Community Guidelines & Values
Last updated March 2026 · Effective immediately
Our Mission
“Melanin exists to celebrate, amplify, and protect Black women and girls in all their diversity.”
This platform was built with intention — as a sanctuary, a gallery, and a gathering place. Every policy we write, every moderation decision we make, and every feature we build starts with the question: “Does this serve and protect our community?”
Our Values
Black women first — always
Every product decision, moderation choice, and community standard prioritizes the safety, dignity, and joy of Black women.
Intersectionality matters
We celebrate and protect Black women across all identities — disability, LGBTQ+, size, age, and more. No one gets left behind.
Pan-African diaspora welcome
Caribbean, African, British Black, Afrolatino — our diaspora is vast and beautiful. Every branch of the family tree belongs here.
No appropriation
This is not a space for trend-chasing at the expense of Black culture. We do not tolerate the extraction of Black aesthetics without credit, context, or compensation.
What We Protect Against
- Racism and anti-Blackness — including coded language, dog whistles, and “just joking” commentary
- Colorism — the elevation of lighter skin and the devaluation of deeper complexions
- Body shaming, texturism, featurism — policing Black bodies, hair textures, and facial features
- Misogynoir — the intersection of sexism and racism that specifically targets Black women
- Cultural appropriation or erasure — using Black aesthetics, language, or traditions without acknowledgment
- Harassment, doxxing, and threats — any behavior designed to intimidate or harm community members
- Spam and coordinated inauthentic behavior — fake accounts, mass reporting abuse, and brigading
How We Moderate
Report Review Timeline
All reports are reviewed within 24 hours. High-severity reports (threats, doxxing) are escalated immediately.
3-Strike System
Written warning + content removal
7-day temporary suspension
Permanent ban from the platform
Appeals Process
You may appeal any moderation decision by emailing community@melanin.app within 14 days of the action.
AI + Human Review
We use AI-assisted flagging to surface potentially harmful content quickly. All final decisions are made by our human moderation team, who are trained on the nuances of anti-Black bias, colorism, and misogynoir.
How to Report
Reporting is one of the most important ways you can protect our community. Here's how:
- 1
Tap the three-dot menu (⋯) on any pin, comment, or profile
- 2
Select "Report" and choose the violation type that best applies
- 3
Add any additional context in the "More details" field
- 4
Submit — you'll receive a confirmation and update within 24 hours
For urgent safety concerns
Email safety@melanin.app with “URGENT” in the subject line. We respond within 2 hours.
These guidelines apply to all content, behavior, and interactions on Melanin — across web, mobile, and any future platforms.
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