Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

March 5, 2010 -

Microsoft has updated its Xbox Live Code of Conduct with terminology that now allows gamers to include their sexual orientation in their Gamertag.

Gamers are now free to label themselves as Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Transgender or Straight, in a move GayGamer called “fantastic.”

In a letter announcing the change, Microsoft’s Mark Whitten wrote:

Under our previous policy, some of these expressions of self-identification were not allowed in Gamertags or profiles to prevent the use of these terms as insults or slurs. However we have since heard feedback from our customers that while the spirit of this approach was genuine, it inadvertently excluded a part of our Xbox LIVE community. This update also comes hand-in-hand with increased stringency and enforcement to prevent the misuse of these terms.

Comments

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Chamale on Sun, 03/07/2010 - 21:15.

I don't know what you play, but I play Battlefield: Bad Company, Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead, and various other games online for hours every week. I've never heard anyone called a fag, though I've been personally called the N-word several times (I'm white).

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Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by thefremen on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 17:57.

Yeah the peeps I game with on Steam/PSN sure as fuck are. Being able to identify through profile allows ppl to connect with others/play games with others who won't give 'em shit so it has a net positive effect.

It's basically the equivalent of being called a haxxor for doing something somewhat amazing, like taking out a plane with an RPG in BF. Of course, harrassment/stalking is another matter entirely, but often ppl are targeted by stalkers just for being female/playing with a pink Spartan.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 20:10.

that's what the report button is for.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by thefremen on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 17:26.

Nobody is operating under the false assumption that identifying yourself as anything other than straight in your gamertag would result in anything less than the most horrific queerbashing possible, just as anyone who has a black avatar in xbl can expect to be called "Nigger" literally every 5 seconds. /b/ is no longer the asshole of the internet, the entire internet is the asshole of the internet.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Lcpuche on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 16:36.

Why would they even ask that? It's stupid.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 16:50.

It is not some question that one must answer when setting up their gamer profile. They are just allowing people to put it in their profile and gamertag if they want to. There is no requirement. There is no specific sexual orientation question.

Please people. Learn to read.

E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by killatia on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 15:23.

Nevered expected this to happen. Good job MS.

http://www.magicinkgaming.com/

http://www.killatia.com/

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by SeanB on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 15:17.

WOAH! Holy 180 degree turnaround batman!

It wasn't long ago they banned a guy for having the last name gayman or something similar.

Booo on GP for missing the bigger picture though

"As of today, references to sexual orientation, race, religion and nationality will be allowed in Gamertags and profiles!"

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Andrew Eisen on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 15:27.

Richard Gaywood

Pray tell, what bigger picture do you feel GP has missed?

Andrew Eisen

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by SeanB on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 19:00.

uh.. the quoted area of my post ... the part about race, religion. That's a quote from the actual press release.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Andrew Eisen on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 19:15.

Egads, I'm blind!

Well, I feel sheepish. Especially considering I too wondered why that wasn't mentioned in GP's report.

"I'd like to announce an update to the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and Code of Conduct which will allow our members to more freely express their race, nationality, religion and sexual orientation in Gamertags and profiles." -Marc Whitten

Interestingly, the updated code of conduct does not mention race, religion, or nationality. Perhaps that's why GP omitted it?

Andrew Eisen

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Father Time on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 19:21.

Well I can't remember MS ever banning someone over talking about their race nationality or religion just sexuality.

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Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Erik on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 14:49.

Is there a "None of your fucking business, now shut up and frag something" option?

-Ultimately what will do in mankind is a person's fear of their own freedom-

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by State on Sat, 03/06/2010 - 05:59.

You're such a frag.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 14:57.

Considering the areas of your gamer profile you can enter this in are areas that you manually enter information, then yes there is that option. In order to exercise that option all one has to do is refrain from typing that information in.

E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Sora-Chan on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 14:46.

huh, this is actually really nice of them to do.

Just one little teeny problem... Transgender/Transexual isnt a sexual orientation but a self identity to one's gender to those who beleive they were born the wrong sex.

Beyond that, I actually see Transgender being a option actually nice. Though I can see some people not wanting others to know.

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If you don't like something I said in a post, don't just hit the dislike, let me know your thoughts! I'm interested in knowing everyone's opinions, even when they don't mesh with my own.

Shout box

Technogeek: If the developer were male there wouldn't have been a "conversation" in the first place.10/19/2014 - 2:27am

Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm

Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm

Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm

Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm

Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm

Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm

Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm

Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm

ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm

MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm

Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm

MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am

Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am

quiknkold: and we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: The whole thing is Futile. Both sides are so buried deep in their trenchs that there isnt a conversation. Its just Finger Pointing, Name Calling, Doxxing, Threats. there needs to be a serious conversation, and GG isnt it.10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: I thought it was a good article. Jeff is right. I feel like GamerGate did destroy its message. I am for Ethics in game journalism, but man. so much hate. and its on both sides. I've seen some awful stuff spewed on twitter. Its a big reason why I exited..10/17/2014 - 7:34pm

Matthew Wilson: while he focused on gg, he did call out both sides crap.10/17/2014 - 7:18pm

Papa Midnight: That was a damn good read offered by Jeff Gertsmann.10/17/2014 - 7:17pm

Matthew Wilson: http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/letter-from-the-editor-10-17-2014/1100-5049/ deferentially a nice write up.10/17/2014 - 6:44pm

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