Microsoft Okays Sexual Orientation in Gamertags
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
- Start date
As much as someone has the right to express themselves, I still receive that expression as being a pretentious prick. I don't care for any information from some stranger unless it directly relates to the game we're playing. Otherwise they do, indeed, sound like self important morons trying to justify themselves or something.
I sense a shift in the marketing strategy for XBL. I wonder if they did some sort of survey or market research and discovered a wide perception of their service as being one full of racist cheating shrill tedious little pukes and that this decision (along with the recent and very public banning of a notorious cheat) to be an effort to sell their service to a much wider market. I predict a major surge in moderation and enforcement of existing policy.
Let's be honest here folks, it is doubtful that there are any next gen consoles on the near horizon. Xbox, Wii and PS3 are going to have to make themselves comfortable with a wider market that is not going to tolerate the little bastard quotient that turns services like XBL in to the wild west.
As for using an identifier in a gamer tag well why not. I routinely wear a small enamel pink triangle on my lapel (OK, so it should be black as a gay female), occasionally I may wear a Tshirt with a statement on it. Usually I am the short-hair having, boot wearing, total stereotype worst bloody nightmare of anyone anti-gay. It is part of who I am. If you don't like it then too bad.
Ignoring the GLBTQ issue I equally have no problem with someone identifying themself as a christian gamer. To some people hearing "oh god" or "jesus christ" as curses is still offensive.
And frankly it is human nature to label and sort ourselves in to groups. I mean come on...here we are on a GAMER site. Non-gamers would not see the point. We see it as a common interest and we share some points of reference.
Let's be honest here folks, it is doubtful that there are any next gen consoles on the near horizon. Xbox, Wii and PS3 are going to have to make themselves comfortable with a wider market that is not going to tolerate the little bastard quotient that turns services like XBL in to the wild west.
As for using an identifier in a gamer tag well why not. I routinely wear a small enamel pink triangle on my lapel (OK, so it should be black as a gay female), occasionally I may wear a Tshirt with a statement on it. Usually I am the short-hair having, boot wearing, total stereotype worst bloody nightmare of anyone anti-gay. It is part of who I am. If you don't like it then too bad.
Ignoring the GLBTQ issue I equally have no problem with someone identifying themself as a christian gamer. To some people hearing "oh god" or "jesus christ" as curses is still offensive.
And frankly it is human nature to label and sort ourselves in to groups. I mean come on...here we are on a GAMER site. Non-gamers would not see the point. We see it as a common interest and we share some points of reference.
Does anyone even look up a person's Gamertag profile? The only time I end up on a person's tag is if I'm filing a complaint for cheating or being abusive in some way.
It's fine if people want to display their orientation, but I wonder about the foresight. Have you ever played multiplayer with a female participant? Doesn't matter how competent they are, you're always going to get creepy guys hitting on them or immature kids hassling them for not being as good or losing their mind over a simple mistake. How's it going to go when the same people who grief female gamers know that they're playing with someone of a different sexual orientation than "social norms"?
The behavior reporting system on 360 is already lacking true accountability; why add additional fuel to the fire with no way to contain player's behavior?
It's fine if people want to display their orientation, but I wonder about the foresight. Have you ever played multiplayer with a female participant? Doesn't matter how competent they are, you're always going to get creepy guys hitting on them or immature kids hassling them for not being as good or losing their mind over a simple mistake. How's it going to go when the same people who grief female gamers know that they're playing with someone of a different sexual orientation than "social norms"?
The behavior reporting system on 360 is already lacking true accountability; why add additional fuel to the fire with no way to contain player's behavior?
Personally, I think sexual orientation and games have very little to do with each other. So, you can now write your sexual orientation in your gamer profile? That's nice. Have no reason to care. I'm an indiscriminate fragger.
Pfff this is just for people who like to argue and make polemics... isn't that trolling in some way?
Shockolate said:
Let me do a little de-railing of my own. When I read this, I spend about three minutes laughing so hard, I got yelled at by my housemates. I applaud you for this, for I was feeling rather down from a failed job hunt.
Now then, back to the topic at hand.
Does it really matter if someone can see if your straight or gay on Xbox live? How will it effect gameplay, other then stopping those random gamers that cares about the feels of others (not that it will stop those vile mouthed gamers that use queer or fagget every other word)?
"Expression of any sexual orientation (straight or gay or otherwise) is not allowed in Gamertags. However we've heard from the user base they want that capability, so I am examining how we can provide it in a way that wont get misused. I can't say any more at the moment, except to say I'm working right now in finding a way to safely express relationship preference."Hardcore_gamer said:
^they didn't allow it because they didn't want people sexual orientation bashed in gamer tags, not because they were homophobes.
I agree, who gives a shit weather or not someone is gay, straight or otherwise.Dublin Solo said:
I'm noy homophobic, nut it pisses me off when gay/lesbien people openly anounce their orinetation. As if to get a pat on the back or a congratulation for beiing ok about it and that eveeryone shoud accept them based on this rather than telling them to shut the hell up when we dont care.
Person 1: I'm gay
me: fuck off, I don't care
person 1: *gasp* homophobe
Hurr Durr Derp said:
geldonyetich said:
These.Orcus_35 said:
This entire thing should have been one of those "Yeah, I'm going to file that under 'Not an Issue'" moments.
Oh how I love thee, Kevin Butler.
Considering the can of worms this opens up it's a really good thing that so many Live players are such tolerant, mature individuals
(just an opinion) I think "dont ask dont tell" should apply to things like that instaed of just the military