by Courtney Trouble, who has spoken out against Tumblr banning porn. (Courtney Trouble)

For Trouble, any move to block queer porn would be to the huge detriment of the LGBT+ community.

“Queer porn can have a much more positive, life affirming effect on queer people,” they say.

“The Tumblr ban on adult content will affect queer and trans users by taking away a vital social component to a community that is bound together by their sexual orientation and sexual desire.”

—Courtney Trouble

“Without social media that allows this kind of exploration, we are losing a lot.

“I suggest we fight harder for queer-friendly sex education in light of this erasure, and more queers taking to the streets to fight for our rights to discuss our sexuality in digital spaces.”

The pornographer believes that social media companies are moving to block explicit content because of a new package of US laws, known as FOSTA-SESTA, which make it illegal to assist, facilitate or support sex trafficking.

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