It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
Community
General discussion (archive)Sexual Orientation and Video games.(158 posts)(158 posts)
(158 posts)
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
This is my favourite topic
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
JudasIscariot: I have no idea why people feel the need to list their sexual orientation on an online service. I play games to get away from those kind of hot-button issues not have them thrown in my face. Another question to ask, is why is there an option to list one's sexual orientation in the first place? Why not just have it Age/Gender/Location/Favorite Game Type/Genre and that's it? That way those progay groups and anyone else with a stick up their bottom can bugger off.

If you don't mind knowing someone's gender, age and location, why do you have a problem knowing their orientation? It's all just as irrelevant as far as gaming is concerned.
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
JudasIscariot: I have no idea why people feel the need to list their sexual orientation on an online service. I play games to get away from those kind of hot-button issues not have them thrown in my face. Another question to ask, is why is there an option to list one's sexual orientation in the first place? Why not just have it Age/Gender/Location/Favorite Game Type/Genre and that's it? That way those progay groups and anyone else with a stick up their bottom can bugger off.
avatar
Nafe: If you don't mind knowing someone's gender, age and location, why do you have a problem knowing their orientation? It's all just as irrelevant as far as gaming is concerned.

I was listing the gender thing because it most common in most game lobby type services. I don't have a problem knowing someone's orientation, I just hate it when someone's flogging of their orientation as something to be proud of or showing it off causes unneccessary drama and problems. I don't care if someone's gay straight bi or tri, as long as they aren't in my face about it and can play a game well.
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
JudasIscariot: I was listing the gender thing because it most common in most game lobby type services. I don't have a problem knowing someone's orientation, I just hate it when someone's flogging of their orientation as something to be proud of or showing it off causes unneccessary drama and problems. I don't care if someone's gay straight bi or tri, as long as they aren't in my face about it and can play a game well.

Yeah, but the same could be said if someone was overly proud of being a male, or overly proud of being an American. As far as I can tell from the original story, she'd put it in her profile. When harassed by others she left the game and went elsewhere. If this is true, sounds like she wasn't looking for trouble - it was just an aspect about her she felt like sharing. Nothing wrong with that.
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
Weclock: I personally would prefer not to have to explain what sex is to my child until I feel my children are ready to understand, seeing a title that says "gay gamer" or something to that effect would potentially cause a misunderstanding and it's my right as a parent to say what I feel my child is ready for
avatar
wbaric: You have a _limited_ right to control what your children do, but you have absolutely no right to control what other people do, even if you think it might "protect" your children. If someone feels the need to declare he or she is homosexual for whatever reason, then it is his or her right. If you have a personal problem with homosexuality, it is YOUR problem. Deal with it. If you can't, if you feel you don't have the knowledge or strength to explain the world to your children, then just say to your kid to play elsewhere.
Personally, I'm an adult and "think of the children" is certainly not my mantra. I believe children should be raised to adapt to the world, not the other way around. I don't know what kind of information is normally in an X-Box profile, but, to me, sexual orientation is in the same category as age, skin color or favorite music band. If Microsoft is banning people because they are stating something about themselves, then Microsoft should be prosecuted.
Your idea of how to raise children is irrelevant to mine. What I teach my children, and how is upto me. Certainly, I feel if a place says in their terms and agreements that something is not allowable, someone who breaks those rules should be banned whether they read the rules or not.
avatar
Weclock: Well, if the portion of the profile is "about me" that's fairly open to interpretation. if the scenario happened where the person stopped every one before beginning the match to say "hey guys, before we totally pwn these guys, I just wanted to let you know that I fuckin' love pizza, like I'd eat pizza every day for the rest of my life if given the choice."
this too is unacceptable, it has no bearing on the match or the game, and I did not specifically request this information. Keep it topical.
avatar
Nafe: OK, but this is a profile we're talking about. We already know you have a problem with someone identifying herself as a lesbian in her profile - what about if we replace that with "I love eating pizza, it's my favourite food". It's not relevant to gaming, but it is a fact about that person. The way I see it, it amounts to the same thing. I think it's just your own prejudices/opinions that make you think someone specifying an alternative sexuality is unacceptable. Sure, if there was explicit detail there it'd not be OK, but just "I'm a lesbian" is like me saying "I'm tall".
avatar
wbaric: If Microsoft is banning people because they are stating something about themselves, then Microsoft should be prosecuted.

That I don't agree with. If they've stated that information is unacceptable in their terms and conditions, then they should be allowed to enforce it. No one is forced to join Xbox Live so they should be able to dictate the terms of joining as they wish - if these terms are unacceptable, don't join. I think banning this woman was a crap move, but I don't think it should be illegal.

I never once referenced a profile, clicking on a profile is asking for personal information, you should be allowed to put what you like. :D
I agree that banination would be a crap move, if all it was, was something akin to "lezziegamer" or something like that, but if the name was "rugmuncher3000xXx" then that is a sexually explicit name and that would be why should would be banned, because that is a bannable offense. The woman may have confused the two, as someone said earlier we have not the full story.
avatar
Faithful: Since so many of you are saying take the sexual orientation portion out of the discussion then how about this.
If MS has this policy in place and someone breaks the policy and is banned, but they get upset and think they are the one offended and they are going to do something about it.
First, they had to agree to the policy to get on in the first place and this person does not like the outcome and so makes it into, not a breach of policy, but takes it to a progay organization and attacks MS on sexual orientation grounds.
What does that say about an individual that broke the rules but did not like the result. And if rules are nothing more than obstacles to bludgeon into submission then where does it ultimately lead? I say, if she broke a bannable rule then she should be banned. If not why have any rules and let everyone do just as they please. Oh, that would be fun!
avatar
Nafe: Do you read the entire EULA of every game you install? If you're a member of XBLive did you read the T's&C's in their entirety? I think it's highly likely she didn't.
Even if she did - to use DarrkPhoenix's example. What if buried in the T&C's was "no blacks" and a black guy joined and was subsequently banned. Would you have a problem with him complaining?
If this woman broke the rules, I feel they're well within their rights to ban her. As a member of a free country, she's well within her rights to kick up a fuss. As an intelligent wooly liberal, I'm well within my rights to think the people who make the rules at XBLive are morons.
Regardless of if she read the T&C, she agreed to them. If you're going to agree to something without knowing what it is first, I have* a bridge in New York I'd like to sell you. And besides what Microsoft's rules are, sexual orientation is not a protected right in the U.S. Gay Marriage has been banned. Is it right? No. Is it the legal way? Yes. Is fighting Microsoft the way to get the law overturned? No.
MMMMMONSTER POST!
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
JudasIscariot: I was listing the gender thing because it most common in most game lobby type services. I don't have a problem knowing someone's orientation, I just hate it when someone's flogging of their orientation as something to be proud of or showing it off causes unneccessary drama and problems. I don't care if someone's gay straight bi or tri, as long as they aren't in my face about it and can play a game well.
avatar
Nafe: Yeah, but the same could be said if someone was overly proud of being a male, or overly proud of being an American. As far as I can tell from the original story, she'd put it in her profile. When harassed by others she left the game and went elsewhere. If this is true, sounds like she wasn't looking for trouble - it was just an aspect about her she felt like sharing. Nothing wrong with that.

You are correct in that statement about being overly proud of some sort of creed or orientation or gender. I feel that those profiles should be purged of any categories save for what games you like and your nick. Thus you avoid all of these scenarios entirely. After all, you are in a lobby to connect with people to play an MP game not meet a date. That's what sites like eHarmony or Match.com are for.
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
Weclock: And besides what Microsoft's rules are, sexual orientation is not a protected right in the U.S. Gay Marriage has been banned. Is it right? No. Is it the legal way? Yes. Is fighting Microsoft the way to get the law overturned? No.

In this case I feel the law is irrelevant, if she feels the T&C's are unfair, she should make a noise about it. If enough people feel the same way they'll get changed. She shouldn't just take it lying down if she really disagrees with it.
avatar
JudasIscariot: You are correct in that statement about being overly proud of some sort of creed or orientation or gender. I feel that those profiles should be purged of any categories save for what games you like and your nick. Thus you avoid all of these scenarios entirely. After all, you are in a lobby to connect with people to play an MP game not meet a date. That's what sites like eHarmony or Match.com are for.

I really don't see a problem with having a profile - if people have problem seeing that someone has a sexual orientation that differs to their own, stuff 'em, it's their problem.
Post edited February 28, 2009 by Nafe
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
Nafe: In this case I feel the law is irrelevant, if she feels the T&C's are unfair, she should make a noise about it. If enough people feel the same way they'll get changed. She shouldn't just take it lying down if she really disagrees with it.

Nafe, it sounds a bit like you do not care about laws or policies that get in the way of what you think, and you are also going to make sure that everyone knows what you think.
Is that a fair assessment?
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
Nafe: In this case I feel the law is irrelevant, if she feels the T&C's are unfair, she should make a noise about it. If enough people feel the same way they'll get changed. She shouldn't just take it lying down if she really disagrees with it.
avatar
Faithful: Nafe, it sounds a bit like you do not care about laws or policies that get in the way of what you think, and you are also going to make sure that everyone knows what you think.
Is that a fair assessment?

Yeah, that's fair. I don't obey the law because it's the law, I obey the law because for the most part it happens to fit in with my opinion of right and wrong. If I think a law is wrong, I'm damn sure going to make a noise about it. If I was a Californian I'd be making quite a bit of noise about Proposition 8. As I understand, that's law but it's completely wrong.
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
Weclock: And besides what Microsoft's rules are, sexual orientation is not a protected right in the U.S. Gay Marriage has been banned. Is it right? No. Is it the legal way? Yes. Is fighting Microsoft the way to get the law overturned? No.
avatar
Nafe: In this case I feel the law is irrelevant, if she feels the T&C's are unfair, she should make a noise about it. If enough people feel the same way they'll get changed. She shouldn't just take it lying down if she really disagrees with it.
It's fine if she feels the T&C's are unfair, but no court of law will uphold them. If she wants it changed, she has to go a different route than troubling microsoft (which from what I understand she isn't doing, she went to talk to someone else who is troubling microsoft and scea), she should write her congressman and perhaps try to gain local support for overthrowing the law in general that says sexual orientation is not a protected status by law.
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
Weclock: It's fine if she feels the T&C's are unfair, but no court of law will uphold them. If she wants it changed, she has to go a different route than troubling microsoft (which from what I understand she isn't doing, she went to talk to someone else who is troubling microsoft and scea), she should write her congressman and perhaps try to gain local support for overthrowing the law in general that says sexual orientation is not a protected status by law.

From the initial link:
"Update: Microsoft's Stephen Toulouse -- an XBL team member -- has made a post on his personal blog regarding the situation and confirming that policy changes are being explored. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has also weighed in on the story, mentioning it is working with Toulouse with regards to Live -- and SCEA on its Home policies."
Sounds like whatever she's done, it's working out pretty well.
Posted February 28, 2009
Another special interest group pokes its nose into gaming creating drama from one person. Whoopeee dee do. Can't people keep some aspect of their lives off the net? Sheesh.
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
Weclock: It's fine if she feels the T&C's are unfair, but no court of law will uphold them. If she wants it changed, she has to go a different route than troubling microsoft (which from what I understand she isn't doing, she went to talk to someone else who is troubling microsoft and scea), she should write her congressman and perhaps try to gain local support for overthrowing the law in general that says sexual orientation is not a protected status by law.
avatar
Nafe: From the initial link:
"Update: Microsoft's Stephen Toulouse -- an XBL team member -- has made a post on his personal blog regarding the situation and confirming that policy changes are being explored. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has also weighed in on the story, mentioning it is working with Toulouse with regards to Live -- and SCEA on its Home policies."
Sounds like whatever she's done, it's working out pretty well.
Perhaps this is only because Microsoft is willing to work with GLAAD, they certainly do not have to work with them. ;)
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
Weclock: "hey guys, before we totally pwn this match, I wanted to let you know I'm a lesbian, and I munch rugs daily."

You wouldn't want to know this? What are you, gay?
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
Weclock: Perhaps this is only because Microsoft is willing to work with GLAAD, they certainly do not have to work with them. ;)

Regardless - she piped up, and stuff is happening.
avatar
JudasIscariot: Another special interest group pokes its nose into gaming creating drama from one person. Whoopeee dee do. Can't people keep some aspect of their lives off the net? Sheesh.

If the issue was that she was black rather than homosexual, would it still be just "another special interest group"? Prop-8 proved that there's still a lot of backwards thinking in the States and this sort of thing helps to put it out in the open.
Post edited February 28, 2009 by Nafe
Posted February 28, 2009
avatar
Nafe: If the issue was that she was black rather than homosexual, would it still be just "another special interest group"? Prop-8 proved that there's still a lot of backwards thinking in the States and this sort of thing helps to put it out in the open.

Well, ladeedah, aren't you high and mighty? Did you forget we now have a black president? He's BLACK motherfucker. We're fucking progressive as shit. Foreigners... psssh!
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)Sexual Orientation and Video games.(158 posts)(158 posts)
(158 posts)