I am an international known queer trans activist, artist and business owner, who shares my life’s challenges and journey through my art. My work ranges in size and scale- from 1inch canvases to 40ft murals. I love making art that pushes boundaries and makes people think outside of societal norms. My art has a beautiful display of color, and textures that makes you feel good, connected, and know there is a deeper message behind it. My body of work has been purchased and displayed across the country in community centers, hotels, and galleries that share space with Lichtenstein's work. 

I am an activist in many community organizations. I opened up BrickBox Studios, a local artist community space, in Columbus Ohio 7 years ago. I am also a member of the ‘You Will Rise Project’, an organization using art against bullying. I am the founder of the Trans Pride Committee, which was born within my time on the board of Stonewall Columbus,  the LGBT Community center. Where I created Columbus’s first annual Trans Pride March, having the goal to create awareness and celebration for the trans community. 

This pandemic has been hard for everyone, and being a small business owner and creative. I too have felt it when I noticed every one of my shows that I was going to sell my art was being canceled left and right. I was trying to figure out ways to show myself and what I can do online, like how most people were starting to lean towards. 

I was told to try out this app called “TikTok”, that was where the makers, and the artists go to share their creations and possibly sell their work. I was nervous because the amount of time and energy to put into any new account can be overwhelming. I was hopeful being a maker, small business owner, an artist, an educator, and a trans activist that I could find a community, and possibly get my name out there to sell my work.  

It was shortly after I created my account I discovered that TikTok has a backwards way of screening people’s videos and “censorship”.

The first time I had a video removed from TikTok was because I was in shorts dancing around while painting. I was not thrusting or doing anything sexual, but listening to music on my headphones and painting while dancing in slow motion. I was confused and conflicted because I had seen cis men in tight shorts showing off body parts that were overtly sexualized, or seeing these “TikTok spandex” that were so revealing and sexualized. I did not understand how those were okay but my shorts were not. And all I was doing was enjoying the music I was listening to and dancing while painting. At that point I knew something was off with how TikTok was run. 

I then decided to “lighten” up how much I was going to show of my “offensive body” on this platform. And yes I am an outwardly present trans person that has done many forms of organizing for the trans community, including outreach for LGBTQ+ community.  So I know that there is possibly a target on my back from people that do not support my community or people like myself. But I was noticing not many people were seeing my content I was posting like my artwork or my trans activism. You dedicate your life to an art form and try to truly share your passions and skills and then maybe 30 people see your posts. But once you talk about a taboo subject then you have grabbed the attention of so many people, good and bad. 

The next video that was challenged because of “sexual content” was anything BUT sexual. It was a super cute video I made showing myself and I know it was 1000% appropriate with still images of myself modeling, asking if you would “Fall in love with me”. After submitting for that appeal TikTok let that video come back to my account, but after that I realized that anyone who may see my videos and could report it just because they feel offended by the presence of a Trans-bodied person. There was nothing else about that video that could have been offensive. I then also realized that the vetting and the reporting system for TikTok is more right wing conserve and twisted than it should be. I have seen many examples of this video where the people are practically naked and they were never once banned. 

I should also mention that I am also openly a Dom, I do practice in the art of sex work and creating positive sex experiences within the kink community. Now that I say that, this is something I do outside of TikTok, I never once showed what I was doing sexually with others or never once disclosed being a sex worker. But I do believe I was in the right to talk about creating sex positive spaces. Everything I have posted was thought out to not be too inappropriate for the audience from simply the words coming from my mouth, including making sure everyone in my videos were 100% consenting adults.

I finally discovered a positive community I could find myself in, I was educating the community for healthy relationship types and adult play, but being very cautious about how I was disclosing it so it was not inappropriate. I became a creator and started to accrue money for my content as well, this was really starting to look like a positive experience for me as a creator. 

I have been told by many of my followers that I am one of the most attentive interactive creators on this app. That I help make this app have a better experience than just your standard celebrity that doesn’t actually care about their users. I was creating a safe space for people to come out and feel like they have a space they can be open and transparent with me on. 

When I started to get more followers I also started to get more videos banned/reported. But for what? Because I was educating the public on items that can be used for fun consensual adult play? Or was it because I am openly a trans man that has shown myself bare chested having leather accessories on. Again nothing sexual just showing my work, art, clothing that is seen all over tiktok and very appropriate, funny goofy videos duets with people that are asking for inappropriate responses. What was it tiktok, because the pathetic excuse of your non reasoning and just generic statements are asinine. 

There was a moment in time were I felt confused as to why I was getting videos removed that were nothing close to what I have seen before on dozens of other accounts created by specifically Cis, White, heterosexual Men mostly. Now let me state I have nothing against cis, white, heterosexual men personally but the issue here is how society allows for them to get away with so much more than the communities that are ostracized and are deserving of the same kind of space such as; the LGBTQ+ community, Trans specific community, POC community, kink community, sex worker community, self harming and healing community, the anti fascists anti hate community, anti-trump community, anti the world is flat community ect. You get what I am saying. 

I had a completely innocent video with my partner and I dancing with each other fully clothed talking about positive and healthy relationship dynamics. That was the most recent video that was banned. All my followers have even said how adorable this is and how innocent and healthy it is to see a relationship like ours being so healthy and transparent. But that was banned, and that was the tip of the iceberg because the very next day after I hit 19k followers my account was permanently removed for it. I sent in an appeal and the response for denying the appeal was so fast it was arbitrary, because who is actually looking at this and reviewing the appeals? 

I recently had a new follower of mine mention they had a popup appear on one of my videos they were watching asking if they felt this was offensive and if it should be reported. I mean sorry but this is a new level of targeting users for banning users. I have never once seen a popup like that on any accounts I follow that definitely do not follow guidelines but because of them being a cis, heterosexual male they get away with it. Please TikTok, enlighten me here and tell me why this is happening. 

To list off a few cis, white, heterosexual male tiktokers that do not always follow guidelines but surely still have their accounts active… 

sharpie.shark 

@wildheathen 

@thecamillalavender

@steve.edge

@actual_whitebelt2.0

@oldworldcharm

@colewolfwood 

@therealjaza 

@arejoshdreamin

@Sp3rmyboi

@thomasjallie

@spicyychloebaby

@awkward_toaster

@thor.gainz94

@just_jason91

Please I encourage you to change your process for vetting and see that the trans community deserves to be on this platform just as much as anyone else. Don’t be like the rest of the platforms for creators, do better, be better. 

Briden C Schueren 

@thatguysart