Xbox Live gayed up.

[Ed Anger]

Since everybody else has a gay thread, here's mine:

A change to the Xbox Live code of conduct this morning now allows gamers to express their sexual orientation in Xbox Live profiles or Gamertags.

The new policy states:

"You may use the following terms to express your relationship orientation in your profile or Gamertag: Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Transgender, Straight.

Other terms regarding relationship orientation are not allowed. In addition you may not use these terms or any other terms regarding relationship orientation to insult, harass, or any other pejorative use against other users."

Last April, Microsoft officials met with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to discuss the way Microsoft was handling the banning of players for using terms to describe sexual orientation.

This morning the head of Xbox Live policy and enforcement wrote on Twitter that he was "proud to announce" the worldwide changes made live today with a "Special thanks to GLAAD and Microsoft's LGBT community for guidance on the terms."

fags.

[The Brain]

WTF I cannot express myself within those boundaries.

[derspiess]

So Microsoft didn't have to make a donation to the Matthew Shepherd Memorial Fund and promise to send delegates to every GLAADLBGTSWTF conference/pride march?  They got away easy.

[Martinus]

So Microsoft didn't have to make a donation to the Matthew Shepherd Memorial Fund and promise to send delegates to every GLAADLBGTSWTF conference/pride march?  They got away easy.

Actually, they had to donate, then they had to "consult" with GLBT organizations (read: pay for hotel stay, minibar included), and then they created the policy.

[derspiess]

Actually, they had to donate, then they had to "consult" with GLBT organizations (read: pay for hotel stay, minibar included), and then they created the policy.

Jesse Jackson would be proud.

[Ed Anger]

Matthew Shepherd Memorial Fund

Help build a wooden fence in his honor.

[DisturbedPervert]

Impossible to regulate something like this on a p2p network gaming platform.  On the PC of course, good servers will perma ban people for racist or anti homo comments

[Martinus]

Actually, they had to donate, then they had to "consult" with GLBT organizations (read: pay for hotel stay, minibar included), and then they created the policy.

Jesse Jackson would be proud.

We learn from the best.

[Syt]

Actually, they had to donate, then they had to "consult" with GLBT organizations (read: pay for hotel stay, minibar included), and then they created the policy.

Jesse Jackson would be proud.

Not all h(m)otel stays end well, though. See: MLK.

[Neil]

It'd be nice if NAMBLA or some other gay group got taken out at one of these.  Their evil is irritating.

[Martinus]

Impossible to regulate something like this on a p2p network gaming platform.  On the PC of course, good servers will perma ban people for racist or anti homo comments

I don't think this is about the abuse (I mean the part about abuse was present in the old XBox rules). The problem was that they totally banned the word "gay", which led to banning of people with nicknames like "GayBear" or "Happy&Gay", but people with names like "Proud2BStraight" were not banned. There was a big outcry on gay gamer websites over this about a year ago and there were calls for a boycott of Xbox. Since gaymers make up a relatively large proportion of gamers (especially in online games, it seems), Microsoft decided to bend over backwards.

[Neil]

Impossible to regulate something like this on a p2p network gaming platform.  On the PC of course, good servers will perma ban people for racist or anti homo comments

I don't think this is about the abuse (I mean the part about abuse was present in the old XBox rules). The problem was that they totally banned the word "gay", which led to banning of people with nicknames like "GayBear" or "Happy&Gay", but people with names like "Proud2BStraight" were not banned. There was a big outcry on gay gamer websites over this about a year ago and there were calls for a boycott of Xbox. Since gaymers make up a relatively large proportion of gamers (especially in online games, it seems), Microsoft decided to bend over backwards.

Which is silly.  Gays aren't capable of maintaining boycotts due to their suceptability to advertising and their poor impulse control.

[Martinus]

Impossible to regulate something like this on a p2p network gaming platform.  On the PC of course, good servers will perma ban people for racist or anti homo comments

I don't think this is about the abuse (I mean the part about abuse was present in the old XBox rules). The problem was that they totally banned the word "gay", which led to banning of people with nicknames like "GayBear" or "Happy&Gay", but people with names like "Proud2BStraight" were not banned. There was a big outcry on gay gamer websites over this about a year ago and there were calls for a boycott of Xbox. Since gaymers make up a relatively large proportion of gamers (especially in online games, it seems), Microsoft decided to bend over backwards.

Which is silly.  Gays aren't capable of maintaining boycotts due to their suceptability to advertising and their poor impulse control.

Touche.

[DisturbedPervert]

Which is silly.  Gays aren't capable of maintaining boycotts due to their suceptability to advertising and their poor impulse control.

Neither are straights.  The boycott of the PC version of MW2 was enormous on the internet, in reality it still sold a million copies

[derspiess]

Not all h(m)otel stays end well, though. See: MLK.

Did a good job jump-starting Jesse's career.  Especially after he smeared MLK's blood on his clothes.