The Pink Elephant In the Room

(Microsoft fucks up again, but I'm going to let Mr. Kennedy, at newenthusiast.com, tell the story. =mike=)

The history of Microsoft’s Xbox Live policies towards openly homosexual gamers has been a little tawdry.

There was the classic case of Richard Gaywood (yes, that is his real name) who was refused the right to use his name as his gamertag because it was ‘obscene’. Now, Microsoft has suspended the account of a woman because she mentioned on her profile that she is a lesbian. When asked to explain this, Microsoft has hidden behind its terms of service, which state under things that you may not do:

“Create a Gamertag, avatar or use text in other profile fields that may offend other members. This includes comments that look, sound like, stand for, hint at, abbreviate, or insinuate or relate to any of the following: profane words/phrases, topics or content of a sexual nature, hate speech (including but not limited to racial, ethnic, or religious slurs), illegal drugs/controlled substances, or illegal activities;”

So, apparently, being open about being homosexual constitutes ‘sexual content’.

Fuck that.

Why is it that if someone is gay, the conservative establishment immediately think about sex? If someone says they’re straight, do they immediately begin to wonder about their sexual habits? No, they think romance and love, weddings and little-tackers running around under a Hills Hoist.

The fact is that the preoccupation with homosexuality as a purely sexual issue is the problem, not gay gamers themselves. If a gamer can’t say that they’re gay on their own profile, does that preclude people from putting that they are married on their profile? I hear that married people (GASP) have the sex!

And you’d better not put how many children you have, because that would be telling people that you have had sex at least that many times. Actually, do away with profiles. Every person who has one is the product of a sex act!

It’s utterly ridiculous.

Microsoft has responded and apologised for its insensitivity in the way that the issue has been handled, but has no plans to alter its policies at this time. Nice.
Here’s an idea, Microsoft – if someone complains about another user having the fact that they’re gay on their profile, ban that bigoted fucktard. Chances are they’re contributing more to the horrid racism, homophobia, and other ‘hate speech’ that is everywhere on your service, and that your terms very specifically disallow.

Don’t ban the person who is simply being open about something that they have no reason to hide, and that you have no right to ask them to.

Disclaimer: The author of this polemic is not gay, although he has been known to wear a dress when the mood strikes.