Additional notes: The user's regular page can be viewed on en wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:QueerEcofeminist Queer may have to do with gender identity as opposed to being an indicator of 'sexual behavior', so the blockers didn't even get that right. Example: I am gender-nonconforming as to my gender identity and expression; this is the primary reason I use the label 'queer'.
I believe this should be reported... somewhere. But I don't know where. The WMF CoC only covers technical spaces. A little help here?
Ariel
On Wed, Jan 2, 2019 at 4:26 PM Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
Do we have cross project policies to govern or limit local policies for the use of sysop tools? I would like to pass on policy advice, and any past cases folks here would like to highlight that set a precedent.
The case below is illustrative, though based on my recall of several complaints which went nowhere over the years, on email lists, and Jimmy's talk page, about apparently arbitrary blocks on different non-English Wikipedias, it seems reasonable to believe those complaints are the tip of the iceberg, and there are likely to be many historical cases of blocks that could have been appealed... had the user been confident to complain in English, and have the energy to pursue generic WMF policies on terms of use, or harassment/discrimination, to establish a meta-level case.
# Example case
An account block on the Amharic Wikipedia (am.wp) was flagged up yesterday on the WM LGBT+ Telegram discussion group.[3] The rationale for blocking the account was because the account name includes the word "Queer"[1]. The incident raises questions about process and accountability, particularly as the block gives the impression that this is the norm or an agreed interpretation of policy for sysops on am.wp, and because the user is well established using this account name across Wikimedia projects and has never edited am.wp so the block cannot be based on any prior action or dispute.
In this example there is no obvious process for appeal, if sysops on that project think that blocking any LGBT+ related account name represents local consensus. After off-wiki discussion, the WMF Trust and Safety team has been approached for advice,[2] as the rationale for the action appears hostile to any openly LGBT+ volunteers who might want to include something queer looking in their account name (such as my account name, should anyone want to read it as transgender related).
# Links
https://am.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%88%8D%E1%8B%A9:Contributions/QueerEcofemin... ; the block log states "Names calling attention to your sexual behavior have never been allowed here in 15 years and aren't suddenly allowed in 2018" 2. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Trust_and_Safety 3. https://telegram.me/wmlgbt
Thanks Fae -- faewik@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_LGBT+
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