Microsoft XBox still banning the “gay” in online gaming
”I’m proud of where I live and this makes no sense…. I’m amazed that in this day and age they would flag the word gay. It’s the name of this town, other gamers have had the accounts closed and up front money taken.”
Josh Moore, a online gamer who tried to put on his XBox account that he lives in Fort Gay, the real name of his town in West Virginia. Moore says his account was suspended, and that he was told by Microsoft’s customer service that the word “gay” is always considered inappropriate. WSAZ TV says after contacting Microsoft, that the company has agreed that there should not be a ban on the name of a town. (WSAZ)
Microsoft XBox and Sony Playstation have both had uncomfortable issues around the use of the word “gay” for online content, as have companies like BioWare. They alleged that they are trying to prevent “sexual innuendo” around underage gamers, and also trying to prevent “insults” used between non-gay gamers. But those protective policies have been controversial because they also exclude LGBT players from self-identifying and locating like-minded people. In general, though, it is believed that video game creators are indeed making efforts to be more gay-friendly.
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