Eventbrite, an event management platform, deplatformed a scheduled Turning Point USA (TPUSA) screening for The Daily Wire’s documentary “What Is A Woman?” for allegedly promoting “hate.”
The Turning Point USA chapter at Western Kentucky University announced the deplatforming of the on-campus screening event scheduled for Sept. 13. Maggie Fuchs, a TPUSA field representative, posted a screenshot of an email announcing the decision to remove the event from the platform.
“We encourage our organizers to express their views and gather for a chosen purpose as long as it’s done in a way that doesn’t violate our Legal Terms,” the email from “Eventbrite Trust & Safety” read. “We do not permit events, content, or creators that encourage hate, violence, or harassment towards others and/or oneself. In this instance, we have determined that your event expresses views that are in violation of our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service and is therefore not permitted on the Eventbrite platform.”
Eventbrite removed our event to watch @MattWalshBlog “What is a Woman”. The event will still be happening. Show up and let’s show Eventbrite that their censorship will not stop us. It’s next Tuesday, September 13, 6pm in DSU 2123. https://t.co/h9sDcNv0Za
— Turning Point USA WKU (@wku_tpusa) September 7, 2022
Eventbrite’s Community Guidelines prohibits “hate speech, hateful ideologies” and any language that incites or promotes “violence, intimidation, disparagement, harassment, or threats targeting an individual.” The event platform also prohibits hateful speech that targets a person’s “gender identity.” (RELATED: ‘What Is A Woman?’: Matt Walsh Challenges ‘Non-Binary’ Guests On Transgenderism)
Fuchs told the Daily Caller that Eventbrite has a bias toward conservatives and have shut down the opportunity to have a meaningful discussion about the film.
“Eventbrite clearly holds a bias against conservative leaning events. If they had done their research instead of making assumptions, they would see that the film is designed to create a conversation,” she said in a statement to the Caller.
The Daily Wire podcast host Matt Walsh created and starred in the documentary, which released in June and challenges transgender ideology by interviewing a wide variety of experts, professionals and ordinary people on both sides of the issue. Walsh suggested that Eventbrite is discriminating against conservatives by deplatforming the event.
“We need an answer @eventbritehelp. Are conservatives not welcome to use your platform? Let us know so we can spread the word if that’s the case,” Walsh tweeted.
We need an answer @eventbritehelp. Are conservatives not welcome to use your platform? Let us know so we can spread the word if that’s the case. Cc @eventbrite https://t.co/8chefuDnsK
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 7, 2022
“Now @eventbrite is going through and removing all events associated with my film,” Walsh wrote in a separate tweet. “They have not reached out to us or explained how the film qualifies as ‘hate speech.’ They can’t explain it because the charge is totally absurd.”
Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet said the event was made to open a discussion and celebrate free speech in a statement Thursday.
“If Eventbrite truly believes that a screening of ‘What Is A Woman?’ — one of the most popular cultural documentaries of the last decade—is somehow in violation of their community guidelines of ‘promoting hate, violence, or harassment against others’ then they are condemning the millions of Americans of all backgrounds who have already seen the film,” Kolvet said. “This event is a celebration of free speech, our American birthright, and it’s designed to spark discussion among students. We encourage Eventbrite to immediately reverse this arbitrary decision or risk permanently alienating half of their customer base, a cause we would happily champion.”
Independent journalist Stephen Horn alleged that Eventbrite removed another “What Is A Woman?” screening in July that was posted to the platform by the Republican Party of Wake County, North Carolina. Mark Earley Jr., a candidate for Virginia’s House of Delegates, claimed that Eventbrite had removed yet another screening of the documentary, sharing what he said was a screenshot of a similar email from “Eventbrite Trust & Safety” dated Sept. 7.
Eventbrite has a history of deplatforming conservative events for allegedly violating community guidelines. The platform canceled payments in July for an event featuring the Dinesh D’Souza documentary “2,000 Mules,” which attempted to prove widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. The platform alleged that the event spread “potentially harmful misinformation.”
The platform allows for “all-ages” drag shows to be promoted, including one held in Minnesota and another in Illinois, according to its website.
Eventbrite did not respond to the Daily Caller’s requests for comment. The Daily Wire did not provide a comment on the story.