Doberman.Media is an independent media outlet for the LGBTK+ community. Comments on our articles are a shared space where people with different experiences, different levels of openness, and different levels of safety meet. These rules are needed to keep this space alive, honest, and safe for everyone.
By leaving a comment on the site, you agree to follow the rules below. We may hide, edit, or delete comments and restrict access to commenting — without prior explanation if that is necessary for the community’s safety.
1. Respect — by default
- We do not tolerate insults, harassment, threats, or demeaning remarks — including homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, ageism, fatphobia, serophobia (stigmatization of people living with HIV), and any other forms of discrimination. This also applies to remarks inside the LGBT+ community — there is no hierarchy of "right" and "wrong" queerness here.
- Argue with the position, not the person. Personal attacks, insults about appearance, origin, diagnosis, or status are grounds for deleting a comment.
- Toxic sarcasm and "jokes" built on humiliation are also harassment, even if they are presented as "just irony."
2. Safety and anonymity — a priority
- Doxxing is strictly prohibited: publishing or attempting to reveal a real name, place of work/study, address, phone number, links to private accounts, or any other data that could identify a person without their consent — whether of other users or of ourselves, if that could harm someone.
- Do not ask for or publish contacts for "private communication" under a post — take the conversation elsewhere.
- If you see someone being de-anonymized or threatened in the comments, don’t argue — report it using the report button or write to the editors.
- Recommendations for protecting your account and data — on the page "Account Security".
3. What is forbidden to post
- Incitement of hatred based on sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, religion, disability, HIV status, or any other characteristics.
- Calls for violence, extremism, promotion of terrorism.
- Any sexualized content involving minors or any hint of it — no exceptions, immediate and unconditional ban.
- Advertising escort services, "sugar" dating for money, financial pyramids, casinos, and other spam.
- Links to phishing, malicious resources, or pirated content.
- Pseudo-medical advice — for example, PrEP/ART dosing schedules, self-treatment of STIs, or refusing tests and treatment. We support being informed, but diagnosis and treatment should only be done by a doctor.
- Flooding, CAPS, mass posting of identical messages, boosting reactions and comments with bots or through marketplaces.
- Impersonating another user, the editors, or official site representatives.
4. Discussions of sensitive topics
We also write about HIV, mental health, violence, coming out, emigration, and other difficult topics. In the comments under such materials:
- Phrase your personal experience as personal experience, not as universal advice that “everyone should do this.”
- Warn about triggering details (self-harm, suicide, violence) if you share a personal story in detail.
- Keep in mind that some readers may not be out yet and may be posting anonymously or from private accounts — don’t pressure them with questions like “Do your parents know?”
5. How we moderate
- The first violation — the comment is hidden or removed, and you receive a notification.
- Repeated violations — a temporary restriction on commenting.
- Serious violations (doxxing, threats, content involving minors, hate speech) — account suspension without warning.
- You can appeal the decision or clarify the reason in your account or by writing to the editorial team.
6. Liability
The author of the comment is personally responsible for its content. The Doberman.Media editorial team does not share the opinions expressed by users in comments and does not verify their accuracy, but reserves the right to remove any content that violates these rules or the laws of the country under whose jurisdiction the reader is located.
7. Rules may change
We may supplement and clarify these rules as the community grows. The current version is always available on this page.
If you have any questions, a complaint about a comment, or a suggestion about the rules — write to the editorial team via the page "Contacts".
