Microsoft Bans Woman For Being Lesbian on XBox Live

[MetaSexual2]

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/02/microsoft-admits-to-defends-banning-lesbian-xbox-live-user

http://consumerist.com/5160187/identifying-yourself-as-a-lesbian-gets-you-banned-on-xbox-live

[rissababynta]

Lord, if you don't your kids to read her profile and get offended then try beinga good adult/parent/human being and teach them from a young age how to live and let live...

[barejerr]

Lord, if you don't your kids to read her profile and get offended then try beinga good adult/parent/human being and teach them from a young age how to live and let live...

I agree, Someone's sexual preference or lifestyle has little to do with your gaming profile... The fact your bi-gay-st8-lesbian really doesn;t factor into your gaming persona...why would you want to "expose" yourself to children who would have difficulty comprehending it...It doesn;t serve any purpose in how you play the game....It's not relative.... In My opinion..

[izzfan]

I find it hilarious that in Microsoft's response, they claim that they don't allow anyone to mention their sexuality, regardless of whether they are gay, lesbian, straight or bi (http://consumerist.com/5161145/microsofts-policy-regarding-identifying-sexual-orientation-on-xbox-live) but I seriously doubt that they would ban someone if they said that they had an opposite-sex partner (unless perhaps if they also said that they were bi). It seems clear that they are only saying this in order to appear non-discriminatory.

It is also interesting to note that all the idiots who harrassed her about being a lesbian don't seem to be in any trouble about this. From all the comments beneath the articles about this, it seems clear that homophobic comments are pretty common on Xbox Live and I guess Microsoft are just too lazy or too damn stupid to tackle this problem the sensible way and instead, have decided to team up with the bullies in order to make things easier for them.

As for the idea that sexual orientation should not be mentioned because is not relavent, I would argue against this. Ok, it might not be directly relavent when you are playing the game but if someone wants to provide a full description of themselves for the more social aspects of online gaming, then why shouldn't they? I think it is a bit harsh that Microsoft are forcing people into the closet whilst pretty much (from all reports) turning a blind eye to hatred against anyone who isn't straight.

As for the issue of "what if children see it", most of the most popular online games are probably not deemed suitable for children (eg: I have yet to see more than a handful of FPS games with anything below a "15" certificate or equivalent) but the fact that a kid might learn that someone is a lesbian hardly seems particularly shocking, it might lead to a few questions for their parents but they were probably going to see a gay/lesbian/bi character in a TV show, hear a gay joke in the playground etc... and ask exactly the same questions anyway. Also, it's interesting to note that most forms of censorship (which also affect adults) are driven by the all-too-familiar catchprase of "think of the children".

Just my :2cents:

[Lonewolf76]

This has gotten WAYYYYY out of hand! The bullies on these sites are out of control - my 23 year old daughter who loves to do gaming had to leave the site --why you ask??? Because she simply always chose a strong male avatar so that she could have fun and kick ass in the gaming world. When the pirranha's found out that she was a female playing a strong male character - the "Fun" started she was called everything from a lesbian to a cu*tlicker. She finally became so exasperated that she just quit playing. I, like many, hate censorship - but who is overseeing these things??? You can get kicked off because of your sexual orientation but it's ok to run off a straight female who plays a male role?? That's how bad these little assholes are. What's next - burning crosses in someone's yard? AMERICA - WAKE UP!!!! I think I may just move to France and eat FRENCH FRIES!!! Bewildered Wolfie! LW

[rissababynta]

This has gotten WAYYYYY out of hand! The bullies on these sites are out of control - my 23 year old daughter who loves to do gaming had to leave the site --why you ask??? Because she simply always chose a strong male avatar so that she could have fun and kick ass in the gaming world. When the pirranha's found out that she was a female playing a strong male character - the "Fun" started she was called everything from a lesbian to a cu*tlicker. She finally became so exasperated that she just quit playing. I, like many, hate censorship - but who is overseeing these things??? You can get kicked off because of your sexual orientation but it's ok to run off a straight female who plays a male role?? That's how bad these little assholes are. What's next - burning crosses in someone's yard? AMERICA - WAKE UP!!!! I think I may just move to France and eat FRENCH FRIES!!! Bewildered Wolfie! LW

As long as you're not eating freedom fries than rock on ma brotha!

[Lonewolf76]

As long as you're not eating freedom fries than rock on ma brotha!

EXACTLY!!! You got it Ma Sissta!!! Howwwlllll!!! LOL LW

[rissababynta]

EXACTLY!!! You got it Ma Sissta!!! Howwwlllll!!! LOL LW

Ugh, the howl! lol

[FalconAngel]

I find it hilarious that in Microsoft's response, they claim that they don't allow anyone to mention their sexuality, regardless of whether they are gay, lesbian, straight or bi (http://consumerist.com/5161145/microsofts-policy-regarding-identifying-sexual-orientation-on-xbox-live) but I seriously doubt that they would ban someone if they said that they had an opposite-sex partner (unless perhaps if they also said that they were bi). It seems clear that they are only saying this in order to appear non-discriminatory.

It is also interesting to note that all the idiots who harrassed her about being a lesbian don't seem to be in any trouble about this. From all the comments beneath the articles about this, it seems clear that homophobic comments are pretty common on Xbox Live and I guess Microsoft are just too lazy or too damn stupid to tackle this problem the sensible way and instead, have decided to team up with the bullies in order to make things easier for them.

As for the idea that sexual orientation should not be mentioned because is not relavent, I would argue against this. Ok, it might not be directly relavent when you are playing the game but if someone wants to provide a full description of themselves for the more social aspects of online gaming, then why shouldn't they? I think it is a bit harsh that Microsoft are forcing people into the closet whilst pretty much (from all reports) turning a blind eye to hatred against anyone who isn't straight.

As for the issue of "what if children see it", most of the most popular online games are probably not deemed suitable for children (eg: I have yet to see more than a handful of FPS games with anything below a "15" certificate or equivalent) but the fact that a kid might learn that someone is a lesbian hardly seems particularly shocking, it might lead to a few questions for their parents but they were probably going to see a gay/lesbian/bi character in a TV show, hear a gay joke in the playground etc... and ask exactly the same questions anyway. Also, it's interesting to note that most forms of censorship (which also affect adults) are driven by the all-too-familiar catchprase of "think of the children".

Just my :2cents:

We are with you on that, Izz.

We have been playing online games for 7 years and have belonged to family friendly guilds there. Some of our members have had their kids playing with them in the guild. For children, in most of the games that we have played, there is a language filter to prevent them from hearing things that children should not be exposed to, but it does not prevent them from hearing about a person's sexuality.

We, however have been fortunate that we have had guildmates that were very tolerant and judge people on their actions and behavior, rather than their sexual preferences.

If you want to hurt Microsoft for this, then a general boycott of Xbox Live and as many as possible Microsoft programs will help.

Close your Xbox live account, encourage your friends and family to do so as well. Spread the word about what and why. Contact the unfortunate victims of MS's behavior to file a class action suit for violation of your civil rights (they banned the Gay/lesbian people, but did nothing to their harrassers), because they are supporting hate speech and hate crime. May want to spread the word that Microsoft is promoting hate crime as well because of incidences like this.


Lonewolf, Not sure what game your daughter was playing, but we saw lots of guys playing girls, just because they could use that to get stuff from male players, thinking that they were a girl, but they never got the bashing that you are telling us that your daughter got. We have also seen lots of girls playing guys.
Among the players that we have known and played/guilded with, that would never have happened. Maybe we've been lucky.

If she wants to play on LOTRO, Elendilmir server, then let us know. We have toons on a pretty nice server there, called Caras Galadhon.
Or, if she plays EQII, then on the Antonia Bayle server, there is a guild called Storm Battalion, that we were members of when we were playing that game. That's a good guild with good people. Have her tell the guild officers that a former member, Gryphias, sent her.