MS man explains why it's hard to police homophobia on Live Options

[Xbox-Scene]

MS man explains why it's hard to police homophobia on Live Posted by XanTium | March 4 21:00 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From eurogamer.net: [QUOTE] Xbox Live policy manager Stephen Toulouse has offered further of explanation of why the word "gay" can't be used in gamertags or profiles. Eurogamer contacted Toulouse to ask why Microsoft doesn't just allow the use of the word, and take action against those who use it pejoratively - as it takes action, for example, against those who use racist language. "The challenge in this case is that the words themselves are both used as slurs and not," Toulouse replied. "No one uses, as an insult, 'You're a black man.' Instead they use the n-word (which as an aside is of course forbidden as well). Unfortunately it's harder to define identification from abuse with sexual orientation." Toulouse went on to offer an example: "Consider the gamertag 'Bobisgay'. Is the person calling someone named Bob gay? Or is the gamertag owned by Bob and he is referring to himself in the third-person?" [/QUOTE] Full Story: eurogamer.net

[ThaCrip]

me personally i think it's going to far... everyone takes offense to EVERYTHING nowadays

to much 'politically correct' BS going on.

i could understand not using the 'N-word' but 'gay' is pretty much standard language amongst the younger group of kids nowadays.

[tomgreen99200]

i think this is all just gay.

[spinr34]

i think ms has made the right decision. while most people may not be offended by gamertags with sexual preference in them, some people are going to be. then, as stephen pointed out, 'bobisgay' is a hard claim to manage. what if some guy named bob contacts microsoft and says, 'i'm offended by this, i want action taken'. then microsoft would have to explain that the user's real name is bob and that he is actually gay. it just puts ms in a bad position. much easier to not allow any use of it than have to handle a bunch of individual cases.

[ca102455]

I just think it's not normal lol ............

[draken333]

Why make more and more problems. I say, just allow everyone to name themselves however they want. Just change the terms of service to: You agree to view gamertags that may be subjectively offensive.

I understand that MS tries to make it an all ages community, but really..come on, once the headset is on everything changes instantly. I don't think MS will lose that many xbox live users to a different agreement in their TOS.

However, I guess, their reasons behind it may be; if the parents can read what the gamertag is that killed little Jimmy in Halo, than that parent can file a complaint. Now if Jimmy hears what little Cindy said to him with the headset, "U play like a Fuc...ing, Cu...t, Rag, u Dumb....Little Who....e, then there is really nothing that can be done, that allows Jimmy, nor the Mother/Father reporting such an incident, because the rating of the game may change once entering online.

The more something is forbidden to do, the more there is a reason to go against it.

This post has been edited by draken333: Mar 5 2009, 10:15 AM

[Mushy2000]

I just think it's not normal lol ............

What being gay?... I'm gay...I would say I'm a pretty normal person...

[HotKnife420]

Clydesdale still alive....

What being gay?... I'm gay...I would say I'm a pretty normal person...

Actually, being heterosexual is normal, because of how the cycle of life is. It's normal to be conceived, then procreate your own spawn. A homosexual relationship cannot yield that result, and isn't part of the "normal flow" of said cycle.

While you may be a quite normal person in most regards, homosexuality (itself) is not a "normal" activity (not saying anything against you or your lifestyle). While I personally don't feel it's right, I'm not going to go advocating to anybody homosexual that they're wrong (I'd lose a few friends that way); I just do me, and they do them. In the same respect, they don't go advertising their sexuality to everyone who doesn't care to know (after all, that's not how you attract more gay people to you, anyway).

Hell, I've got a big [Gamerscore], but you don't see me telling everyone about it - I let it speak for itself, and those who need to see it, will

[ReturnOfSanta]

By the same token can I use the name Bobsan*****r?
Since I could be referring about myself?

[steveju]

And stop those "You can just not play Xbox Live". - Sure I could, my point is that Microsoft could make room for everyone if they wanted.

But there is room for everyone. What I say is that if you want your own rules to play by, make your own console and/or your own online gaming system. If you won't, stop bitching about it and don't break the rules you accepted when you joined the service.

[gsharpshooter]

omg microsoft freedom of speech alright 1. This is why im glad i own a ps3 sony doesn't give a crap which im glad for so now i can leave my clan tag on cod4 with w/e i want

But there is room for everyone. What I say is that if you want your own rules to play by, make your own console and/or your own online gaming system. If you won't, stop bitching about it and don't break the rules you accepted when you joined the service.

my man come on be realistic no ones gonna want to make there own console right now at least im pretty sure but ill speak for myself right now.... anyways my pt is give a more realistic answer like fine don't play on live go play on xbconnect or xlinkkai.

This post has been edited by gsharpshooter: Mar 5 2009, 08:20 PM

[XDelusion]

What I don't understand is why some chick has to let it be known she likes the taste of girl pee, or some dude has to let it be known that he is a fecalfelist on XBOX Live. secondly having exploited that he is into fecal matter and the process of it's recovery with his sex organ, how he can one expect not to be laughed at, or for there to be disgusted reactions? Third of all, who really cares?!!?!?!? This is like a twisted rehash of the rebellious sexual revolution which did not bring about strength in numbers, unity, brotherhood, etc. but rather the death of monogamy, , family, romance, etc....

...this sub-culture (as brought to you by main stream tell-lie-vision who takes an isolated event and explodes it to make it seem larger than it is (to seem like the norm) and the sheeple emulate) only drives the nail into that coffin all the much deeper.

As for me...

...I don't fear the ladies, and when I'm alone, no man could substitute for my hand.

[tbb033]

What I don't understand is why some chick has to let it be known she likes the taste of girl pee, or some dude has to let it be known that he is a fecalfelist on XBOX Live.

Exactly. Leave your sexual stuff (no matter what it is) for the bedroom, not your internet gaming. Unless being gay somehow affects your skills at gaming, and I really don't think that it does, you really don't need to announce it to the world via your gamertag.

[Mushy2000]

Clydesdale still alive....
Actually, being heterosexual is normal, because of how the cycle of life is. It's normal to be conceived, then procreate your own spawn. A homosexual relationship cannot yield that result, and isn't part of the "normal flow" of said cycle.

While you may be a quite normal person in most regards, homosexuality (itself) is not a "normal" activity (not saying anything against you or your lifestyle). While I personally don't feel it's right, I'm not going to go advocating to anybody homosexual that they're wrong (I'd lose a few friends that way); I just do me, and they do them. In the same respect, they don't go advertising their sexuality to everyone who doesn't care to know (after all, that's not how you attract more gay people to you, anyway).

Hell, I've got a big [Gamerscore], but you don't see me telling everyone about it - I let it speak for itself, and those who need to see it, will

Let me guess, you're a conservative?...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RlTAyNI8WE


"Homosexuality is not confined to humans. It is a natural behavior and has been documented in over 400 species of animals."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_in_animals
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_anima...sexual_behavior

So if it's so unnatural and against nature... please give me an explanation for this video?...

The fact is homosexuality has been happening since the beginning of time... A couple of our presidents were gay, but no... it's people like you who make them hide it inside and are not able to be themselves... I've tried to kill myself... why because of people like you who make people miserable thinking they are some disgusting creature and not normal...

Watch the movie Prayers for Bobby...

or maybe I can refer you to another scientific study which proved that males who were openly homophobic against gay people were shown two guys having sex, even though the men reported they had no stimulation, blood flow meters connected to the penis showed otherwise...what I'm trying to say is... the people that are the most against homosexuals usually have some repressed feelings or fears about it themselves, or they can't admit they have though about it before...


But anyway, this is xbox-scene... not a debate about ignorant people... So I'm going to do the responsible thing and find the ignore button and not worry about any future posts from you.

This post has been edited by Mushy2000: Mar 6 2009, 12:08 PM

[jdsony]

I say ban as many words as possible. How does 'gay' add in any way to someone's online gaming experience? How does using words like f*** s*** a** b**** c*** d*** etc. aid in the communication online or anywhere else? I'm not typically for censorship but there are too many 'kids' using words for shock value, or because they have underdeveloped brains and don't know how to logically communicate. Lot's of people do it, it's a fact of life but some people just have a poor vocabulary.