Dear Sarcastic Gamer Readers,
I have received a TON of email and other communication regarding some of my tweets, posts, and podcast remarks regarding the alleged banning of a young woman from Xbox Live for posting her sexual orientation in her Xbox Live profile.
The problem with this whole situation is that it might not have even happened. The Consumerist certainly got their pageviews over this whole affair, (That links to Joystiq… safe) but to this point there’s been no proof, and no one has come forward to accept Microsoft’s offer to help get to the bottom of this situation.
I think we all got a little hyper-sensitive, and I may have been the biggest offender.
As an older brother to a sister who is a lesbian, and as a steadfast friend to several gay dudes, I can’t help being a little defensive. I know what they’ve been through, and continue to go through as a result of their orientation, which I do feel is an attribute no different than hair color, or ear size.
So, I got a little worked up.
Now I have decided to take my cues from a source that I trust on this issue.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has spoken out about this situation, and it’s not what you think it is. In its blog post last week, which was shared with me via Twitter from “Sage,” they do the opposite of what I might expect from an organization that exists to root out these types of alleged incidents.
They downplayed it.
As they point out, literally nothing about this situation has been proven, and the Consumerist’s source is still identified only as “Teresa.”
GLAAD goes on to point out that Microsoft has gone to great lengths to pursue a positive relationship with the organization and those it represents.
Since the beginning of this year, GLAAD has been in active conversations with Microsoft, specifically with Stephen Tolouse, about XBox Live and how their policies affect LGBT people. The conversations actually began as a result of work GLAAD did around the launch of Sony’s beta for it’s new online virtual world, Playstation Home.
At the end of 2008, when Sony launched the beta for Playstation Home, we fielded concerns from GLAAD supporters that the system was not LGBT friendly. It was being reported to us that when people used the chat feature and would type in certain words like “gay” or “lesbian”, they would come up as asterisks like “***” or “*******.” Typing and sending “I am gay” would actually send “I am ***.” Also, people found they were banned from using a similar set of words to name “clubs” in the virtual world.
I have heard a lot of very brief arguments against my stance that those words (Gay, Lesbian) ought not be banned, as it insinuates that there is something wrong with them. At the same time it appears to be perfectly acceptable for me to say that I am straight in my profile, a word with a lot smaller likelihood of being used in an inflammatory or hateful way. I can’t bring myself to agree with the latter.
My opinion on this hasn’t changed, meaning that I still think everyone should have an equal opportunity to express themselves in any social network that truly wishes to be seen as a platform for individuality, a goal that XBL has taken some pretty impressive steps towards with the NXE that launched this past Fall. At this point, I am beginning to recognize the need for restraint.
Though social networks are nothing new, Xbox Live is sailing some uncharted waters here. It is without question the largest and most successful program of its type, and being the first console-based SN of any real impact, it must also be the first to deal with a lot of situations. In this case, the question is:
What role, if any, should a person’s sexuality play in their ability to express themselves and virtually exist on Xbox Live?
My answer to that is simple.
An equal one.
If someone can’t discuss being gay or lesbian, then their straight peers ought not be allowed to either. I haven’t seen anyone sporting the phrase “StraightAndProud” as a gamertag, so the point of all of this might just be…. nothing.
If we’re “not there yet” then we’re “not there yet,” just so long as the playing field is completely level, it’s something that, while disappointing, I am willing to hear.
I do agree that XBL is no place for sexually explicit behavior, however where I seem to differ with some of my “fans” via email is that I do not consider orientation to be even remotely explicit.
At the end of the day, I think what I am saying here is that we all just need to calm down a bit about this alleged event, given that we have almost nothing to go on, other than an anonymous source from a blog, who may just have been a victim of a “feedback attack” by users, and not by a company that would have no reason to behave in the manner that Microsoft has been accused of.
I can’t help but wonder if MS isn’t at a crossroads here. With so many people from so many walks of life entering the online gaming/movie/music arena, perhaps a sort of split in the XBL service might be in order. Maybe the whole “Pro/Recreational” user designation that, until now has been one of the most meaningless attributes in a gamer profile, could actually help, by allowing the user to choose whether they want to keep it strictly G, PG, or R.
I have no problem with them doing whatever they want with their service, as long as the policies are just as strictly enforced on ALL members, and not a select group, who already have enough hate to deal with, without worrying about it invading their gaming space.
I would like to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to respectfully express their opinions on this matter. This has been a very eye-opening topic for me, and I hope for you, as we all come to realize just how diverse the gaming universe has become. As that diversity grows, I look forward to sound decisions from both Sony and Microsoft that foster individuality, the keystone in any successful social network experience.
Best,
Doc
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im gay lololololol.
i agree that people should just calm down.
i also agree that xbl is not the place for that. why would someone want to tell their orientation, what does it matter? as you said, we never see a profile or tag saying “straightXandXproud”, i believe those that go out of their way to put it out are looking for a response, attention or trouble. when it comes down to it, it shouldn’t matter, we should just be able to play and have fun. there is no questions asking that when you make a profile so why bring it in, they kept it out on reason, so stuff like this wouldn’t happen.
people should just not care and just play the game.
@Doc
As an older brother to a sister I can relate to you being defensive of your sister. I know I am.
I do hope this all blows over and all issues be addressed and resolved quickly. And while I’m dreaming, I want world peace and a pony.
Well said Doc !
Listening to Major Nelson’s Podcast today he had Steven Toulouse from Microsoft policy on. It is definately a good listen. They go into details about the policy and things that have happened. Now I can’t confirm or deny what was stated on the podcast I feel like it is good information. Nice to know MS is atleast trying to keep policy current.
When all is said and done Xbox Live is a social network oriented at getting together to play video games regardless of location, age, race, gender and sexual orientation. Many gay/lesbian people rightly feel that they should not have to hide their sexual orientation but to broadcast it on Live is not the same as not hiding it. Saying you are gay or lesbian has no more relevance to gaming than saying you have brown hair, blue eyes or six toes. It could also cause some unconfortable questions for the parents of the four year old child who sees the tag and asks what it means. Sexuality is something young children do not need brought into their games, whether it is homo or hetero sexual.
Have to agree with Lee_The_Sarge, I don’t see why sexual orientation either way needs to be broadcast over any service that revolves around playing games.
And from what I remember of the Code of Conduct, any content that is of a sexual nature, including orientation either Hetro or Homo, is grounds for removal from the service. Pretty sure if I describe myself as “straight” in my xbox live moto/profile and it gets reported, it will receive the same treatment
Doc..
How long you been doing this? You still let your emotions get the better of you? Sheesh.
Facts then story. Not the other way around.
I criticize because I love.
that’s exactly what Steven Toulouse said in his interview. Gay or Straight didn’t matter… if there was anything there and the gamertag got reported… they would do something about it. He did also mention that they did suspend some others for the same policy infraction. Also, again, extended a hand to Teresa to help get to the bottom of it all.
@seriously i don’t know that that will ever change… good point… but I am an emotional person. Hard to change that.
Nothing wrong with caring. People who care change the world, people who dodn’t give a shit never change anything.
Nothing wrong with caring. People who care change the world, people who dodn’t give a sh*t never change anything.
As a fellow female gamer, I feel for this young lady. As stated in the last regular SG cast, what if someone alludes to their heterosexuality? In my profile I state that I am “proudly married”. I use it as a warning to other gamers that send me FRs just because I’m a girl. One, I am spoken for, so I’m not interested in flirting. And two, I am probably twice your age, so if that makes you uncomfortable, feel free to “unfriend” me. I am here for gaming only. Perhaps this young woman is also trying to keep horny kids away, and what better way is there than to say, “I’m a lesbian”?
@Shelley saying you’re married does not state sexuallity, depending on where you are from. Personally I think that is a perfectly acceptable comment as I think everyone understands the idea of marriage regardless of background or age. To me the idea of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transexual is not quite so universal.
To those saying that “sexual orientation has no relavance to gaming” and such and such, I say this to you. Why have a bio section in your profile period? I’ve seen people have something as simple as saying that they like halo in their bio. I’ve also seen people tell their whole life story in their bios.
Also, a lot of people like playing with like minded individuals. They put stuff like that to let people know that they’re not one of the idiots that makes a big deal about it.
So if people can’t express themselves, then why have it there?
The one thing that this issue has revealed though is that XBL’s complaint system is pretty flawed. If enough people get together and complain about someone, as was alleged in this case, then they get in trouble, even if they’re doing something relatively harmless.
@Lee_The_Sarge: Stating your married actually assumes that you’re heterosexual, since very few states allow gay marriage. To me, it’s a part of who your life and is the same as stating your sexuality
@KiraBlaize: I don’t disagree with you in that stating married it may imply to most people heterosexuality, but I do disagree that it is the same as stating sexuality. Marriage is something that every age and culture (that I am familiar with) understands but homosexuality is not. I am not saying that people should not be allowed to be open about their sexuality in every day life. As long as no-one is harmed I believe everyone should be allowed be who they are without the judgement of the closed minded. However I do feel that people should tailor their comments to the potential age of the audience, and there is surely no doubt that the age of the audience is potentially rather young on Xbox Live.