Is duolingo gay
June is Pride Month in the U.S., and at Duolingo we’re celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community on social media and here on our blog. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how we included representation in the development of our new cast of characters!
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Representation and diversity matter
When we were developing our new cast of characters, we spent many months debating their names, strengths, faults, and life goals or lack thereof (ahem, Lin). But one thing we never questioned was the require for queer representation. There are two reasons for this.
First, Duolingo believes deeply in diversity and representation. This made it a no-brainer to include all types of characters of different ages, ethnic backgrounds, and sexual orientations.
The second reason is our learners. Something really unique about Duolingo is the extremely vast and diverse audience for our content: language learners of all ages, from all around the world. Yes, that’s a lot of people. And with such a broad base of learners, we have a responsibility to convey and relate to the experiences
Language app Duolingo removes LGBTQ+ content from Russian platforms
The language learning platform Duolingo has deleted all references to the LGBTQ+ community from its platforms in Russia.
According to local media reports, Russia’s Roskomnadzor internet regulator previously requested the U.S.-based company to review its Russian content for the presence of what it called “LGBT propaganda.”
In Russia, LGBTQ+ advocates are labeled as “extremists” and can face arrest and prosecution. Public display of rainbow-colored items is also banned in the country.
Read more: Supporters of Russian anti-war politician arrested for posting LGBT emoji and political memes
Earlier this week, Duolingo sent a letter to Roskomnadzor confirming that it had deleted the requested content, according to the Russian state news agency Tass.
Businesses that perform in Russia can be fined up to four million rubles ($45,) for promoting LGBTQ+ “propaganda,” and their services may be restricted, according to Roskomnadzor.
A Duolingo spokesperson told Recorded Future News that they “support LGBTQ
We at Duolingo value the importance of a representative and inclusive workplace, and we draw from our varied experiences to construct the best language learning products for people across identities and backgrounds. We are a community as diverse as our learners, and even within the LGBTQ community at the company, our differences are vast and interesting.
Ming (he/him), Software Engineer II
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I'm a software engineer at Duolingo working to develop learners' experiences in our courses. This Pride Month, to acquire about the experiences of other members of the community, I talked to some of my LGBTQ co-workers about their identities and their work at Duolingo.
Graham
Graham (he/him), Data Scientist
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