Gamers? View on LGBT Essay

[MaoExE]

Ummmm dude! An attitude like that will get you banned, or suspended. Calling people stupid, and saying that being gay is just a passing craze is a very narrow minded and ignorant approach to this situation. Also, where are these countless discussions about gays? I'd rather have discussions about someone having to deal with being gay than a discussion that shows off someones straightness.

I am not sure what you are reading... When did I say being gay is just a passing craze? I said the attention to it is a passing craze that will go away soon enough and we should push for that time to come.

I may get banned or suspended, but at least I know I don't having selective reading problems.

Well gay discussion is still linked to being gay isn't it? Gay discussion will never go as long as gays are here, so basically you are saying that you would want a whole group of people to go away so you aren't annoyed by having to gaze upon a few discussions you don't care about every so often. Also, saying people have selective reading problems is not a good way to keep an argument,

Yea, but he isn't saying he wants all discussion of it to go away. His point of it is, the attention it is getting will eventually fade, he's not hating on gays or asking them to go poof.

 

[Macgyvercas]

Do you see fat gamers asking for fat characters they can play as?

Actually...

A friend of mine is a plus sized woman who doesn't want to play Skyrim until someone makes a mod for plus sized characters. So, it does happen. Not often mind, but it does.

 

[Helmholtz Watson]

It seems that no one on this website can read and instead calls people homophobes and crybabies and blah, blah, blah.

Clearly the problem is everybody else can't read, as opposed to you having an issue in how you express yourself. It's cool, I understand completely. The problem can never be ME. It's those other idiots, failing to comprehend my magnificence.

I agree with what you said, except I would apply it to you. What do you care what Gubernaculum thinks about homosexuality? Seriously, why do you care? Are you his parent/teacher/boss? Nope, than as long as that person doesn't state how they are going to act violent/discriminative towards anybody homosexual, it's none of your business as to what this person thinks about the subject. Quit trying to tell Gubernaculum what their opinion should be on the subject. Honestly it's about as stupid as me telling a homosexual person that that it's only right to like people of the opposite sex.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I agree with what you said, except I would apply it to you. What do you care what Gubernaculum thinks about homosexuality? Seriously, why do you care? Are you his parent/teacher/boss? Nope, than as long as that person doesn't state how they are going to act violent/discriminative towards anybody homosexual, it's none of your business as to what this person thinks about the subject. Quit trying to tell Gubernaculum what their opinion should be on the subject. Honestly it's about as stupid as me telling a homosexual person that that it's only right to like people of the opposite sex.

Oh WELL DONE, Volf99. Now please find and quote to me the part where I told Gubernaculm what he should say or think about homosexuality, and I'll fall all over myself apologizing.

 

[MisterM2402]

Do you see fat gamers asking for fat characters they can play as?

Actually...

A friend of mine is a plus sized woman who doesn't want to play Skyrim until someone makes a mod for plus sized characters. So, it does happen. Not often mind, but it does.

I know the term "plus-sized" is a euphemism for "fat", but do you still have to use it when she isn't around? It's just that "fat" is so much more efficient in conveying the idea, only having to type 3 letters

 

[Something Amyss]

I agree with what you said, except I would apply it to you. What do you care what Gubernaculum thinks about homosexuality? Seriously, why do you care? Are you his parent/teacher/boss? Nope, than as long as that person doesn't state how they are going to act violent/discriminative towards anybody homosexual, it's none of your business as to what this person thinks about the subject. Quit trying to tell Gubernaculum what their opinion should be on the subject. Honestly it's about as stupid as me telling a homosexual person that that it's only right to like people of the opposite sex.

Why do you care what people think he thinks? And so much you read in all that information nobody said?

 

[Tsaba]

you know, my feelings on gays/lesbians/whatever is the same with my feelings on racism, so, here's a video on how I feel on this matter.

Gays have always been around, to think this something new is stupid. People on both sides of the aisle are being ridiculous.

 

[Dr Namgge]

Do you see fat gamers asking for fat characters they can play as?

Actually...

A friend of mine is a plus sized woman who doesn't want to play Skyrim until someone makes a mod for plus sized characters. So, it does happen. Not often mind, but it does.

I know the term "plus-sized" is a euphemism for "fat", but do you still have to use it when she isn't around? It's just that "fat" is so much more efficient in conveying the idea, only having to type 3 letters

Plus sized is a euphemism for big. Someone who needs longer trousers than what most shops offer because they're too tall is technically plus sized, even if they're really skinny.

And lets be honest, how many games actually feature any sort of love interest? Yes, there are very few gay relationships in games, but there are very few well written relationships to begin with in games? Most games will have a love interest (or three, if one of the story options is to choose the love interest), and some of them may have a gay option, but very few games open with a character in a relationship, bar perhaps those who's plots are "you're girlfriends been kidnapped again, go rescue her"

 

[UFOROMANTIC]

To klausaidon, as an LGBT rights activist and a big fan of video games, I believe you raise some salient pints. This is a well-written rant, and it's not often that you see something online with citations! YES!!

I do take issue with the interpretation of Naoto Shirogane as being transgender. It can be debated that she was attempting to look like and live as a man in order to tbe taken seriously, but I feel this has less to do with her trepedations with her own gender identity than it does an attempt to change her presentation to match something that would allow her to be taken more seriously by her peers in the detective community. She seems to accept being a girl okay, but clearly has difficulties being "feminine"; I think this reeally has more to do with a confusion about how to present. Now that I thgink about it, this could be a salient argument for her status as transgender, but it strikes me a little more as genderqueer. Just the same, I also take the rather controversial stance that Kanji wsn't actually gay, but just an extremely confused teen who was thrown off by Naoto's initial seeming "attraction" towards him.(http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SweetOnPollyOliver). But that's just me.

People need to get over this gay craze. Everyone says they don't care but they do.

The "gay craze" is better known as "fighting for the advocacy of civil rights for all human beings", Gubernaculum. I'm not so sure I like your tone. Switch out the word "gay" for "black" here and you'll understand the gravity of your statement and see why everyone is getting all up in your grill.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

People need to get over this gay craze.

Oh PLEASE define "gay craze" for me. Please. I'm dying to hear about this "gay craze" that's been sweeping the nation.

Oh I don't know.. The fact that gay is on our lips like its the word of the day, or the countless discussions we have about the gays, or the fact that every show makes sure there is a gay in there otherwise it won't appeal to the liberals.

How about we leave the gays alone and focus on the schizoids? Lets have a schizoid pride parade - no one will come, but lets make one anyway.

To answer both of your questions.

'Why do we have so many threads on this issue?

Because its a current, important and very controversial issue. Its a civil rights issue that has been growing since the 70s or 80s. If we were in the 1960s, would you be saying this same thing about the Black Civil Rights movement? As long as it remains an issue, people will want to discuss it. Also, that last statement you made in your first paragraph doesn't make any sense. '...or the fact that every show makes sure there is a gay in there otherwise it won't appeal to liberals.' to be exact.

I think you misunderstand the intentions of those who push for more homosexual characters, not just in TV shows, but in Movies and Video games as well. They don't want just a gay character in the media, they want a RESPECTABLE homosexual in the media, one who isn't adhering to the stereotypes of homosexuals. They don't want a flamboyant and colorful homosexual who has a high pitched voice and a love for shopping like several shows currently have on the air. They want a role model, just as blacks did, just as asians did and just as latinos did. Also, that part on appealing to liberals is just unintentionally hilarious cause it makes your entire statement come off as a conspiracy.

'How bout we leave the gays alone and focus on Schizoids.'

Why can't we focus on both? But to answer your question as to why homosexuals get more attention then Schizoids.

1) Because the amount of LGBT people in the United States is larger then those with Schizoids (1.5 over 1.2)

2) Because Schizoids is argued to be caused not only by genetics, but by environment as well, whereas Homosexuality is said to be genetic or a mutation.

3)Because the LGBT community goes against the status quo. Remember that big backlash about Women having their own convention and actually speaking in public? Ya, a lot of people were upset by that since it did not match with their views of what a Women should be.

4) One goes against an extremely large religious group while the other does not.
and
5) Because the recent examples of Violence, homophobia and discrimination against the LGBT community keep it relevant.

So please. If you don't want to discuss homosexuality, don't click on a thread ABOUT homosexuality. Its just that simple.

 

[frehls]

hue

 

[Mordack]

1. No one cares if your a fag or not. But you will be called fag because using the term noob is for fags.

2. There aren't many gay oriented games for the same reason every single fucking action game is about a good looking white American guy saving the world from evil whateverthefucks. Do you see fat gamers asking for fat characters they can play as? Or disabled gamers asking for disabled characters?

People need to get over this gay craze. Everyone says they don't care but they do.

And yet you care enough to respond to the thread. I find it humorous whenever someone responds to any thread about something relevant with "who cares?" The problems with a lack of gay characters and themes in games doesn't go away if everyone just ignores it. Hell, if everyone ignored the issue, gays and lesbians would be clamoring for gay characters even more.

In all honesty, I'm not entirely sure what your point is. Your other comments suggest an annoyance with the gay community for an overexposure of gay-related topics:

The fact that gay is on our lips like its the word of the day, or the countless discussions we have about the gays, or the fact that every show makes sure there is a gay in there otherwise it won't appeal to the liberals.

By the way, there are barely any gay characters in TV shows, and most of those are unimportant characters who appear in maybe one or two episodes. I just think you might want to reconsider who you're annoyed with. Maybe agreeing with the "countless discussions" that wish for more gay characters in entertainment will one day help push for more gay characters, and subsequently less discussions about the lack of gay visibility.

 

[Macgyvercas]

Do you see fat gamers asking for fat characters they can play as?

Actually...

A friend of mine is a plus sized woman who doesn't want to play Skyrim until someone makes a mod for plus sized characters. So, it does happen. Not often mind, but it does.

I know the term "plus-sized" is a euphemism for "fat", but do you still have to use it when she isn't around? It's just that "fat" is so much more efficient in conveying the idea, only having to type 3 letters

Connotation, mostly. I don't hate the person, so I wouldn't care to use "fat" when it carries a negative connotation. And it's just another few seconds of type, and I don't have a character limit, so...yeah.

 

[Mordack]

And yet you care enough to respond to the thread. I find it humorous whenever someone responds to any thread about something relevant with "who cares?" The problems with a lack of gay characters and themes in games doesn't go away if everyone just ignores it. Hell, if everyone ignored the issue, gays and lesbians would be clamoring for gay characters even more.

Now hold on one moment small son. That was a response to the OP, so why are you taking it out of context. I don't care about the gays, but I do care when someone thinks that it should be pushed in a market that clearly does not care for it.

May I ask, why are you posting in this topic if you do not care for it either. Wish to battle me? Charizard, GO!

1) Who says the market doesn't care? Clearly a lot of people care if these types of threads are popular.

2) When did I ever state that I didn't care about the topic?

 

[maddawg IAJI]

1) Because the amount of LGBT people in the United States is larger then those with Schizoids (1.5 over 1.2)

2) Because Schizoids is argued to be caused not only by genetics, but by environment as well, whereas Homosexuality is said to be genetic or a mutation.

1. Wait, so all that matters are numbers. Geez, I can see why the world is taking a turn for the worst.

2. ERRRRRRRRRRRRR, wrong. You are wrong. And thus anything, ANYTHING you say is invalid. I will wait while you do some research and find out the science behind SPD and homosexuality.

So you came in here, armor polished and gleaming, and instead of bring your sword of great justice onto my neck, all you have managed to do is fling a little poo on me. Also, you probably did not read the OP (your going to deny it of course) and you probably did not read my OP. This topic is stupid and is not worth discussing. Infact, barely any of you have actually discussed it - rather you have all homed in on me and try to bring my character down. Well done. Can't actually reply to a terrible topic so your White-Knight vision quickly detects the first thing someone says that goes against the status-quo.

Oh I did read your original post and I must say, it was extremely homophobic (Or at least showed a hatred or contempt of homosexuals) and highly flammable. I'll admit that I did not read the original post until after I posted mine, but I will not deny that I did read it. But I digress.

What is important is that
1) I specifically remember listing 5 key points as to why Homosexuality is a much bigger issue to Americans then Schizoids. You only argue against 2, did you not read my entire post?

2) I'm not wrong.

And to prove it, [http://www.waldenbehavioralcare.com/cause_of_schizophrenia.asp]Here are 3 sources for the enviormental cause [http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/schizophrenia/content/article/10168/52516] argument. [http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2809%2960995-8/fulltext]

As for homosexuality.

here [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/01/homosexuality-genetics-usa] ya [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology_and_sexual_orientation#Twin_studies] go [http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-07/has-gay-gene-been-found-female-mice]

There, I responded to you in a casual, respectable manner, now why don't you do the same for us as several members of the community, including myself, are getting tired of your constant use of sarcasm and bigotry.

 

[klausaidon]

To start, I decided to go straight to the source. I went to one of my favorite gaming news sites, The Escapist [1], and ask my fellow gamers how exactly they felt about the LGBT community. The topic [2] turned out to be very hot. As of today [Tuesday, December 06, 2011], it has had well over 10,000 views, and 296 replies.

Well, the Escapist Magazine community is not exactly the average gamer. We've got very strict rules and I'm sure blatant homophobics will be banned when they display homophobic behavior.

Also, this community seems liberal to the point of naive. I am quite sure the mindset of the average Escapist differs quite a lot from the mindset of the average MW3 (nearly typed 2 there) player.

Plenty people have displayed Homophobic opinions, without insulting anyone directly. And a few people have. Also, The Escapist technically isn't the only source of opinions I've went to, it is however the only I directly credit, and mention, since I went as far to create such a popular thread about it. The rest are insights from sites like Kotaku, and general opinions I get from class mates. And, although you do get a homophobe every now and then, most gamers aren't blatantly homophobic it seems, and are fairly comfortable with the subject matter.

And the fact that you used "liberal" to describe the community just made me facepalm. Even more so when you bring MW3 into the mix. I should point out that I am a huge MW3 fan.

 

[klausaidon]

There was a thread like this a while back, quite a heated thread too, but the OP was hardly as well-spoken. Regardless, I disagree with you on the point that more games should be "LGBT friendly".
Here are some points.

-In most games, characters' sexuality holds little to no relevance.

-No one wants LGBT stuff shoehorned in just to please the crowd. This is what Bioware did with DA2 and is continuing to do with their games.

The most significant point I can make is that homosexuals and transsexuals are minorities and always will be minorities. As a minority, you certainly should fight for equal human, legal, civil rights, and an end to discrimination.

A lack of representation in media is not discrimination, it's the simple fact that LGBTs are minorities. I am an atheist, a rather rabid one at times, but I don't feel oppressed because I am not represented in media. I'm a minority, and as a minority I am not going to be represented equally in anything the majority has a large stake in. This is a fact, and it's not prejudice, it's numbers.
There will be less LGBT themes in games because there are less LGBT people in the games industry, and, from a business standpoint, because it does not appeal to a broad demographic. You don't deserve equal representation in media, and a lack of it is in no way shape or form discrimination against you. Minorities are minorities.
Again, you completely deserve and should fight for equal human, legal, civil rights, and an end to discrimination. But this is none of those things.

As a mostly off-topic rant, this community is, for the most part, atrocious. Nearly everyone here is ridiculously liberal and dissenting opinions are quickly "hiveminded" to death. The mods are a big part of this too.
The content of the site itself is pretty bad too. The news reporting is noticeably unprofessional and often not gaming related, and the other content (save for Zero Punctuation), is mediocre to terrible.
I suppose I've just been spoiled by 4chan's /v/ board. Really, once you adapt it is a very good community.

Character sexuality comes up A LOT in games, movies, and books. Any game with a love interest displays sexuality.

And I actually applaud Bioware for their gay characters. Last I checked, people disliked DA2 for quite different reasons then the gay characters, who were actually done fairly well, IMO.

And how the industry is going, we are actually seeing a great deal improvements towards good representations. You're right, LGBT is a minority, however it does exist. So it shouldn't be ignored completely. The community isn't asking for the industry to make EVERY game LGBT friendly, that's just silly.

This is actually a similar argument for women representation in Video Games. However, on that side, Women actually have a great deal of good characters to get behind, even though they're a minority among the video game playing demographic. The LGBT, not so much. We would like to get our "Samus", you see.

 

[z121231211]

Anyone else have the problem of being unable to take him seriously after he called himself a "Gaymer"? Seriously that sounds like an insult you use after you get bored of calling him a ******.

 

[ms_sunlight]

Anyone else have the problem of being unable to take him seriously after he called himself a "Gaymer"? Seriously that sounds like an insult you use after you get bored of calling him a ******.

Nah, it's a fairly well established neologism. Google it.

I don't call anyone "******" because that's, well, childish and pathetic at best, so I don't get the chance to get bored of it.

 

[GeneWard]

As a bisexual currently in a gay relationship, I use the word "gay" as an insult all the time. Now while I know this doesn't make anything right, I think the LGBT community on the whole does need to be less touchy.