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EA to Host GLAAD Panel on Homophobia in Gaming

by Nick Breckon, Jul 14, 2009 7:04pm PDT
Related Topics – xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts will play host to a panel on homophobia in videogame culture organized by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation this Saturday.

Representatives from Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Linden Labs, GayGamer.net and the Entertainment Software Association will be present. Topics will include "how to provide safe spaces for LGBT people online, how to ensure the best policies are in place to prevent virtual attacks against LGBT people and how to educate the users of online communities about the effects of homophobia."

As Gamasutra points out, GLAAD has become increasingly active in the gaming sphere. GLAAD director of digital media recently published an editorial on "The Impact of Homophobia in Virtual Communities."

The event is open to the public, and is being held at EA's headquarters in Redwood City, California from 11am-1pm. More information is available on the GLAAD site.


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  • #116
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    By: Kiyohime x
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    This panel seems like a waste of time. The atmosphere of homophobia in games is mostly caused by the overuse of "fag/dyke/etc". PSAs aren't going to change "faggot" or "you're so gay" from being used as insults by 12 year old kids. GMs are not going to ban every single immature kid/adult who uses homophobic language as a general insult because they would lose too much money. Unless video games hit kids on the head with a dictionary and tell them to look up a more intelligent insult, or pop culture finds another easy target, I don't reasonably expect video games to have a community like west hollywood or San Francisco.


    You know how you find a safe space for LGBT people online? COMMON SENSE. If your normal gaming crew of random strangers tosses "fag" around way too much, maybe you shouldn't bring up your bf/gf in random conversation. Being out online isn't the same as being out IRL.
    Jul 15, 2009 4:22am PDT

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