FediForum is a virtual “unconference” that meets twice a year to showcase new developments, hold community discussions across a variety of important subjects, and give members of the wider Fediverse an opportunity to connect. For the most part, it’s been a successful effort to bring the network together and talk about ideas and future directions worth taking. However, the event has recently found itself at the center of controversy, and has been subsequently canceled.

Transphobia From a Co-Organizer

One recent development still fresh within community awareness involves Kaliya “IdentityWoman” Young, co-organizer of the unconference alongside Johannes Ernst. Community members recently stumbled into problematic rhetoric made by Kaliya regarding her position on transgender athletes in women’s sports.

Sex isn’t a “gender orientation” it is really simple biology.

Gamete size – its really simple.

Stop confusing young autistic vulnerable people.

— Date Unknown

You think it IS moral to have male-bodied people who identify as trans women playing in elite comparative sport for female-bodied people?

Gender can be socially-constructed.

Sex is not. Female categories for sport where hard won. They need to stay female.

— April 8th, 2023

There are only two sexes.

Gender expression can be broad and have a vast range of possibilities – literally 100s if not 1000s.

Sex denialism is dangerous.

We can have both things together. 2 sexes, 1000s of genders.

— Jul 10th, 2023

Telling male children who have feminine tights they must be female is what is happening and it is hurting boys.

Go listen to detransitioners and what has happened as the culture has gone competely bonkers confusing sex and gender.

— March 31st, 2023

There are more receipts floating around, however Kaliya appears to have deleted most of her Mastodon posts and marked her X account as Protected. These statements stand in stark contrast to her latest Mastodon statuses.

I fully acknowledge the right of trans people to exist, thrive and live their lives to the fullest with equal rights and dignity. They have always been welcome at events I have helped organize over the last 20 years.

— March 29th, 2025

When asked whether she still held her more problematic views in a follow-up comment, Young responded ambiguously with “I fully stand by the statement you are commenting on.”

Community Response

Within the following 24 hours of the community learning about these statements, a number of prominent community figures have signaled an intent to withdraw from FediForum entirely, citing a sense of discomfort and lack of safety for event attendees. A number of people have stated a desire to form an alternate event, and are currently discussing details.

Official Updates

Johannes Ernst stepped forward shortly afterwards with a public update:

In the past day or so, it was pointed out that my FediForum co-organizer has made some public statements that are incompatible with the kind of community we want to bring together at FediForum, and that I personally disagree with. Accordingly, Kaliya and I have agreed that she will be transitioning out of FediForum.

— March 30th, 2025

This response rang hollow for some community members, and raised more questions about whether or not Young would still be attending the event or getting paid from the proceeds. One day later, FediForum posted an official update to clarify matters.

Organizational update: FediForum, this time, is organized entirely by @j12t . The previous co-organizer is no longer involved.

Johannes’ previous announcement said “transitioning out” because there were a lot of accounts to transfer and settings to change and responsibilities to be moved so the transition could not be immediate. However, we have been scrambling and believe it is now complete.

(It is possible we missed something. If so, please point this out, gently if possible )

— March 31st, 2025

While this more or less resolves the immediate issue, the organization continues to receive criticism for its management, communication, and handling of the situation.

Official Cancellation

In a series of posts, the FediForum account officially confirmed the event will be held at a later date. The transcription can be read below.

We’ve all had a difficult few days. Tempers are high. Some of what’s been happening in the Fediforum comments section has reached insult-only stage and I have heard of physical safety concerns.

This is needs to stop, right now, none of this helps anybody.

So hold it, people.

FediForum April 1-2 is canceled, to be rescheduled at a future date.

In this environment, it is hard for me to see how a typical FediForum event could be successful tomorrow or the day after, we all need a time out. So I’m pulling the plug right now.

Registration is disabled as of now. Everybody who has a ticket can ask for a full refund. If you don’t, we will credit the purchase price for a future FediForum. Use the e-mail on our contact page fediforum.org/contact/

My apologies to the people who have diligently prepared for demos, presentations and sessions, and all of you who just wanted to come and help build a better social media future at FediForum.

We will create opportunity for you in the future, even if it’s a little hazy right now how and when this future will come to pass. Thanks for your understanding.

As next steps forward, we will be organizing a set of roundtables to listen to the FediForum community, to hear how we can do better — with a reconstituted organizing team. I clearly am not able to do this myself.

We want to do this with the community, and with all parts of the community, including trans folks, black people, and the many other marginalized groups that are under attack from so many directions these days. We want to do what we can to stand with you.

We will start this discussion tomorrow morning, right at the time when FediForum was supposed to start. We scrap the agenda that we were supposed to have, and make it a townhall or roundtable listening session, depending on how many people show.

We have the online venue, you probably have reserved time for FediForum and have received invite codes already, we might as well use it.

This one time, the roundtable / townhall will be for people who have invite codes already from their FediForum registration, to hopefully keep the size manageable. In the future, we will broaden participation.

I realize now that have made a number of mistakes in the past few days, as well as before, top of which is that I have not communicated better — in both directions. Some misunderstandings as well as real problems could have been avoided.

Thanks everybody who pointed this out. We/I need to fix this and do better, and I appreciate your help.

But I own this. So: sorry!

I want to thank everybody who got in touch, and in particular those of you (you know who you are!) who went out of their way to sit down with me to patiently and constructively explain their views on how we got here, and ideas on how to move forward.

There’s lots I learned and I so much appreciate it! I owe you.

We will update websites, venue etc as soon as we can and send cancelation notices by e-mail. Bear with us, that might take a bit.

I’m looking forward to seeing you — and listening to you — in the morning!

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