As the days go by, we’re finding it harder and harder to give a fuck about the news stories popping up. Apathy is a terrible thing, and we’re full of it. We couldn’t give a fuck about sales figures for GTA IV, what analysts think is going to happen (especially when they almost always get it totally wrong), or about some fucking press junket. However, this particular story enraged us.Some guy who’s both a real life gay and a real life gamer had “TheGayerGamer” as his gamer tag on Xbox Live. Microsoft took exception to this, and changed it.
Obviously, and rightly, this homophobic zealotry upset quite a lot of people.
As these people voiced their concerns, you might think Microsoft would put its hands up and say, “Hey, we outsource this shit to minimum wage lowbrows – we’ll put it back to how it was. Sorry!”
Well, maybe not that last part, as Microsoft would sooner bite off its own nipples than apologise for anything.
But no – instead, one of their mouthpieces started wielding the Xbox Live terms and conditions on his blog, in particular claiming that the name constituted sexual innuendo. Seriously.
It’s bad enough that this kind of pig ignorant bollocks goes on in the first place, but to actually stand up and defend it is something else. We’re surprised that Microsoft’s legal team of vultures hasn’t already pointed out to the company that discriminating against people on the basis of their sexuality was outlawed quite a long time ago.
At the least, Microsoft is being hatefully homophobic and interfering with some guy’s right to represent himself through his gamer tag as being both gay and a gamer. At the most, it’s breaking the law by doing so. We’d like to hope someone sues them, but if they’re too fucking arrogant to ignore sanctions slapped on them by the European Union, then they’re sure as hell not going to bother with the gay community, or anyone else for that matter.
Gays may not like cunts, but Microsoft has just shown itself to be a company full of cunts that don't like gays.
What an absolute load of bollocks. Not Microsoft being silly, but you trying to make a big deal out of microsoft being silly.
ReplyDeleteI'm no fan of MS but anyone who has worked for a large faceless corporation know that they don't like to risk offending anyone and will go all out to keep their service as bland as possible.
Whether this is right ot not is another matter, but what it isn't is "Microsoft is being hatefully homophobic" it is more a case of them trying desperately not to be this. You could argue that some gay people would be offended by the name, silly I know but people and corporations are now so shit scared of being sued or bad publicity that they do this all the time.
Besides its a fucking gamer tag for christ sake, you make it sound like they are questioning his right to exist.
I agree with Mr. Angry up there^^^. People use xbox, people find his name offensive, people complain. Microsoft change.
ReplyDeleteCountless number of BigNige's have had to get their name changed because Mr and Mrs American Dream think it's racist. No amount of passport wielding will get if off the hook as well. If people are offended, Microsoft will get you to change it. 10 peoples money or 1 persons money? I'm sure we don't have to quote Spock to figure that one out...
Whether it's right or wrong, I thinkit's a bit unfair criticizing the post.
ReplyDeleteIt's complacency that makes this kind of attitude seen to be acceptable, so at least this post is speaking out against it.
As if someone on Xbox Live won't get enough shit for having the tag Gayergamer. Really.
ReplyDeleteThis one is worse:
ReplyDeletehttp://kotaku.com/392304/xbox-live-gay-crackdown-might-be-getting-a-little-out-of-hand