YouTuber with More Than 7 Million Subs Stands Up for Biblical View of Marriage
By Movieguide® Staff
A Colombian social media star is under fire for expressing her view that marriage should be between one man and one woman.
Erika “Kika” Nieto posted the disputed video to her YouTube channel, where she is just shy of 8 million subscribers. However, the national court demanded that Nieto remove the video after an activist reportedly complained.
Nieto called on her followers to help overturn the ruling.
“Everyone should be free to share their beliefs in public. I want to be authentic with my followers without being censored or fearing criminal sanctions just for posting a video,” Nieto said in a statement that was published by Alliance Defending Freedom International.
“I don’t want others to be afraid to voice their beliefs. By speaking out, I hope to inspire more tolerance of different opinions,” Nieto said.
In the deleted video, Nieto responds to a question during her “Ask Me Anything” segment: “God created man and woman so that they could be with each other.”
“I don’t consider men being with men or women being with women to be good, but I tolerate that,” she also added.
The non-profit ADF International and Nueva Democracia will back Nieto, advocating for her freedom of expression and other fundamental rights.
“Everyone should be free to express their beliefs and faith convictions without fear of censorship. Nieto’s right to freely express her views and share them publicly is protected by the Colombian Constitution,” director Tomás Henríquez said. “Freedom of speech, and religious freedom, are fundamental human rights guaranteed by every major human rights treaty. If someone feels offended, the best response is debate, not censorship. Ultimately, it is every one of us, and democracy itself, that suffer when people are not able to speak freely.”
ADF reported:
In a separate case that arose from the same video, the Colombian Constitutional Court has already ruled that Nieto’s speech on marriage is constitutionally protected. However, another activist took Nieto to court, complaining that this same comment about marriage was offensive and discriminatory. This time, a lower court considered the video to contain “hate speech” and thus ordered its removal from YouTube.
Nieto is not the only one facing legal challenges for publicly expressing her beliefs about marriage on social media. In Finland, former Minister of the Interior and serving Member of Parliament, Päivi Räsänen, faces several criminal investigations after sharing her deeply held beliefs in a tweet. The medical doctor, mother of five and grandmother of six, publicly voiced her opinion on family and marriage. The Finnish Prosecutor General suspects her of “ethnic agitation”, a crime punishable with up to two years of imprisonment. ADF International is supporting Räsänen in defending her right to freedom of speech. Read more here.
“Freedom of speech is a fundamental right that is coming under increasing fire in today’s ‘cancel culture’. Both Nieto’s and Räsänen’s cases show that the freedom to share what we believe must be properly protected. Whether someone agrees or disagrees with certain views, censorship inevitably leads down a dangerous path. Censorship creates fear, freedom of speech fosters a vibrant civil society,” said Robert Clarke, Deputy Director of ADF International.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
