Spotify Removes Offensive Imagery But Keeps Transphobic Song Despite Outcry
Spotify has removed offensive imagery associated with a controversial song by Christian rapper Tyson James and his 11-year-old son Toby James, following a complaint by GLAAD.
However, the song “Still 2 Genders,” criticized for its transphobic lyrics, continues to be available on the platform. Meanwhile, no changes have been made to Apple Music’s platform.
Earlier this month, The Advocatereported that the song was accessible on major music streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music, despite its derogatory lyrics towards transgender individuals, including a slur to describe them. The situation caught the attention of GLAAD, which then took up the issue with Spotify’s trust and safety team.
In an updated statement provided to The Advocate, a spokesperson from GLAAD emphasized the importance of enforcing hate speech policies by companies.
“Companies have hate speech policies to protect all users from toxic content and especially from content that incites violence against marginalized people. When these policies are violated, it is important to see companies enforce them,” the statement read.
GLAAD’s statement highlighted the grave real-world implications of hateful rhetoric and imagery connecting it to a tragic incident.
“The terrible murder of Lauri Carlton, an ally who had hung a Pride flag outside her store, is connected to a suspect who had an image of a burning Pride flag pinned to his Twitter profile,” the statement added.
The spokesperson further noted, “Rhetoric, images, and targeting of LGBTQ people encourages real-world harms. Companies and brands must continue to recognize their responsibility to people’s safety and public safety and immediately act to avoid facilitating anti-LGBTQ hate and violence.”
Spotify responded by removing the album cover and video imagery that included a burning Progress Pride flag GLAAD noted to The Advocate. Despite these steps, the song itself, carrying an anti-trans slur and dehumanizing transgender people as “demons,” remains live on Spotify’s platform.
Both Spotify and Apple Music have policies in place to moderate content on their platforms. Apple Music for Artists’ terms of service stipulates that all lyrics provided to the platform must be “correct, accurate, and do not contain hate speech.” On the other hand, Spotify’s Dangerous Content policy bars “content that incites violence or hatred towards a person or group of people based on race, religion, gender identity or expression.”
Despite these policies, Apple Music has yet to make any changes or respond to inquiries regarding the song’s availability on its platform.
In a prior response, GLAAD had stressed the digital sphere’s struggle with hate speech moderation, especially concerning anti-LGBTQ+ content, which extends beyond the realm of music streaming platforms. Their concern was not only about the derogatory lyrics but also the inconsistency in enforcing content policies by these platforms, which undermines the safety and inclusivity of all users.
As the scrutiny continues, both Spotify and Apple Music remain unresponsive to multiple inquiries from The Advocate regarding this issue. This scenario underscores a broader discussion concerning digital content moderation on streaming platforms, especially around anti-LGBTQ+ content.
link: https://www.advocate.com/news/spotify-transphobic-song-glaad
archive link: https://archive.ph/tz9FX
Guys, I hate it too. But we can't just remove every single piece of art we find objectionable. Yes, I am using the word Art liberally. Do you really want to live in that world?
We can remove hate speech though, and conflating hate speech with "every single piece of art we find objectionable" is dodgy af.
Eminem has a lot of homophobic lyrics. Think you're going to get him removed? Music has always pushed the boundaries of what's acceptable. Sometimes that's a good thing, other times it's not. But I think an artists freedom of expression overrides your feelings.
There's homophobic remarks and there are songs that are nothing but homophobia from start to end.
Yes but MTV was never obligated to play Eminem's videos and quite often censred them. Hell Walmart is responsible for at least two decades of CD censorship. Is Spotify obligated to host offensive songs/images? I don't think there's a great answer to that question, but it bugs the crap out of me trying to figure it out. The only thing that I've seen that sort of hoodwinks the issue is the fediverse, and I don't think there's a federated music platform.
They can host it. I'm just not going to pay them to do so.
If he's still posting homophobic music, then yeah, that shit needs to be removed.
Said f*ggot in his recent track with Busta Rhymes, says he still hates them. I complain about this all the time. It's a big problem in hip hop. Even up and coming rappers like Token use the slur in their lyrics and it annoys me to no end. A lot of these people are fairly intelligent. It's just so deeply rooted in the culture as a way to insult masculinity.
Not only homophobia. Rap music has a huge problem with sexism and misogyny.
And then there's bands like Cannibal corpse.
Not saying that transphobia is OK, but there's a lot of weird and questionable music out there.
What does Cannibal Corpse say? Other than stuff like I cum blood.
::: spoiler Title https://genius.com/Cannibal-corpse-stripped-raped-and-strangled-lyrics
https://genius.com/Cannibal-corpse-necropedophile-lyrics
https://genius.com/Cannibal-corpse-entrails-ripped-from-a-virgins-cunt-lyrics :::
Those are pretty crazy. Written by Chris Barnes, apparently.
https://www.radiox.co.uk/features/how-eminem-elton-john-friends-sponsor-story/
I don't think he hates gay people. But his music is controversy, that's its selling point. And I think your last sentence is spot on. For your typical "masculine" man, being called gay is an insult. It shouldn't be, but unfortunately that's the way it is.
It's okay for people to express their opinions even if you consider them bad opinions
It's ok for people to hate on gay folk says the person who isn't gay
imagine thinking this is an own. you aren't special because you are gay, and don't get to dictate how the world works either.
Having an opinion (even a controversial one) isn't hate speech. Does the song actually call for anything hateful?
Yes, it does.
That's no call to action, all those lyrics are saying is that the author believes God will punish them, he's not telling everyone else to do the same.
The problem is that there are people who think that God has called to them to punish the "sinners," so lyrics like that can very easily be the encouragement those people need to commit to action.
It's dangerous to talk about a group of people that way. It's dehumanizing.
This is legit a similar argument to the satanic panic or attempts to ban metal and violent video games.
Hold bad doers responsible.
How are people so knowledgeable on a song that they dislike. Don't listen move on...
It took me a minute to read through the lyrics so that I could be informed about exactly what's in the controversial song.
It's easy to have an informed opinion.
Or don't read and then you don't get outraged. Move on.
Yeah it's making fun of people. That doesn't make it hate speech. Most of the world believes there are two genders, people are allowed to make fun of people who disagree with them.
Quoting from the song, "LGBTQ, Let God Burn Them Quickly" Does that qualify?
No. You can't call god to incite violence. God doesn't exist, if they did I'd like to think that they'd be inclusive.
I hear China is lovely this time of year
Man, I can say "The sky is blue" and someone will say it's hate speech.
saying "there are two genders" is not hate speech. You are allowed to make fun of people in a song, that doesn't make it hate speech.
Quoting from the song, "LGBTQ, Let God Burn Them Quickly" Is that not hate speech?
He's saying gay people will go to hell. Not hate speech but rather an accurate reflection of what he believes.
this is just a slightly repackaged version of the typical "If I cant say the N word then its a slippery slope and before you know it its 1984" argument freeze peach absolutists use.
China's first speech law was about racism, y'all want to kill free speech, it just Boggles the mind. it never stops with "Hate speech"
"hate speech" is just a Trojan horse
Except for every time it does stop with hate speech. Like do you think Germany arrests people that insults its politicians?
Sucks to suck. Imagine not getting into art school