• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Microsoft: being a lesbian is offensive


Thats unbelievable. I have alot of lesbian friends, i feel i can relate to them far easier than straight women because i just sit there and talk about girls all day with Anna and she totally gets me :lol:

Theres nothing wrong, nor offensive, about being gay, and you know what, buy a PS3, cause XBOX is a load of horse bollocks anyway.
 
You can't say you are heterosexual either on XBOX. It will get you banned just as fast.
 
johnjoel said:
You can't say you are heterosexual either on XBOX. It will get you banned just as fast.
Click to expand...

Not meaning to pry into anyone's lives, but how exactly do you come about to proclaim your sexuality on XBOX Live?
 
Perhaps Microsoft feels threatened by something that could be substanually more entertaining? Who doesnt like lesbians?
 
repeter said:
Not meaning to pry into anyone's lives, but how exactly do you come about to proclaim your sexuality on XBOX Live?
Click to expand...

Well from that article there was another link that led to what appeared to be a portion of their TOS.

Evidently there is a profile system, (much like this forum's) where you can post private information about yourself, or something of that nature. Without seeing it I have no real idea.

The TOS made it clear that there is no sexuality profiling allowed whatsoever, be it homosexuality or heterosexuality.

Consumerist - Microsoft's Policy Regarding Identifying Sexual Orientation On XBOX Live - Xbox Live

 

Screen shots or it didn't happen.

Is sexual content in general allowed, or do they like to keep everything G-rated? Is someone allowed to identify as "hetero", for example?

What are the rules regarding how you can identify yourself: please link to them.

Please describe the harassment that took place; a specific example with screen shots or a log to back it up.
 

It didn't happen to me personally, I linked to an article. My son plays xbox live, and I know there is quite a bit of trashy trash talking on there. I had the pleasure of explaining the term "tea-bagging" to him earlier this year. That came right after the conversation on masturbation. Good times, good times.
 

In text chat or voice chat?
 

Yeah the whole concept of tea bagging is pretty sad....the masturbation conversation must have been very painful.
 
As other posters have said, the problem is not identifying as homosexual, but talking about sexual orientation in any way. Dealing with sexual expression in games is a difficult issue industry-wide as well, it isn't just Microsoft. There is no good policy at this point in time. There is a good portion of this nation that finds expression of sexuality inappropriate or offensive, and they have powerful legal backing. Ratings agencies make note of and warn parents against sexuality in games (hetero or otherwise), which provides a large incentive for gaming companies to shy away from any kind of sex-talk. At the same time, large numbers of the LGBT community identify with their sexuality and feel discriminated against if they are not allowed to express it.

Ars Technica has a good article on the subject if anybody is interested

Link [Ars Technica | The digital closet: online gaming struggles with gay voices]
 
I think it has to do with preventing the chat from becoming an online dating service, where people ask each other probing questions publically. It's a liability thing, especially given that minors will be online.

There are people out there who would sue over their children being subjected to sexual discourse in a gaming chat room, and for many people the word "homosexual" = omg they are talking about sex, I mean just look, it has "-sexual" in it!

Microsoft doesn't want people connecting beyond their gaming experience because it might lead to lawsuits. I think it's rather prudish, but the server is their virtual property so they can issue whatever rules they want.

They just need to be prepared for the bad press.
 

Blizzard simply wrote a very long "we're not responsible" disclaimer for World of Warcraft and was don with it.
 
Jerry said:
Blizzard simply wrote a very long "we're not responsible" disclaimer for World of Warcraft and was don with it.
Click to expand...

Yeah well, Blizzard is amazing and in a league far beyond Microsoft.
 
Orius said:
Yeah well, Blizzard is amazing and in a league far beyond Microsoft.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah?

Blizzard makes touch screens? Servers? Operating Systems? Hardware?
 
I meant for gaming.

Stop splittng hairs.
 
Ermm, stating sexual orientation has become offence since..when? British and American political correctness spilling over into gaming!
 
kaya'08 said:
Ermm, stating sexual orientation has become offence since..when? British and American political correctness spilling over into gaming!
Click to expand...

I agree its more or less PC (no pun intended) but with some experience with writing TOS you come to realize if you don't plug all holes (again no pun intended) you end up with an exploitable route that can land your butt in court.

Its a cover your butt sort of thing.

(Once again, no pun intended)

Man this is hard...
 
Would you be allowed to say that you are asexual since it has nothing to do with orientation?
 
Jerry said:
In text chat or voice chat?
Click to expand...

Voice, I think. To clarify, I don't have the x-box at my house, I think it's too difficult to police. It's at my ex-husband's house where I have no control over what my son is allowed to do or play.
 
Last edited:
kaya'08 said:
Yeah the whole concept of tea bagging is pretty sad....the masturbation conversation must have been very painful.
Click to expand...

Just part of the job of being a parent. I think it was rather awkward for both of us, but I'd already been through it with my daughter, so it was probably easier for me than for him.
 
Catz Part Deux said:
Voice, I think. To clarify, I don't have the x-box at my house, I think it's too difficult to police. It's at my ex-husband's house where I have no control over what my son is allowed to do or play.
Click to expand...

The reason I ask is because 1: I wanted to imagine the convers...er, I mean, I'm a good lil Christian boy ...and 2, the rules let you say what you want over voice. The rules only seemed to come down on text, profiles and smiler.
 
Jerry said:
The reason I ask is because 1: I wanted to imagine the convers...er, I mean, I'm a good lil Christian boy ...and 2, the rules let you say what you want over voice. The rules only seemed to come down on text, profiles and smiler.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but then of course, you normally have to report the name or text stuff to do anything about it. If you actually offend someone by going, F*** u, or putting on your account like my d***, then you're eventually going to get reported. Normally, you have to be really offensive for anyone to take time to report it.
 

Yup.

I'm guessing they let voice go because it's to much of a pain in the ass to keep tabs on, if not imposable if your group is using a 3rd party chat server like Ventrillo.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…