SOUNDBITES — “I don’t generally opt into a game with ‘Hi guys, I’m a lesbian,’ so more of the abuse I’ve had over the years has been about gender more than sexuality. ‘Get back in the kitchen, bitch’ is one that is thrown around quite a lot. I can only imagine the types of things these kinds of gamers would say were my gamertag more lesbian affiliated. I recall a session a few years ago where I was in a room and the discussion [other players] were having turned to ‘queers.’ I stayed in the room a minute or so and was fairly stunned by the uninformed mentality. I made my opinion known politely and was flooded with abuse, which continued even after I left the room. It was highly unpleasant. [… Looking] at this from the lesbian perspective, if I want to identify as a lesbian so other lesbians can find me, I can’t. I also cannot even mention this in my bio. On the one hand, it can be argued this is a measure of protection by Microsoft to limit the homophobia I may get. But surely that should be my choice. I can’t even put the Lesbian Gamers URL in my bio. So who is actually being punished?” —Angela Simpson, content manager for LesbianGamers.com, explaining how video game companies’ LGBT policies can infringe on being out in gaming (via)
Discover more
AladinSane
She should know you don’t make your “opinion known politely” around a bunch of gamers. You beat their asses into oblivion and when they call you a fag reply, “Yup, that’s right. A FAG kicked your ass!” You’ll never get their respect otherwise. Trust me, I’ve made quite a few buddies on XBox live from doing just that.
Yuki
Supposedly, the reason for Xbox not allowing sexual orientation in bios or names is simply because they don’t let ANYONE mention it, regardless of if they’re gay or straight.
I doubt it, personally.
I really dislike a lot of the homophobia that comes from it. I usually report the morons who shout “QUEER!” into the mic.
TommyOC
@Yuki:
“Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony.”
One of Microsoft’s hypocritical sentiments is that sexual orientation is not allowed on LIVE. But it’s perfectly allowed on their games… right?
The problem Microsoft has is in not enforcing their policy. They have an obligation and the duty to enforce a non-discriminatory environment – we pay money, too, don’t we?
Cam
They are still acting like being labeled gay is shameful. Fuck them. Name your character “Butch Lesbian” or “Gay Bob”, no hiding it then. 🙂
B
No. 4 · Cam wrote, “They are still acting like being labeled gay is shameful. Fuck them. Name your character ‘Butch Lesbian’ or ‘Gay Bob’, no hiding it then. :)” … I wouldn’t suggest using “Gay Bob”, but “Gay Robert” or “Gay Sam” would be OK – at least for those of us who had heard of a guy nicknamed “Gay Bob”. It was a long time ago, but the scene was as follows:
1. You had a bunch of young guys in very good physical shape who would frequent a particular restaurant. They nicknamed one of the waiters “Gay Bob”.
2. The waiter, Bob, was an older, rather paunchy, man who wore numerous ostentatious rings with slightly effeminate mannerisms. He would set off anyone’s gaydar, even straight guys’. Bob was
obviously hoping for something (given how he’d go out of his way to provide extra portions of rolls or coffee – anything he could manage – when the customers were young guys in top physical shape) but he was simply too unattractive to get anywhere.
It must have been frustrating for Bob, but thinking of him as a character in a game where the players are supposed to have fast reactions just doesn’t work.