Comments on: Op/Ed: The Impact Of Homophobia In Virtual Communities

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:34:19 +0000

I do not understand why a person’s lifestyle makes you cringe. It has absolutely no impact on you as a person, nor does it even concern you. So yes, I believe it does make you a bad person, for it is people like you who are slowing down society.

I can understand a person cringing if they have insecurities about their own sexuality, but if they don’t, then there is absolutely no reason why you should feel disgusted. Do you really think that every gay person is going to find you attractive? Get over yourself, honestly.

By: Sven

Sven — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:46:08 +0000

Perhaps it would make sense to tackle the Impact Of Misogyny In Virtual Communities, first?

By: Valentia X

Valentia X — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 07:44:46 +0000

Homophobia is a fear of homosexuality- that’s what a phobia is. It’s an irrational fear to boot. That’s not the same thing as disliking.

I agree that it’s really frigging annoying (just as tiring as having to hear how I need to go to the kitchen and make a sandwich) but blowing it out of proportion isn’t going to help either.

Also, I’d like to know what controls and control groups were used for that study- what they defined as a ‘gamer’, where they went to ask, the average age of the groups vs. the average age of a gamer, etc.

Additionally, I don’t think space on a server should be dedicated to any one particular group. Space set aside for groups to come together (girl gamers, Christian gamers, LGBT gamers, gamers who like to pick navel lint, etc), absolutely, since we all want to connect with people like ourselves, but not a safe zone that others can’t enter. All gamers should be protected equally, and not some more equally than others. Giving anyone special status defeats the purpose of the playing ground.

I think there’s a reason why there’s no insta-banning or not getting back to someone quickly (if at all)- attempting to filter every single piece of media that comes through a server would be financially devastating, if possible at all. And producing a button that results in an instant-suspension for calling someone gay (or any other epithet) would be abused in ways one can’t begin to imagine. I’m sure most gamers would have been suspended within weeks of playing online because someone got pissed over being scrubbed by a superior player.

Tolerance is good, for the gaming community and beyond. And speaking as a fervent supporter of gay rights, I believe that finding ways to dilute intolerance (it’s never going to go away completely) is a good thing. But attempting to lay down draconian rulings in order to spare someone their feelings is never going to work.

By: ViceOfFire

ViceOfFire — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:19:39 +0000

Well I dislike it because it makes me cringe, does that make me a bad person? To each his own, sure, but I don’t want it rubbed in my face and to be forced to agree with it.

By: jack

jack — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:49:07 +0000

@toadie

But that’s exactly what homophobia is. Disliking the idea of homosexuality. I see no logical reason why anyone would disagree with it.

By: toadie

toadie — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:28:21 +0000

The gay community is hurting itself by labeling any sign of disagreement with homosexuality as HOMOPHOBIA.
Leaving no room for there to be reasonable people who simply believe it’s a bad thing overall means ostracizing the very people you seem to want to still respect your choice.
It makes you guilty of the very thing you rail against.

By: Lucas Goudie

Lucas Goudie — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:19:35 +0000

@Ad

Don’t start with the thompson whining. There is a huge difference between interaction with real people and interaction with code.

By: Ad

Ad — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:09:42 +0000

Quite a good article, my one issue is:
“These are impressionable kids who are witnessing and then participating in anti-gay slurs, normalizing homophobia for them. They then take that behaviour from their virtual worlds into their real world.”
Substitute the word “violence” for “homophobia”, and you’ve got the beginning of Jack Thompson’s next speech. Correlation isn’t causality & so forth.
Oh, and I cringed at the term ‘gaymer’ :\