The Problem with "Sexually Suggestive Content" Language

A look at Twitch's community guidelines faux pas

Jul 08, 2021

It seems mandatory at this point that every online gathering space, every social media platform, has a version of community guidelines that outline the company’s values. Sex positivity and sexual expression are values often left off the list, but sexual content is heavily discussed. It is in the use of language here that companies find themselves in hot water. Taking on the behemoth of a task such as defining sexual content, a task we professionals have yet to fully accomplish leaves their guidelines open for interpretation. But, resort to restricting, censoring, and banning when someone pushes the envelope.

I recently came across another censorship controversy, this time on the social media platform Twitch. Major streamers, Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa, with almost 4 million follows, were banned for streaming herself practicing yoga and making ASMR sounds. This comes in the aftermath of a previous controversy, the overnight sensation of hot tub streaming, and Twitch’s lack of banning because of that.

For those unfamiliar, Twitch is a social media platform for live streamers. Popularized for live streaming of gamers, Twitch is another all-powerful content-creating machine where millions come together to chat, interact, and make their own entertainment together, all while live. The concern for online protection is strong with visual media, therefore Twitch’s community guidelines are exhaustive. I took a look so you didn’t have to. Under the bold title “Nudity, Pornography, and Other Sexual Content,” Twitch gets into the details.

The first sentence reads: “We restrict content that involves nudity or is sexual in nature, and are committed to ensuring that Twitch is not used for sexual exploitation or violence.” All nudity and “sexual” content is restricted on their platform, even those “intended for educational, scientific, artistic, newsworthy, or academic purposes.” This is huge. Basically, anything that has anything to do with sex—regardless of its intentions or purpose—is prohibited.

This conservative approach could almost work in Twitch’s favor—many platforms restrict all types of sexual content and while extreme, does make things easier. But what even is “sexual” content? According to Twitch, it’s a lot of things. To name a few from the list: Camera focus on the breasts, genitals, or buttocks, groping, fetishizing behavior, erotic dancing (including pole dancing), and the use of sex toys. When it comes to nudity, Twitch likes to use the phrasing of “standard body-coverage expectations” which, to them, includes the “area extending from your hips to the bottom of your pelvic and buttocks.”

Let me be clear: other sources that have reported on Amouranth’s banishment are quick to discuss her attire, implying heavily that, due to the nature of the clothing, the content is inappropriate. Attire has and always will be irrelevant, especially because she clearly met the attire policy of Twitch. Suggesting anything else is superfluous.

Twitch agrees with the irrelevance of attire. In the guidelines, they assert that “Evaluations on the sexual suggestiveness of a behavior or activity are independent of user attire and are instead based on the overall surrounding framing and context.”

This statement was further defined in the candid letter regarding hot tub streaming. Hot tub streaming is exactly as it sounds: creators, while wearing swimsuits, stream from the warmth and comfort of their hot tub. Amouranth even had hot tub streams. Misogynists were enraged, demanding streams with this “sexual nature” be removed, seemingly suggesting that just because a woman dons a bikini means she’s implying sex. Twitch openly addresses the harassers: “Being found to be sexy by others is not against our rules, and Twitch will not take enforcement action against women, or anyone on our service, for their perceived attractiveness.” They were decidedly not going to ban hot tub streams, that doing so goes against their rules. Twitch: 1. Misogynist haters: 0.

Also in the letter following the hot tub debacle, Twitch even admits that their “Sexually Suggestive Content” was worded poorly:

“Our intention with the Sexually Suggestive policy was to draw a line on content that is overtly or explicitly sexually suggestive, not to ban all content that could be viewed as sexually suggestive—but we acknowledge that our rules are not as clear as they could be.”

And yet, Twitch went on to ban Amournath after doing yoga fully clothed.

The importance of safety on the internet is paramount. Censorship, to a certain extent, is necessary. It is when language is manipulated to include and exclude concurrently that the solution—censoring—is no longer for safety, but instead about highly subjective restriction. And Twitch is just one of many examples. Their community guideline page for sexual content is loaded visually, making it seem well thought out, but ultimately cover up responsibility. They have much to say without really any substance.

These companies hide behind claims like “nudity” for pieces of artwork of sexual anatomy or “sexually suggestive” for ASMR yoga streams, so they don’t have to put in the work to be sex-positive. It is easier to give and take than it is to properly define the term and acknowledge their obvious biases.

So, Twitch, to combat your hypocritical language, here’s a free starting point:

Sexually “suggestive” content exists everywhere because “suggestive” is subjective. What might seem sexual to you, does not mean it is inherently sexual. This makes monitoring content difficult and we’re here to acknowledge this. As a social platform, we have the responsibility to uphold the safety of our creators and viewers. In doing so, we prohibit all forms of sex acts (think penetration, masturbation, or genital stimulation with the intent to reach orgasm) as well as insist on coverage of the genitals. As for women’s nipples, it is 2021 and we finally understand our crusade against them has been futile. These are our beliefs and are subject to evolution as we grow as people and as a society.

This statement is honest. This shifts the original language from aggression to that of compassion and understanding. Sex is hard! It’s complicated! And it’s only further complicated daily by social media. There are important responsibilities, like ensuring laws are not being broken, that every company must address, but when vague terms are used, hypocrisy follows.

At the time of this writing, the community guidelines remain un-updated. Amouranth, however, has since been unbanned—though not before receiving a surge in membership to her OnlyFans account, which I applauded.

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Shelby’s Pick: The Wisconsin Dells

Later this afternoon, Zack and I leave for another 400-mile road trip to my hometown of Grayslake, IL. We just got back from an equally as long (we actually live just about dead center between our two hometowns), but it’s time to hit the road again. Tomorrow (Friday 9th), we’ll convoy up to Wisconsin—a fifteen-minute drive from my childhood home gets you into Wisconsin, that’s how close I am to the border.

What has always surprised me is that no one knows about the Wisconsin Dells. The Dells, for those unfamiliar, is the Waterpark Capital of the World. Yeah, you read that right. It has the most outdoor and indoor (it is the Midwest after all) waterparks than any other place. And they say Disney is magical.

To be clear, the Dells is totally trashy—it kinda has to be! It’s a Midwest tourist spot, of course you’re going to have severely rotund people who undoubtedly voted for you-know-who, potentially applaud the coup, and are, quite simply, white trash. The Dells is a tourist trap—I mean, what else is there to do in Wisconsin?—but it definitely has its cute moments too. The river, for one, is a highlight. The Dells of the Wisconsin River is a 5-mile stretch of river with gorges and stunning Cambrian sandstone rock formations. Fun Fact: You can only find this type of sandstone in one other place in the world!

[At the moment, I’m looking into indigenous and Native American spots to pay respect to, which is something the Walden (my mom’s maiden name) family has never done. It’s never too late to change your traditions.]

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Their guiding principles prioritize the collective histories of LGBTSTGNC people of color and the struggle against discrimination and oppression. The ALP is a home base for LGBTST peoples of African/ Black/ Caribbean, Arab, Asian & Pacific Islander, Latina/o, and Native/Indigenous descent. They wholeheartedly believe that services and organizing efforts are most successful when they involve the communities served, so ALP creates and supports decision-making and organizational structures that represent the communities they serve. The ALP knows competent skills and expertise already exist in the LGBTSTGNC people of color communities, but they often go underutilized. Therefore, ALP supports and promotes the work of existing and emerging LGBTST people of color organizations as well as the efforts of LGBTSTGNC people of color cultural workers and activists.

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Head to their Instagram for the most recent updates and, if you’re in New York City on August 28th, check out BedStuy Pride, which they’re organizing.

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