- Target:
- Region:
- GLOBAL
- Website:
- www.facebook.com
Recently, Facebook began flagging and locking out certain member's accounts and requiring legal verification of the profile name used before Facebook would unlock said account.
This petition was started to stop this account lock. There are numerous Facebook account holders who identify with and answer to a name that is not their legal name.
While this issue has an impact on many people, this petition has been tagged as a gender issue for a very important reason:
Facebook claims the verification is to ensure that people are able to find you on Facebook and know they're connecting with the right person. The issue here is that many transgender, agender and genderfluid account holders cannot afford to legally change their name. Furthermore, many have been using their preferred name for so long that no one would even know their birth name. For example:
Sally was born a male and named "Fred" but Sally is male-to-female transgender and only answers to the name Sally. Other than Human Resources, none of Sally's work colleagues know that she is transgender or that her legal name is "Fred". When a work colleague asks to add Sally on Facebook, is it fair for Sally to have to say, "My name is Fred Smith."; should Sally be forced to out herself just to connect with friends on Facebook?
For anyone who does not feel safe using their legal name; this account lock is unjust.
We, the undersigned, call on Facebook to lift the account locks and allow Facebook users to hold accounts in their preferred name, for the sake of personal safety; no legal verification required.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Stop Facebook's Legal Name Requirment petition to Facebook was written by Erin Askins and is in the category Gender Rights and Issues at GoPetition.