we all know ma pona has a significant tonsi population (trans/nb). being a safe space for trans/nb people is something that ma pona takes pride in.
yet they seem to have forgotten a crucial part of the transgender and non-binary experiences: gender dysphoria
gender dysphoria can be one of the most debilitating things a person will ever experience. yet it's so often treated as a minor inconvenience, even in queer communities like ma pona.
gender dysphoria is an understandable motivation to commit suicide. of course, suicide is not a good thing, but when faced with something as crippling as being forced into a body you don't belong in, suicide can feel like the only way out.
the correct way to prevent these suicides, is to love and support transgender and non-binary people, even if they are suicidal. the bar is set astonishingly low, yet ma pona somehow manages to seep under it.
the ma pona mod team has muted/banned multiple users, simply for expressing suicidal ideation. this is, for lack of a better word, very bad.
let me paint a picture of what factors the moderators are weighing in to make this decision:
faced with this extremely difficult decision (/s), the ma pona mod team choose to mute or ban them. not only are they are equating minor discomfort to debilitating dysphoria, they are denying vulnerable transgender/non-binary people a safe space.
and sure, ma pona isn't exactly well equipped to deal with this. they are a discord server, not a psychiatrist, after all. but the bare minimum is to give people a place to talk and vent and feel seen. if ma pona can't be that space, don't advertise it as a safe space for queer people, because it isn't.