Social Media Darling Clubhouse Boycotts SXSW Conference over Texas Policy on 'Transgender' Kids

Popular audio chatroom app Clubhouse has announced that it will boycott the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference this year in Austin, Texas, due to the state’s policy labeling extreme treatments for allegedly transgender children as child abuse. Gov. Greg Abbott said: “It is already against the law to subject Texas children to a wide variety of elective procedures for gender transitioning, including reassignment surgeries that can cause sterilization, mastectomies, removals of otherwise healthy body parts, and administration of puberty-blocking drugs or supraphysiologic doses of testosterone or estrogen.”

NPR reports that Clubhouse, the popular social audio chatroom app, will not be attending the SXSW conference this year in Austin, Texas in protest of the state’s attempt to limit access to sex-reassignment surgery for children. SXSW is considered one of the world’s most influential gatherings of leftist tech elites and cultural power players, featuring panel discussions and numerous parties and backroom deal-making sessions.

AUSTIN, TX – MARCH 16: Haelos performs onstage during the PANDORA Discovery Den SXSW on March 16, 2016 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Pandora)

A spokesperson for Clubhouse stated on Twitter: “We realized we wouldn’t feel comfortable asking LGBTQ+ voices from the Clubhouse community to come to Texas…and if we feel that way, we shouldn’t be there at all.”

instead, we’ll be holding our panel “The Power of Voice” in Clubhouse and donating SXSW travel costs to local organizations. we’re also going to hold a series of rooms supporting trans speakers and creators 🏳️‍⚧️

— Clubhouse (@Clubhouse) March 2, 2022

Instead of attending SXSW, the company plans to host a panel called “The Power of Voice” on its platform. The company will also be donating the travel costs associated with the conference to local organizations while hosting a number of Clubhouse conversations supporting transgender speakers and creators.

Maya Watson, head of marketing for Clubhouse, stated: “This was an easy decision and welcome and support brands, talents and other panels to house on [Clubhouse].”

This was an easy decision and welcome and support brands, talent and other panels to host on @clubhouse. https://t.co/rgpOwJXQQz

— Maya (@mayawatson) March 2, 2022

A spokesperson for SXSW told the Austin American-Statesman: “SXSW stands against discriminatory legislation and supports the LGBTQ+ community. The governor’s latest directive puts trans children in harm’s way once again, and we unequivocally condemn this action.”

The leftist outrage stems from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent instructions to state agencies to investigate reports of children undergoing life-altering procedures to their biological development with the aim to alter their sex.

Breitbart News reported on the situation, writing:

Transgender advocates call giving children drugs that block the onset of puberty necessary to “gender-affirming” medical care — or care that advances the idea that one can choose their sex, alter their biological makeup, and even body-altering surgery.

“Texas law imposes reporting requirements upon all licensed professionals who have direct contact with children who may be subject to such abuse, including doctors, nurses, and teachers, and provides criminal penalties for failure to report such child abuse,” Abbott wrote in a letter to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

The letter comes after Paxton issued Opinion No. KP-0401 last week that called treating minors to extreme treatments is child abuse.

Abbott wrote that “it is already against the law to subject Texas children to a wide variety of elective procedures for gender transitioning, including reassignment surgeries that can cause sterilization, mastectomies, removals of otherwise healthy body parts, and administration of puberty-blocking drugs or supraphysiologic doses of testosterone or estrogen.” 

Jonathan Covey, director of policy for the group Texas Values, commented on the situation to the New York Times, stating: “Minors are prohibited from purchasing paint, cigarettes, alcohol, or even getting a tattoo. We cannot allow minors or their parents to make life-altering decisions on body-mutilating procedures and irreversible hormonal treatments.”

Read more at NPR here.

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address [email protected]