Renowned Canadian author and psychologist Dr. Jordan B. Peterson is refusing to back down after being temporarily suspended on Twitter for tweeting about transgender actor Elliot Page.
On June 28, Twitter claimed the University of Toronto professor violated the site’s “hateful conduct” policy after Peterson referred to Page’s former name prior to transition (Ellen Page) and suggested that a “criminal physician” removed the actor’s breasts. Peterson was responding to an article by the New York Post in which Page was boasting about introducing a trans character on Netflix’s Umbrella Academy.
“I penned an irritated tweet in response to one of the latest happenings on the increasingly heated culture war front,” Peterson told the National Post.
Although the ban on Twitter is temporary, Peterson says he may as well be permanently banned on the platform.
Peterson could gain full access back to his Twitter account 12 hours after he deletes the tweet in question, but the Canadian author says he would “rather die” than delete the tweet.
“There are no rules on Twitter except don’t do what we don’t like today,” he said.
“They are always applied post hoc by algorithms and idiots bent on maintaining their woke superiority.”
According to screenshots posted by Peterson’s daughter, Mikhaila Peterson, Twitter claims Peterson’s account violated the platform’s rules on “hateful conduct.”
Users may not “promote violence against or directly attack or threaten other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease,” according to Twitter’s “hateful conduct policy.”
“Twitters a rat-hole, in the final analysis, I have probably contributed to that, while trying to use, understand and master that horrible, toxic platform,” Peterson said.
“If I can’t be let back on because I won’t apologize, I could care less.”
A temporary suspension means Peterson only has access to limited features on Twitter. He can still browse the site and send direct messages to his followers, but he cannot tweet, retweet, follow or like.
