Snapchat’s new gender-swapping filter is triggering members of the LGBT community who say the technology is transphobic and an insult to non-binary individuals.
Snapchat’s gender-changing filter allows users to see how they look if they swapped their gender to male or female. The filter drastically alters feminine or masculine facial features to turn even the manliest of men into a pillow princess.
RHOA star Kandi Burruss (pictured above and top) was among the celebrities and social media users who tried out the gender-swapping filter with amusing results. “This Snapchat filter is hilarious!!! I really look like a dude! ???” she captioned a video post.
But many in the transgender community say the filter simplifies the “transition” process, which is no laughing matter for them.
“My gender is not a costume,” Bailey Coffman told ABC News. Coffman, a 31-year old MtF transgender from New York, said people who are comfortable with their biological sex should not use the Snapchat filter for their own personal amusement.
“We are essentially the butt of the joke, through cruel and insensitive caricature,” said Maliyah London, another MtF trans.
Others criticized the filter for embracing binary stereotypes by giving users only 2 gender options: male and female.
“While Snapchat’s new filter is a lot of silly fun, there’s a more serious side to it,” writes Arwa Mahdawi in the Guardian. “It’s somewhat ironic that an app that encourages you to play with gender has such a binary view of it.”
And Mashable contributor Sage Anderson said Snapchat’s gender-switching filter “exposes the internet’s casual transphobia” by allowing people to play at swapping sexes with no real-life consequences.
“While you’re having fun posting about your imaginary chiseled jawline or flawless face of makeup, you might want to consider how this filter perpetuates some pretty wack stereotypes before you post your selfie. After all, casual transphobia looks good on no one,” Sage chastised readers.
A youth programs manager at GLSEN’s, told Mashable that, while intended as a “fun” joke, Snapchat is “assuming gender is a binary between men and women.”
MtF trans writer Rose Dommu said the new filter is “not cute” and makes light of the physical, mental, and emotional problems of transitioning.
“My Twitter mutuals don’t go with me to every painful laser hair removal appointment, don’t understand the feeling of waking up three times a night to pee because of Spironolactone’s diuretic properties, don’t shove a needle full of estrogen into their thigh twice a month, haven’t listened to me grapple with the dilemma of whether or not to get facial feminization surgery,” Dommu writes.
Being upset about this is just as ridiculous as the people who truly believe they can change their gender. I think about “man” that went to the hospital last week with stomach pains and then delivered a baby. Sir, you didn’t change shit, you are still a woman.?
???????????????
What’s the offense? Don’t drag queens use the women as a costume?
They’re offended by people swapping genders on an app but that’s what they do in real life. Makes it make sense.
Whatever. These people seem to be always complaining about something.
Canki Burress does not look any different in the trans pic.
This is an insult period!! I’m not a gay basher! But if you were born a man, be a damn MAN! If you were born a woman, be a WOMAN! There’s no way in hell you can ever change your nature. It’s sick people that thing they can become something that God never intended for them to be. That’s like BLACK people wishing they were CAUCASIAN because they hate themselves! Something needs to be said about this foolishness. I get so sick of seeing and reading it everywhere you go. Be who God made you to be and you won’t have to deal with stuff like this. They complain and want stuff to change, because they try to change who they are. Some people do what they do to piss others off. That’s for God to deal with, not me!!
I wonder why. If they are so happy with themselves, what someone else says, would not bother them.
I want to know what’s the offense myself.
Exactly.
Thank you!! I need this stuff to make sense to me. It’s just not logic.
Canki
Damnnn it’s only an App,that have Apps for just about any and everything..the shidt is for str8 entertainment…nutn more nutn less. Folks need to settle thee fvck down.
COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN. Let people fucking enjoy shit. Always offended about SOMETHING. shit gets sooo old.
Lol….stop!!!
It ain’t no offense….folks just wanna complain
I replied to your comment but I realized I misunderstood you so I deleted it. Have a nice day!
I saw this but I thought Kandi was switching faces with Todd. Speaking of the Tucker’s Todd bought her a car with probably with her money.?????
Ooohe! Kandi’s Snapchat has her looking like Funky Dineva. ??
Mental illness is always in the forefront complaining about something. Give it a rest.
I wish theses people would get Jesus and therepy! obama did an awesome job for 8-years he confused an entire generation of our young people. We can thank him for the low rate of marriages in the black community and the new face of aids which is black women!
Why would he buy her a car? Didint she buy him one and he crashed it.
Yo betta preach!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let it go please, just let it go already.
I hate all filters, they should have left that where it was…..
Mofo always overreacting
“My gender is not a costume!” That is so ironic that he says that because neither is mine for men to wear as a life-like costume, while pretending to be female.! These people will realize soon how they were preyed & played upon. Most of them will probably will not fair well. It is very unfortunate.
This technology is called Augmented reality. It is the future, if you missed investing in social media. This is a tip for you – augmented reality.
Remember the holo deck on Star trek, thats the directed this technology is headed being able to totally immerse your self into a custom reality and have the same power you have in your dreams, to go any where and be anything you can imagine.
Didn’t or dont they have a filter that made white chicks look like Black women?? Didn’t they call it “Blackfishing?”
THAT was okay. But when it’s done to the LGBTQ community, NOW it’s a problem & I should stand in solidarity?
Ok…but b4 I do, lemme ask this…Did the gay/lesbian/trans community protest “Blackfishing?”
No?
Bye.
https://media0.giphy.com/media/xTk9ZBWrma4PIC9y4E/giphy.gif
Chiiiillllleeee I decided I’m not going to give my energy to certain things at this point they just finding stuff to be mad about and they MAKE a choice to get surgery and do injections how is that anyone else’s problem and how is that anything someone else need to sympathize with them for? Chile bye
No problem! God bless you.
My question to them is, why complain? If you are happy with yourself, an app shouldn’t bother you. This is 2019, they have apps for almost everything now.
I want to say that Todd is still working behind the scenes and they have multiple business ventures between the two of them. I would believe he didn’t buy his wife a car with her money, because he probably doesn’t have access to Kandi’s money. After all, he did sign a prenup.
Thank you! I’m not an Obama hater, nor was I an Obama fan when he got into office. Black people are still broke, busted, and can’t be trusted. Clinton was and is the closest to a black president we ever had. Obama did what they put him in office to do: please the people.
I agree. But filters are just like touch ups and makeup. Takes away from who you are naturally. I’m not a fan of those things, I love the way God made me. However, I do not knock those who have a desire to do those things.
and what do they think theyre doing with their transitioning? not stereotypical? no real life consequences or experiences? ugh they are making me soooo sick, its a filter like all other filters on snapchat.
i read that and immediately laughed..and the gender part of only female and male. ummmm those are the only genders contrary to what that voice in their heads have told them.
all the time. when its done to them they see how unfunny it is.
lol
To each HIS/HER own, you are correct….
The closest thing to a black man hitting the White House and u muhfuckas still lookin for a reason to blame him for some shit when we are still paying for the residual effects of past presidents PRIOR to him! y’all silent on that tho so get over it…either ignore the shit or make trump fix it wit ya crybaby ass
Obama was President from 2009-2017. You think those issues like “the low rate of marriages in the black community” began when he took office in 2009? You people sound crazy, how you want to blame Obama for all this stuff. smh
THANK YOU ??
?
Thank you…
Your profile name though, love it??????
I did it and my DMs blew up. I was like ? ?
Pillow Princess?! LMAO! Sandra, stop! ?
Lmao hahhaahaha
I can’t stand filters
He bought it for her birthday.
Exactly
What else would yew expect from trump supporters
I think they’re ok if their aren’t over used….over use can lead to str8 deception. Some wimmen go overboard
*yawn*. Another day, another contrived “problem” for these psychologically imbalanced people to be “outraged” about.
Oh my gosh. Why don’t they shut up with this imaginary outrage? #firstworldproblems. Why don’t they complain about a real issue like police brutality or the ever widening gap between socio economic brackets or the issue with water in Flint, Michigan or the new immigration policy?
But WHYYYY Kandi don’t look NOOOO different. Uuuugh!!!???
I can’t roll my eyes hard enough at this BS!!!… Sigh!!!
https://media2.giphy.com/media/fnVT0pRGmr1WnuETld/giphy.gif
No, he just grabbed the baton and ran with it
Exactly, they practice gender appropriation on a daily basis.
The LGBTQ community are the biggest hypocrites. They are so sensitive! But act like the mafia at the same dam time!
Trans are triggered because after they get ALL dressed up, this filter shows them who they really are….. or the moment when the app malfunction and says “Error 404” ?
I’m so confused! So “He” was still using his vagina for sex with men?
You know what…my LGBTQLMNOPXYZ family does the most sometimes like I’m over it with their sensitive asses. Biological WOMEN may feel that a trans person playing DRESS UP is insulting to their gender so it goes both ways
Well said…coming from a gay man O_o
#FACTS but my gays/trans don’t see this
This is an example of PC culture gone too far.
Oh shut up. People always need something to complain about… this isn’t new. Snapchat has always had these filters.
Agreed 100%!!! Theie whole lives ain’t nothing but an audition! They wake-up in tha morning a girl, by noon time, “I’m a boy,” at dinnertime, “I’m fluid,” by bedtime, “I’m binary.” And when they they run outta names they wake-up the next day no longer born “White but Black!” They are the most confused bipolar “Generation” ever!!! GoodGrief!!!
The LGBT need to STFU when they are n the ones who parading around insulting the natural genders!!
https://media2.giphy.com/media/11gC4odpiRKuha/giphy.gif
???? Im done
The Gay community is getting on my nerves… They parade around for equal rights to be treated fairly and now that being gay is mainstream the gay are being treated like everyone else so this is what you asked for. Don’t start crying every time you guys don’t get ur way let’s not forget their has been no laws to protect black people from discrimination still to this day and a guy could dress up as a girl and take a straight man home have sex with them … And when the guy find out your a guy and that you tricked him and starts beating the breaks off you all u would have to say is that it’s a hate crime and they will take this man to jail and throw away the key so please spare me the dramatics. Gucci made a noose for a sweater and another shirt that represents black face. H&M put thier first darkskin black child model on thier posters with a hoodie that said I’m the coolest monkey on the playground and their wasn’t no uproar those clothing lines and people still have thier jobs and nobody said anything so yea if anybody could complain is black people we are still being oppressed while the gays are being praised
‘Others criticized the filter for embracing binary stereotypes by giving users only 2 gender options: male and female.’
Is there a third gender that I don’t know of? What do they look like?
Let’s look at it like this…. Being gay is the new white privilege shouts to jussie Smollett
Right!!… There ain’t no other gender… These confused MF’s have mental issues!!!
If you over 25 and playing with Snapchat filters. You lame
The rest of yaw can be against GAY all day. Create an app that prevents pregnancy outta wedlock. Ima wait
People love to make an issue when one does not exist!!!! https://media0.giphy.com/media/i8L3Y6T2Wf0uk/giphy.gif
Child bye…
REAL MENTAL ISSUES!!! FUGG’EM!
Convincing to let men try cross dressing soon it’ll it more trannies, BUT if they get medical technology right so they can get pregnant…… WAR
Kandi look the same ?????
I am a huge supporter of the LGBTQ community, but this is ridiculous.Thats like saying, you being trans is a carricuture of womanhood, you dont get periods or go through birth.One has NOTHING to do with the other!
She looks like milli vanilli
Always has been.
so what about drag queens. it just reminds me of somone taking a pic in drag, what about those trans people that don’t really care about the filter, or the trans people that borderline between this and that and feel like they can live in multiple genders, what about trans and gay that don’t get offended so easily? im gay and my cousin is trans and this stuff just doesn’t bother us and don’t need other gays/trans speaking for us..
Killings and tRUMP are more important things to bish over ijs….
OMG! Its a dam filter. Who’s next, the animal lovers are going to complain about the filters changing humans to cute animals? Shut up already. Lighten up. Trans ythung is dressing up, so why can’t people play around with the filter? Obviously their not transphobic if their willing to experiment with yhe filter. Binary, non binary, cist, gay, trans, queer, non sezual, asexual, pansexual, other, they……and I, a leabian, am confused as hell.
Yo Kandi could get it male or female
(snickers)….
Kandi looks like her husband here . And I’ll just be quiet about what I would like to say to certain humans
the filter for embracing binary stereotypes by giving users only 2 gender options: male and female.
———————————————-
But there are only 2 genders. What does a third gender looks like? I really hate this world ?????
Candy looks the same!?
?
Its scary and weird.
kandi – i’m dying lol
LOLOLOL
Shole does https://media1.giphy.com/media/xT1Ra1Oa6nbEynoCD6/giphy.gif
Fake outrage again?? Social Media platforms will CONTINUE to do ANYTHING they want because people DEPEND on them for their day to day life!
Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Grindr,Plenty of Fish is the New Age Crack Epidemic and the Owners of them are Nino Brown and Em https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1k7uyOkyXmKY/giphy.gif https://media2.giphy.com/media/6jTpmSjnjDGmI/giphy.gif https://media3.giphy.com/media/aKzANRhoTGBPO/giphy.gif
People to sensitive its fun dannngggg.
……………………………….
Who cares.
Where is the ABCDEFG group when random people dress up in blackface poking fun of us? No where. I could care less about their feelings about it.
Even though this world is going to sh*t….I won’t use it. lol
*Yawn* I trust you are having a marvelous Monday, Roses.
Hmmm… waiting on these same cavalier and flippant sentiments when white people start using the app that makes THEM BLACK! You black anti-gay fools kill me celebrating and defending a brand of indifference that doesn’t directly affect you. Thus, I encourage white people to build MORE PRISONS and hire MORE WHITE MALE RACIST COPS as a friendly reminder that you heterosexist Negroes are still public enemy #1 GLOBALLY.
Yeah, white people have been saying the same thing to black people for years. **hard eye roll**
Dommu! No I don’t know what that feel like for you to be a woman instead of a man, however, that’s your problem! This is your decision to transition! It’s a freakin app! U people need to get thicker skin! There is an app for EVERYTHING else! If this is your choice to transition, then u must get tougher!
Great Post! It’s a freakin app! Damn! Softies trying to transition!
Boy, people can suck the fun out of anything.
If I was transgender I would feel a certain kinda way about this app…..It really is mocking them ….and that isn’t cool….no wonder suicide rates are on the rise….I’m not going to use it.
I get offended when people darken their skin using filters. I get offended when dark skinned people use the filters to lighten their skin. Quit always being offended. It is what it is. Maybe it will help people thinking about transitioning if they see their self and they dont like it. Idk….it really dont matter!