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Women-only social media app Giggle for Girls taken to court by transgender woman Roxanne Tickle after her account was restricted (www.abc.net.au)

submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

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In short: Transgender woman Roxanne Tickle is suing social media platform Giggle for Girls after she was excluded from the women-only app.
She is alleging unlawful discrimination on the basis of gender identity while the app's founder has denied she is a woman.
What's next? The hearing is expected to run for four days.

A transgender woman who was excluded from a women-only social media app should be awarded damages because the app's founder has persistently denied she is a woman, a Sydney court has heard.

In February 2021, Roxanne Tickle downloaded the Giggle for Girls social networking app, which was marketed as a platform exclusively for women to share experiences and speak freely.

Users needed to provide a selfie, which was assessed by artificial intelligence software to determine if they were a woman or man.

Ms Tickle's photograph was determined to be a woman and she used the app's full features until September that year, when the account became restricted because the AI decision was manually overridden.

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[-] Bahalex@lemmy.world 177 points 7 months ago

I have nothing to add, just amused by the fact that a Tickle can’t get a giggle.

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 13 points 7 months ago

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[-] john89@lemmy.ca 99 points 7 months ago

I don't understand.

It's okay to discriminate against men but not transgender women?

[-] prof@infosec.pub 83 points 7 months ago

While I certainly agree with you that discrimination based on sex is unacceptable im most contexts, I believe that gender exclusive spaces, unless they hinder people directly, sometimes are a good thing.

My dad is a mental health professional and founded a weekly 'only-men' self help group. He found that some things they talked about there wouldn't have worked with women involved. That group existed for about 5 years or so and helped quite a few struggling men.

So yeah, unless there's any maliciousness involved, I'd argue that gender exclusiity is not bad in every context.

[-] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 14 points 7 months ago

That's a bit different. A little private group is not a for-profit company. The difference between not being invited to a family only event when you aren't family and not being allowed into a restaurant chain because of your race.

[-] prof@infosec.pub 27 points 7 months ago

The group I referenced had a paid membership. Scale that up and make it digital and you may end up with a gender exclusive social media app.

I get what you mean though, but I feel there's a bit more nuance than what you imply.

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[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 21 points 7 months ago

More the reverse. If you say "Girls Only" and then exclude a girl, you've violated your own terms of service.

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[-] Sorgan71@lemmy.world 99 points 7 months ago

Wow an app based on gender descrimination is being sued for gender descrimination. I'm shocked

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[-] deft@lemmy.wtf 60 points 7 months ago

Wanna know how I know y'all suck?

Tickle is taking on Giggle for Girls and not one witty joke?

[-] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 46 points 7 months ago

There's low hanging fruit, and then there's the shit on the ground that wild animals eat to get drunk.

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[-] Kedly@lemm.ee 55 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

This thread was fated to be a dumpster fire from the instant it was created

Edit: 6 people dont seem to understand what an unholy combination it is to merge: Transphobia, Misandry, AI, and somewhat silly names on the internet

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[-] homura1650@lemm.ee 35 points 7 months ago

I'm not familiar with Australian law, but how do you get to "discrimination on the basis of gender identity" in this case. Wouldn't the case for that be a trans man trying to join or stay on the app? (Or a cis man for that matter).

It sounds like Tickle's position is that the app should be discriminating based on gender identity. Her complaint seems more like them discriminating on (vaguely defined policy ammounting to) assigned gender at birth.

Having said that, I suspect their tune will change if a trans man tried joining.

[-] dogslayeggs@lemmy.world 38 points 7 months ago

Having said that, I suspect their tune will change if a trans man tried joining.

Exactly this. I fucking guarantee they wouldn't let a trans man join and actively contribute.

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[-] mdwhite999@lemmy.sdf.org 12 points 7 months ago

Discrimination based on gender identity is basically saying I have been treated differently due to being transgender. She is saying that she as a transgender woman is being treated differently to a cisgender woman. Or that is at least how it works in the UK. I would presume Australia is similar

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[-] LillyPip@lemmy.ca 29 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Wait. We’re unironically calling social media for women Giggle and then we’re surprised it might be sexist? April first was like a week ago…

[-] CosmicCleric@lemmy.world 20 points 7 months ago

Ms Tickle’s photograph was determined to be a woman and she used the app’s full features until September that year, when the account became restricted because the AI decision was manually overridden.

I'd love to know the story behind the manual overriding.

[-] Silentiea@lemm.ee 20 points 7 months ago

Apparently she defended trans people in a conversation, someone complained, and moderators got involved and manually overrode the ai. Paraphrased hearsay.

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[-] RagingRobot@lemmy.world 18 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I think she will win this. They didn't require a genital photo so what's even their proof? Arbitrary requirement anyways. Rules like that only leave people out. I understand the want for a space like that though. I hope this woman finds a space where she can feel safe.

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[-] butsbutts@lemmy.ml 13 points 7 months ago

you dont have to put on the red light

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this post was submitted on 09 Apr 2024

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