Dear Twitch Safety and Trust & Safety Team,

I am writing to request a platform-wide change to Twitch’s moderation and language policies concerning the term “deaf-mute” / “deaf mute.”

My request is NOT limited to situations where the term is directed at a Deaf person.

I am asking Twitch to consider recognising “deaf-mute” as a derogatory and outdated term that should not be used as an insult, slur, or form of abusive language anywhere on the platform, regardless of who the target is.

The important distinction is between legitimate discussion and abusive use.

For example, the term may appear when someone is discussing Deaf history, historical terminology, accessibility, or explaining why the term is outdated. That educational or contextual use should not automatically result in enforcement.

However, when “deaf-mute” is used as a derogatory insult or slur — regardless of whether the person being targeted is Deaf, hearing, disabled, or otherwise — I believe Twitch should treat this as abusive language.

I am therefore asking Twitch to consider:

• Adding “deaf-mute” / “deaf mute” and relevant variations to its internal moderation and safety systems as potentially prohibited derogatory language.
• Detecting the term across Twitch chat, usernames, display names, profiles, whispers and other communication areas.
• Treating deliberate abusive use consistently regardless of the target's actual hearing status.
• Providing context-sensitive moderation so legitimate educational, historical and accessibility discussions remain allowed.
• Giving users a clear way to report derogatory disability-related terminology.
• Consulting Deaf creators and Deaf accessibility experts when developing the policy.

The reason I am making this request is that language does not become acceptable simply because the person being insulted does not belong to the group associated with the term.

Twitch already recognises that certain language can be harmful when used as a slur or derogatory insult. I believe outdated disability terminology should be considered within the same broader approach to abusive language.

As a Deaf Twitch creator, I would like Twitch to take this seriously as an accessibility, safety and platform-wide moderation issue — not simply as an issue affecting Deaf users when they personally become the target.

I am asking Twitch to review whether “deaf-mute” should be treated similarly to other highly derogatory terms when it is used abusively, while preserving legitimate discussion and educational use.

Please forward this request to the appropriate Safety, Trust & Safety, Accessibility and Product teams.

Thank you for considering this request and for listening to Deaf creators.

Kind regards,

A Deaf Twitch Creator