QuoteAccording to a report by The Consumerist, an Xbox 360 gamer had her service suspended after identifying herself as a lesbian in her Xbox Live profile. The woman told the site that she was "harassed by several players" and "chased to different maps/games" once they caught wind of her sexual orientation. After those offended notified Microsoft, the company banned her account.

Gamers were outraged, prompting Microsoft to issue a terse apology by way of Stephen Toulouse, program manager for policy and enforcement on Xbox Live.

Initially intended to curb the derogatory use of words like "gay," Microsoft's sexuality policy empowers the company to suspend any account that includes words related to sexual orientation in an Xbox Live nickname or profile. It's landed the company in hot water before, most recently when it led to the banning of a man simply trying to use his legal name, Richard Gaywood.

And all I can really think in all this (besides why the fuck should anyone feel the need to reveal their sexual orientation in an Xbox game?!) is "poor bastard.. as if he didn't have enough problems already being named Gaywood, they ban him from Xbox too..."

RPGPundit

Man, that guy's parents are assholes. "Dick Gaywood"?

I knew a kid in high school with the last name Gaylord. That's tough duty right there.

Quote from: RPGPundit(besides why the fuck should anyone feel the need to reveal their sexual orientation in an Xbox game?!)

My my thoughts as well. Fuck whoever the hell you want, but you don't need to promote or have an agenda for it.

Quote from: Aos;286534I knew a kid in high school with the last name Gaylord. That's tough duty right there.

You know, we never used the word 'gay' when I was in school. We said 'poof' or 'poofter'.

Quote from: RPGPundit;286517And all I can really think in all this (besides why the fuck should anyone feel the need to reveal their sexual orientation in an Xbox game?!) is "poor bastard.. as if he didn't have enough problems already being named Gaywood, they ban him from Xbox too..."

Quote from: KrakaJak;286568My my thoughts as well. Fuck whoever the hell you want, but you don't need to promote or have an agenda for it.

So, I am married to a woman, I don't think that information needs to be some kind of secret -- any more than my being half-Korean, playing RPGs, having grown up in New York, or a lot of other random personal facts about me.  It's not inappropriate to tell kids of any age, and I certainly don't think it's TMI for adults.  In many social situations it is perfectly appropriate to make clear, to the point that I continuously wear a visible symbol of it.  I've never had anyone get in my face that I was giving inappropriate information by making any of that information clear.  

In short, I don't think that I should have to hide my sexual orientation.  In a lot of social situations -- including gaming -- which aren't dominated by guys who act like assholes, there is often various chatting, socializing, and flirting.  Many people have made friends, dates, or even met their future spouses in games -- online or otherwise.  I first got to know my wife when she joined a Champions game I was GMing, and I know of many people who met their future spouses online.  So I think there is a useful function to making sexual orientation and marital status clear.  

(As an aside, all due sympathy to the guy with the name Gaywood who is undoubtedly teased a lot -- but even more sympathy for the people who are likely to suffer far more serious harassment in their lives by being out.)

Quote from: RPGPundit;286517why the fuck should anyone feel the need to reveal their sexual orientation in an Xbox game?!

I remember reading somewhere that you can now find sexual-orientation-themed guilds on MMO's; all-gay, all-lesbian, all-S&M, that sort of thing.

Maybe posting your sexual orientation on a gaming network has something to do with that.

OTOH I can't figure wtf you'd want to be that exclusive, furthermore when there isn't any online game AFAIK that has sexual preferences as a inherent theme.

I mean, imagine having a WoW Clan made exclusively of Republicans. What would be the point? :confused:

Would I be banned if my gamertag was Heterstraightguy?

Guess so. It does contain sexual orientation references and apparently that is a no-no as far as Xbox Live policies are concerned.

I guess you would be banned even with a gamertag of "CelibateMonk".

And the sad thing is, no you wouldn't. Saying you are gay is revealing personal information. Saying you're straight is just confirming that you're a ('scuse me if I spit the word) normal guy. That's the way it works. I mean, I can't confirm it, but I'll bet on it.

And on names, I knew a guy called Benito Camela. In Uruguayan and Argentinian Spanish, it sounds just like "Veni, tocamela", which roughly translates as "Come here, touch it". Honest.

Quote from: droog;286582You know, we never used the word 'gay' when I was in school. We said 'poof' or 'poofter'.

Dear droog,

Go to hell.

Signed,
Richard Pooflord








()

Quote from: Edsan;286678Guess so. It does contain sexual orientation references and apparently that is a no-no as far as Xbox Live policies are concerned.

I guess you would be banned even with a gamertag of "CelibateMonk".

As Sunboy pointed out, no, you wouldn't.  I'm not Xbox Live, but in comments someone pointed out that there were lots of profiles that proclaimed "ladiesman" and variations.  

There's a LesbianGamers.com post on the issue with many examples of people's profile names.

Yes, but at least ostensibly, their policy was really intentioned to prevent people from using "gay" pejoratively. I guess it depends whether you want to believe their policy had good intentions.

RPGPundit

Quote from: Edsan;286655I remember reading somewhere that you can now find sexual-orientation-themed guilds on MMO's; all-gay, all-lesbian, all-S&M, that sort of thing.

Maybe posting your sexual orientation on a gaming network has something to do with that.

OTOH I can't figure wtf you'd want to be that exclusive, furthermore when there isn't any online game AFAIK that has sexual preferences as a inherent theme.

I mean, imagine having a WoW Clan made exclusively of Republicans. What would be the point? :confused:

Part of it is the rampant homophobia in the online gaming community. It makes a fair bit of sense that a gay person would want to game with a bunch of people they can be relatively sure aren't going to bust out into a torrent of "Fucking faggots!" or "You cocksucking gaywad!" etc. when their digital avatars are shot in the head or defeated by the dragon, or whatever.

Actually, on a related note there are quite a few clans who use voice chat on the local Resistance 2 servers who seem to be predominantly black. I've heard them verbally berate people with racist names during matches. So the process seems to be going on with a number of different identity groups, not just gays.

Quote from: jhkim;286652So, I am married to a woman, I don't think that information needs to be some kind of secret -- any more than my being half-Korean, playing RPGs, having grown up in New York, or a lot of other random personal facts about me.  It's not inappropriate to tell kids of any age, and I certainly don't think it's TMI for adults.  In many social situations it is perfectly appropriate to make clear, to the point that I continuously wear a visible symbol of it.  I've never had anyone get in my face that I was giving inappropriate information by making any of that information clear.

I have no idea what visible symbol you're talking about.