Facebook denies drag queens’ plea to lift stage name ban
By Josh Haggis
Facebook has denied the drag community’s request to allow performers to use their stage names on profiles.
The social network is enforcing a real-name policy designed to “protect the community and increase accountability”, but many drag queens have argued that they should be able to use their stage names instead in the interests of “privacy, safety, or preference”. Read more here.
Members of the San Francisco drag community met with Facebook representatives earlier this week to discuss the issue, but the social network has refused to budge, insisting that profiles must continue to show users’ actual birth names.
Chris Wolf of the Anti-Defamation League explained in a statement on Facebook’s behalf: “As someone who has studied online hate for 20 years, I know that a real-name policy works to prevent hate speech and harassment. Simply put, anonymity allows people to engage in harassment and bullying.”
According to Sister Roma, one of the drag queens who attended the Facebook meeting, the social network has pledged to restore profiles that were deleted because they featured drag names – and will keep them active for another two weeks while performers either decide to use their real names, or alternatively leave the social network.
Read her full statement below.