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Kickstarter suspends illustrated novel ‘defying transgenderism’ after project was fully funded
"The Wise of Heart" by Hans G. Schantz (Image Source: Hans Schantz YouTube video screenshot)

Kickstarter suspends illustrated novel ‘defying transgenderism’ after project was fully funded

Crowdfunding platform Kickstarter recently suspended an illustrated novel project about “defying transgenderism” after the campaign was fully funded.

The author of the project, Hans G. Schantz, stated that his comic was canceled by Kickstarter after initially being reviewed and approved by the company. It was not until after the illustrated novel reached its $3,000 crowdfunding goal that the project was booted from the website.

Schantz said that he increased the novel’s goal to $6,000 before the project reached its May 31 deadline, but Kickstarter shut down the campaign, claiming that it had violated the site’s community rules.

The illustrated novel, “The Wise Heart,” follows the story of a biology teacher who is “thrown in jail for defying transgenderism” and subsequently “faces a show trial amid a media circus.”

Kickstarter Trust and Safety sent Schantz a “generic note” alerting him that his project would no longer be promoted. Backers of the campaign will no longer be charged for their pledges.

“A thorough review of your project uncovered one or more of the following violations: Inappropriate content, including but not limited to explicit or pornographic material [or] Hateful or offensive content that fails to meet Kickstarter’s spirit of inclusivity by promoting discrimination, bigotry or intolerance towards marginalized groups,” Kickstarter told Schantz.

The platform cannot comment on suspension “beyond what is stated in this message,” according to the company’s Trust and Safety.

The author accused the crowdfunding site of failing to live up to its own “inclusivity” standards.

“It’s sad that Kickstarter lacks a sufficient spirit of diversity and inclusion to be willing to tolerate an objective look at the scientific and political issues surrounding transgenderism as presented in the context of a courtroom drama,” Schantz wrote on Substack.

“I infer they received a complaint, the substance of which I was not privy to and took unilateral action without allowing me any input,” he continued. “No due process, no ability to face my accusers or even to be informed of the nature of the accusation. The fact that Kickstarter waited until after the project was already fully funded and nearing a close is a more disturbing trend. Creators would be wise to to [sic] deal with platforms more worthy of their trust.”

“The conduct of Kickstarter in particular and big tech companies in general raise broader issues of how the rule of law has devolved in an online context to sanction injustices that would not be tolerated in a more conventional setting. A contract that allows one party to unilaterally withdraw from the deal already agreed to after the other party has detrimentally relied upon their assurances would not typically be enforceable,” Schantz added.

Since being removed from Kickstarter, Schantz moved his campaign to an alternative crowdfunding platform, Fund My Comic, to assist with funding his project.

Kickstarter did not respond to a request for comment, Fox News Digital reported.

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