Hey so maybe this is a hot take but if you are both well-integrated enough in a community to decide who does and doesnt have access to it, you should conduct yourself with a level of professionalism that avoids any credible accusations of coercion, quid pro quo, or gatekeeping
something I've been thinking about but still working out what exactly I feel——but arguing about malicious intent obscures another important thing which is like, reckless negligence isn't really better...
Like i dunno. Lets say youre a huge account on a website a lot of trans girls use to have a place away from transphobes. And you are known as a community moderator and people close to you are seen as trustworthy. And maybe new people want to be close to you and your friends for safety and community