UPDATE: Microsoft Disallows Public Lesbians on Xbox Live

[Captain Blackout]

This is mildly upsetting...but I have to ask...why can't we just keep our sexual orientation to ourselves in online games?

With the number of players unsuccessfully hitting any girl with a mic online, she may have told them she was a lesbian to shut them the fuck up. Then the homophobes went around and kicked here out of every game she played on.

Precisely why she should have _every_ right to post her orientation. They can put sexual nature blah blah blah in their terms of use all they want but until they ban every nerd looking for gaming hookups they have no right to ban her. Seriously, there have been lawsuits won because of rules unequally applied.

Furthermore, orientation is _much_ more than just a sexual concept for most. It's a way of approaching the world. Unless she's using XBL for hookups or being more offensive then the geeks out there MS failed.

Finally, Microsoft has pulled crap like this before. Not because they're homophobes but because A) They can't be bothered to do their homework on ANYTHING beforehand and B) They follow the money like a horny nerd stalking gamer chicks even when it leads to a dead end.

EDIT: I just re-read MS's response. I'm not surprised by it at all. The Gates Foundation once funded a think-tank for something like traffic improvements. Then they found out the think tank was funding intelligent design (creationism in the pubic schools.) Hey, whaddya expect from a company started by stealing what they couldn't buy and was shanked by the cDc simply because they couldn't admit their software had more holes than swiss cheese.

 

[Reaperman Wompa]

Probably been said before but:
A) Fuck those people and their homophobic up-tight cuntheaded beliefs.
B) Same to Microsoft.

People are straight and people are gay, who gives a fuck what they do in private, and if they are proud of it. Someone can say "I'm straight" and no one cares *points at dipshits on live constantly talking about 'fucking chicks'" but show up and say "I'm gay/lesbian" (I thought it was the same) and get banned for being proud and polite, long as she wasn't like "Look at me!! I like women!!" then those little pricks deserve to be the ones getting banned. There's no point in allowing this type of behavior, ie. racists/sexists/dickheads, that's the way that all online communities should be run, period.

 

[Lord Krunk]

Isn't there an option to mute or block the little shits? I mean, if you don't hear what everything else is saying, then it's fine. Sure, there are bigots, morons and emos whiny people everywhere, including the internet. But seriously, as the old saying goes: 'Ignorance is Bliss'.

Don't feed the trolls, and never let them get to you. Simple as that.

However, with that aside, I think that this whole case is outrageous. Banning people because of their sexuality is like banning someone for their race, gender, class or religion. It just shouldn't happen. I would have to assume they will fix this up before this issue becomes more widespread among the homosexual community and Microsoft has a mutiny/massed law suit on their hands.

Now, I agree with Microsoft in terms of explaining your sexual preferences in detail (e.g. 'I like bondage', or 'MOAR L4D PRONZ' etc.), but just saying that you are gay, bisexual or straight is no reason to be banned. I can't believe this went for years without being noticed.

Oh, and I say report the trolls. They are the ones that should be banned, not her.

 

[Captain Blackout]

Do we have any _actual_ evidence or proof she was being obnoxious about her orientation?

If I missed it in the thread, my bad. If someone knows of said evidence or proof, I'd love to hear from them. Here's why: I was a member of a fundamentalist Christian church at one time, and still maintain ties to some fundamental Christians. I know exactly how this could have gotten very ugly for her even if the ONLY thing she had was the word lesbian in her profile: One Christian sees it, calls their church or some-such, and gets as many other people to report her. I've seen similar things happen. Christians are notorious for campaigns against folks they don't like.

 

[090907]

Don't feed the trolls,

Nuff said.

 

[Tychonic]

While I'd like to make it clear I am in no way against homosexuality, I agree with the numerous posts that detail how sexuality has no place on XBL. You're not on XBL to hook up with people, you're on it to play games and that's it. While you by no means need to keep it a closely guarded secret, there is no reason for you to publicly display it. XBL isn't for hooking up with other people for potential relationships, it's to play games and chit chat with people you already know (who will already know your orientation) or people you will never meet (who don't give a crap about it).

Being on AIM or MSN and displaying it in your profile is an entirely different story, as that truly is the 'world wide web' and not limited to people only being online for one thing and one thing only, being video games. Chatting on a messenger service sometimes people have ONLY intentions of hooking up, where knowing a fact like this is actually useful and not out of place at all.

I don't find it 'disruptive' per sey that she was displaying it, and I'm not siding with Microsoft... but to me it seems like an unecessary inclusion to her profile that she more than likely knew would cause problems and went ahead and kept it anyway. She KNOWS the day and age we live in where people lose respect for and even insult other people for their lifestyle choice, so in a roundabout way she should have known better? But at the same time Microsoft was a little too keen on taking the banhammer to her so quickly.

 

[quiet empire]

Now I have yet another reason to hate Microsoft.

 

[Iskenator67]

It won't last long. It's only a matter of time before Microsoft folds like everybody else and lets the Gay/Lesbians do whatever the hell they want.

 

[Tychonic]

As an afterthought, I think the people who are saying things like 'OMG I HAET MICROSOFT NAO' and 'I'm SO selling my 360' are being a little dramatic. It has nothing to do with you in any way other than pissing you off, so you're either going to run into the pathetic, struggling arms of Sony or the Fisher-Price plastic ones of Nintendo?

Okay, have fun with that :l

I for one will keep and continue to love my 360 not because of what Microsoft is doing, but because I have fun with it. It's my system that I paid money for and I'll beeeeeeeee damned if a little miff on their part is going to make me hate it.


Edit: I own a Wii and enjoy it very much, but it's not a system I'd consider my 'main' next-gen system.

 

[quiet empire]

While I'd like to make it clear I am in no way against homosexuality, I agree with the numerous posts that detail how sexuality has no place on XBL. You're not on XBL to hook up with people, you're on it to play games and that's it. While you by no means need to keep it a closely guarded secret, there is no reason for you to publicly display it. XBL isn't for hooking up with other people for potential relationships, it's to play games and chit chat with people you already know (who will already know your orientation) or people you will never meet (who don't give a crap about it).

Being on AIM or MSN and displaying it in your profile is an entirely different story, as that truly is the 'world wide web' and not limited to people only being online for one thing and one thing only, being video games. Chatting on a messenger service sometimes people have ONLY intentions of hooking up, where knowing a fact like this is actually useful and not out of place at all.

I don't find it 'disruptive' per sey that she was displaying it, and I'm not siding with Microsoft... but to me it seems like an unecessary inclusion to her profile that she more than likely knew would cause problems and went ahead and kept it anyway. She KNOWS the day and age we live in where people lose respect for and even insult other people for their lifestyle choice, so in a roundabout way she should have known better? But at the same time Microsoft was a little too keen on taking the banhammer to her so quickly.

Under your logic, it doesn't matter whether she includes it in her profile or not, or rather, it shouldn't. You bashing her like this is like complaining if someone put that they like a certain band. I don't see compaining that it wasn't 'Particulary nessecary' for her to say that is a very strong point.

 

[Tychonic]

While I'd like to make it clear I am in no way against homosexuality, I agree with the numerous posts that detail how sexuality has no place on XBL. You're not on XBL to hook up with people, you're on it to play games and that's it. While you by no means need to keep it a closely guarded secret, there is no reason for you to publicly display it. XBL isn't for hooking up with other people for potential relationships, it's to play games and chit chat with people you already know (who will already know your orientation) or people you will never meet (who don't give a crap about it).

Being on AIM or MSN and displaying it in your profile is an entirely different story, as that truly is the 'world wide web' and not limited to people only being online for one thing and one thing only, being video games. Chatting on a messenger service sometimes people have ONLY intentions of hooking up, where knowing a fact like this is actually useful and not out of place at all.

I don't find it 'disruptive' per sey that she was displaying it, and I'm not siding with Microsoft... but to me it seems like an unecessary inclusion to her profile that she more than likely knew would cause problems and went ahead and kept it anyway. She KNOWS the day and age we live in where people lose respect for and even insult other people for their lifestyle choice, so in a roundabout way she should have known better? But at the same time Microsoft was a little too keen on taking the banhammer to her so quickly.

Under your logic, it doesn't matter whether she includes it in her profile or not, or rather, it shouldn't. You bashing her like this is like complaining if someone put that they like a certain band. I don't see compaining that it wasn't 'Particulary nessecary' for her to say that is a very strong point.

I'm not bashing her. I just don't think sexuality belongs in a profile on a GAMING SYSTEM. 'i liek fallout boy' is different from 'i date women and am a girl'. My point is is that it doesn't BELONG there because you're not using a 360 to pick up guys or inversely, chicks. 'Don't ask don't tell' goes a long way.

 

[Tychonic]

I'd like to reiterate that I'm not saying it's WRONG for her to be a lesbian, I'm saying it is completely irrelevant to gaming.

I don't think I made this point clear enough.

 

[Amisbro]

Fag = Lesbian anyway imo. Perfectly acceptable racial slur and most likely she was called a fag not because she was gay but because she was being a fag which is totally different in the internet world.

I don't think she was flaunting it sir.

First off if we were going to use a slur against a lesbian the proper term is "dyke" but its not acceptable and should NEVER be used

You know when someone is "flaunting" their sexuality? When a person of your gender actually physically comes up and feels up your ass in a bathroom. THAT'S unacceptable!

Thank God I don't go on LIVE anymore. I'm not gay or anything like that, but I would totally respect Teresa if she came into a game that I was playing if I did. It takes stones to actually "come out" to people and as I said in a prior thread it shouldn't have happened!

Oh and just so we know here I went to Catholic school for about 8 years and I don't follow the bible to the extent that a lot of people that I know do!

That's my personal opinion...do with it as you like

 

[Tychonic]

Incoming transmission from a friend without an account.....

Although I don't currently own an XB and make no use of the XBL service, I know that if I would ever get one and purchase games to play online that I do NOT need to know someone's sexual orientation - it's completely irrelevant to the purpose of the console and system and only potentially draws out negative reactions and drama. I've read that a lot of people label this as racism, but it's not. Sexual orientation has no place in a world that is focused on gaming. This isn't Myspace, this isn't LiveJournal, it's a gaming system. To play games. Not to advertise that you prefer a partner of the same sex. People who openly advertise their sexuality where it's not necessary aren't people who are 'proud' of it; they just want to get that extra tidbit of attention because, GASP, lesbians play games?! I don't openly advertise I'm a girl when I play online games. All it does it give me stereotyped reactions from guys, whether positive or negative. Just because I'm a bisexual woman doesn't mean I play any better or worse than your average gamer guy. When I go around shooting people it doesn't matter what I am. I don't see how anyone benefits from knowing my gender and my sexual preference. All that happens from it is that people either insult me, underestimate me or get annoyingly clingy and appraisive because they are biased. The only times I ever reveal my gender is when I want to shock people, and I don't think anyone who openly advertises their sex. preference does it for any other reason. As a matter of fact, why do people feel the need to shout it out into the world? Lesbian or not, you are who you are. Whether you do chicks, guys or none at all, you are who you are. The people who are *truly* proud of their sexual orientation are the ones who don't *need* to shout it out.So before everyone goes BAWWWWWW on Microsoft for doing this, maybe you should try to see it from their point of view; IT'S A GAMING SYSTEM. NOT MYSPACE. USE MYSPACE IF YOU'RE SO DESPERATE TO TELL THE WORD YOU'RE GAY.- A bisexual gamer

 

[quiet empire]

While I'd like to make it clear I am in no way against homosexuality, I agree with the numerous posts that detail how sexuality has no place on XBL. You're not on XBL to hook up with people, you're on it to play games and that's it. While you by no means need to keep it a closely guarded secret, there is no reason for you to publicly display it. XBL isn't for hooking up with other people for potential relationships, it's to play games and chit chat with people you already know (who will already know your orientation) or people you will never meet (who don't give a crap about it).

Being on AIM or MSN and displaying it in your profile is an entirely different story, as that truly is the 'world wide web' and not limited to people only being online for one thing and one thing only, being video games. Chatting on a messenger service sometimes people have ONLY intentions of hooking up, where knowing a fact like this is actually useful and not out of place at all.

I don't find it 'disruptive' per sey that she was displaying it, and I'm not siding with Microsoft... but to me it seems like an unecessary inclusion to her profile that she more than likely knew would cause problems and went ahead and kept it anyway. She KNOWS the day and age we live in where people lose respect for and even insult other people for their lifestyle choice, so in a roundabout way she should have known better? But at the same time Microsoft was a little too keen on taking the banhammer to her so quickly.

Under your logic, it doesn't matter whether she includes it in her profile or not, or rather, it shouldn't. You bashing her like this is like complaining if someone put that they like a certain band. I don't see compaining that it wasn't 'Particulary nessecary' for her to say that is a very strong point.

I'm not bashing her. I just don't think sexuality belongs in a profile on a GAMING SYSTEM. 'i liek fallout boy' is different from 'i date women and am a girl'. My point is is that it doesn't BELONG there because you're not using a 360 to pick up guys or inversely, chicks. 'Don't ask don't tell' goes a long way.

I don't remember a part where it said she was looking for someone on LIVE, she simply casually mentioned it. I don't know about you, but that doesn't strike me as 'SO DESPERATE TO TELL THE WORD YOU'RE GAY'. I don't know why you're making a fuss about her mentioning it when it has nothing to do with gaming, but it was in the 'About Me' part of her profile. That doesn't seem to me to be the place to say that you've beaten Halo 2 on Hard, it sounds like a place where people can state stuff ABOUT THEMSELVES. Also, well done in trying to earn some credit by quoting your freind as a 'Bisexual Gamer' when my point is it doesn't matter if she said she was gay or not.

 

[Captain Blackout]

Incoming transmission from a friend without an account.....

Although I don't currently own an XB and make no use of the XBL service, I know that if I would ever get one and purchase games to play online that I do NOT need to know someone's sexual orientation - Whether you do chicks, guys or none at all, you are who you are. The people who are *truly* proud of their sexual orientation are the ones who don't *need* to shout it out.- A bisexual gamer

For the record, I don't see you bashing her at all, and I get the point your bi-sexual gamer friend is making. I also did some research and I know exactly what the issue here is (assuming my research yielded accurate information.)

Microsoft's stance: The words "gay", "lesbian" and "heterosexual" will not be on profiles period. Complaints are investigated, we got a complaint, we banned her for violating a rule she knew about. We also have rules regarding information about illegal conduct.

So far Microsquishy's stance is just fine EXCEPT: I can put in my profile "I'm gamertagy and my wife gamertagx and I love gaming together."
If said couple is hetero, no problems. No one will complain and even if they do, I don't think Microsoft will do anything. If they're not, definite problem. There are those who would complain in a heartbeat and Microsoft just might ban or at least warn gamertagx.

In the end because hetero is assumed and openly accepted, gays and lesbians are STILL, after years of progress, effectively at the back of the bus. Microsoft is NOT anti-gay. They're just stupid (after years of computer ethics and database management I was fed up with MS long before this.) Hetero's get to be openly hetero without doing anything. If I was a lesbian I would post on my profile the same, let Microsoft ban me, and then force them in court to defend it. Why? Because Microsoft is not a church or someone's personal home. They are a corporate entity. Blacks get to blacks, whites get to be white, heteros get to be heteros, but gays and lesbians are supposed to be mostly quiet about it. Force a corporate entity to let everyone sit where they want, gays and lesbians get a bit more progress.

I hope you and your friend continue to enjoy gaming, and I hope you enjoy your XBL account. For those that choose to boycott Microsoft over this, more power to them. If Microsoft does implement an orientation indicator for XBL accounts, the boycott should end. Heck, a pink triangle for some, a rainbow for others, and a red rose etc. somewhere in their profile would suffice. Keep it simple, let people be who they need to be (without being obnoxious or disruptive) and keep the focus on gaming.

 

[Tychonic]

She quoted herself, don't effin call me out because you're butthurt about her being bisexual and making a POINT OF IT TO CONNECT HERSELF TO THIS ISSUE AND HER STANDPOINT ON IT.

 

[Lovedoll]

I don't remember a part where it said she was looking for someone on LIVE, she simply casually mentioned it. I don't know about you, but that doesn't strike me as 'SO DESPERATE TO TELL THE WORD YOU'RE GAY'. I don't know why you're making a fuss about her mentioning it when it has nothing to do with gaming, but it was in the 'About Me' part of her profile. That doesn't seem to me to be the place to say that you've beaten Halo 2 on Hard, it sounds like a place where people can state stuff ABOUT THEMSELVES. Also, well done in trying to earn some credit by quoting your freind as a 'Bisexual Gamer' when my point is it doesn't matter if she said she was gay or not.

My my, a little presumptuous are we? While in general putting something in your profile about your sexual orientation isn't a bad thing, when it's unrelated to the context the profile is to be seen in it gets a whole different meaning.

Now I'd like to elaborate a point that people seem to be missing; the world isn't such an accepting place as you'd like it to be! I know, shocker, right? Putting "I'm heterosexual" in your profile won't do anything. Putting "I'm gay/lesbian" will get you a whole flood of harassment (read first post please for a quote on how this girl was subjected to that type of behavior). Would it really be so wrong to believe that Microsoft could possibly be doing this to keep the drama llama away from its users, its gaming system?

And as my lovely friend Tycho already mentioned, I quoted myself as a bisexual woman to make a point; as someone who is proud of her sexuality, I don't feel the slightest need to express my orientation on my gaming profile. My journal? Sure. In private chats with my friends? Why not?

I don't go on Steam to play CS and announce to the world I'm a bisexual girl however! What's the point? It doesn't change my gameplay. It doesn't change how good or bad I am at the game. All it does is tempt people to stop playing the game and start paying attention to me, either in a positive or negative manner.

You can call it racist of Microsoft to not let people express themselves for what they are. But then take a look at how people treat each other; take a look at how people are harassed for being what they are. Doesn't it make much more sense to avoid this by not allowing unrelated information that may offend people into attacking individuals?

The point remains that it has nothing to do with gaming in general. Like I said before, if you're so set on announcing to the world how proud you are of being gay, then do it on Myspace. I'm just amazed to see so many people throwing a fit at Microsoft for essentially trying to protect its users when you should be throwing a fit at the people who insult, harass and stalk users for something as simple as being gay.

If those people would stop doing that and taking offense to people being gay, Microsoft wouldn't have to enforce a rule like that in the first place.

 

[Captain Blackout]

If those people would stop doing that and taking offense to people being gay, Microsoft wouldn't have to enforce a rule like that in the first place.

I find myself in the odd position of agreeing with both you and the girl who put lesbian in her profile. Oh well. If you're not a sock puppet (and I seriously doubt that you are) you win just for showing up here and posting.