So there's this big story that is picking up steam over at Giantbomb (much credit to Patrick Klepek) regarding a rather aggressive and aggressively sexist behavior from a competitor at the Capcom's SF x Tekken event/reality competition. What was said, and how it was defended to me shed light on what is commented on to smaller degrees over X-box live or any other online platform, but never fully explored. Because this basically became public, even Capcom had to come out and distance themselves from the culprit, as well as apologize.

Now I know talk about sexism has been floated around here and there, discussed with mixed results; sometimes ending up pretty thought provoking, sometimes ending up re-saying things that come off as regurgitation.

I think it'll be interesting to bring this up again, albeit briefly in light of this story. My main interest being whether there is a way to actually build a community that is actually constructive, friendly, and safe, but without risk of censorship, or whether this is just a pipedream and/or an impossibility.

To me there is no debating the sexist remarks that came out of the said person, but having said that, I would like to think that there is a place where we can just drop in and play a game together without having once needing to consider what the gender of the other people are. Basically where we can all drop in as neutral people, and judge by personality, not gender, race, orientation, etc. Again, community; are we as a people/gamers able to foster this, or are we doomed to see the mistakes of history, but continue to repeat?

As for the things that were said, essentially it consisted of a lot of stuff like "yeah I raped you bitch" after beating someone; something I guess is no different to what you would hear at a frat (I assume) playing games. I know a past episode discussed this briefly. Saying stuff like that is really not going to endear you to females.

This is going to come off as weird, and ideally if you could just read carefully what I'm about to say. Like George Carlin once said (and to paraphrase), it's okay to make rape jokes, as long as it's put in context. But to me, if you aren't joking within context, you are either describing an assault, or are making threats about it. A fine line to tread that I would rather never get close to treading, which is why even in victory I treat things like I would when I'm playing sports whatever outcome; show jubilation or disappointment, but always be respectful. Wish everyone well.

PS. Capcom are really not having a great start to the year. First the mixed reception of RE6 trailer, followed by some typing errors on the handheld games released, and now this with an idiot that's brought shame.