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Microsoft bans lesbian from Xbox Live, starts rounding up Jews photo

In yet another unfortunate case of Microsoft's political correctness backfiring, Xbox Live became the scene of a fresh case of banned homosexual behavior. A female gamer who outed herself as a lesbian found her account barred from Live after Microsoft responded to bigoted and homophobic complaints.

"I was harassed by several players, 'chased' to different maps/games to get away from their harassment," explains the former Xbox Live customer, detailing the effects of her Gamertag profile stating her sexuality. "They followed me into the games and told all the other players to turn me in because they didn't want to see that crap or their kids to see that crap.

"As if Xbox Live is really appropriate for kids anyways! My account was suspended and Xbox Live did nothing to solve this, but instead said others found it offensive."

Now, I can see what Microsoft is doing. By banning and all mention of gays and lesbians from its servers, the platform holder is enacting a scorched earth policy on all potentially offensive material. Logically, if nobody can use the word "gay," nobody can use the word derogatorily. 

However, this kind of situation is clearly sending a very wrong message, and it does look like Microsoft "sides with bigots," as the victim of the ban accuses. It's a knotty and difficult question, but MS is only making itself look as bad as the pathetic homophobes with its current answer. 

Also, since when did male gamers hate the idea of lesbians? That just confirms my belief that most Xbox Live players are latent homosexuals.


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131 comments | showing # 1 to 50

darkwhitehair's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:43
darkwhitehair
YES!!! Finally !!! Capcom and Microsoft are making the world a better place...
linuxguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:45
linuxguy
if only real world lesbians looked like that
Diverse's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:45
Diverse
But really, what can you do? There will always be the emotionally ignored soccer mom with nothing better to do than make the lives of others as miserable as hers is.
Kaspar's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:48
Kaspar
Men don't like lesbians?
M$, what is the meaning of these shenanigans?
Link39's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:48
Link39
I'm gonna have to agree with the "latent homosexuals" thing.

For some reason, Halo just makes me want to put my nuts on another man's face. I've never been able to understand it.

Also, if anybody gets upset over someone's sexual orientation, they seriously need to rethink their priorities and get a grip on reality.

It's only to be expected that the state of society will be in a flux while the acceptance of homosexuals is a slow process. The same thing happened to blacks in the wake of the civil rights movement. Eventually, people realized they were being imbeciles, and got with the program.

But, as with every evolutionary change, for better or worse, there are casualties.
Volomon's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:50
Volomon
Ya after seeing all the vids of kids attempt to nut on other Master Cheifs faces, your probably right. I mean really they are chasing around a lesbian? Tell this poor girl to get a PS3. We don't mind girl on girl action.
John Johnson's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:50
John Johnson
First: It's obviously completely absurd that Microsoft has done this, and should undo it at once. But, does the lady's story seem slightly fishy to anyone? Now, I have no doubt that trolls would annoying the bejesus out of her while she was on one server, but trolls are lazy, I doubt they would follow her across multiple servers to just harass her
Half left's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:51
Half left
"...and told all the other players to turn me in because they didn't want to see that crap or their kids to see that crap."

Parental controls.

Don't ban what your kids see. Ban your fanny until you can control what plops out of it.

(to quote that mediocre comedian)
Wedge's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:52
Wedge
Oh Microsoft, you're so cute when you like to pretend X-Box Live is a "family friendly" environment.
GamingGoddess's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:53
GamingGoddess
@Diverse-- I don't know how many emotionally ignored soccer moms there are on Xbox Live, but since I don't have the console maybe I'm missing something.

This does make Microsoft look awful, although I do have to wonder whenever something like this comes up why you would have a user name like "lesbian_babe18" or whatever she calls herself. Is it really progressive at all, or is it just a ploy for attention that can backfire?

Not that she isn't entitled to use any name she wants despite Microsoft and their BS, I just don't see the appeal of picking that sort of name.
mix's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:54
mix
Stupid people are stupid!

Who cares if your are playing with gay/lesbian people, what difference does that make at all?

MS is just as bad for banning this person.

I also agree with Volomon.....
Shoop's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:55
Shoop
@John

Why should Microsoft reverse the decision? It's a private network, and they haven't done anything illegal.

Being straight/gay/black/whatever has nothing to do with gaming, and flaunting shit like that in the cesspool of XBL is looking for trouble.
GamingGoddess's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 17:58
GamingGoddess
@John-- It is a private network, but just because they aren't legally obligated to reverse it doesn't mean that it was a good decision in the first place.
necrozen's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:00
necrozen
The scorched earth approach is bullshit. Obviously homophobes are using it to their advantage. How is that a solution? If the system can be manipulated to hurt those it is in place to protect, then it is severely flawed, in my opinion. And it needs to be fixed.

Is microsoft telling people they can't identify themselves in certain ways? I don't see how calling yourself a lesbian hurts anyone. Sure, it angers ignorant people, but really, those ignorant people shouldn't be able to control the contents of another user's profile. Part of being in a community is identifying each other's lifestyles and forming bonds.

If it were any other undue reason for which a person had been banned, this shit would have already been taken care of.
Wedge's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:07
Wedge
It's just this general kind of control and moderation MS exhibits over their customers that makes me terrified of XBL and wish it would die in a fucking fire. Maybe I should just be glad Microsoft hates PC gaming, because they'd fucking ruin it if they did have any real place in it.
Sam Spectre's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:08
Sam Spectre
What the FUCK Microsoft? We're allowed to name ourselves stuff like ColdBloodKilla77 and MaskedGunman but identifying ourselves with the gay community gets you banned?
Clance's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:08
Clance
This is why I bought a PS3: Because I knew it was too expensive to be played by poor scum with little to no education.

*reads over his comment again before deciding to whether or not it's suita-*
rushtodeath's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:09
rushtodeath
One man's sick filth is another man's hot girl-on-girl action
Sam Spectre's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:09
Sam Spectre
Also, Microsoft would never ban someone for identifying themselves as an African American or Asian or Middle Eastern. Oh wait, scratch that last one, it's ok to discriminate against Middle Easterners in America just like the fucking gays :D
Rosseh's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:11
Rosseh
I think it's just people who have these kind of jobs aren't really too enthusiastic about them. They do a half assed job and barely pay attention. If you had to filter through every complaint filed all day would you give it your all?
bluexy's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:11
bluexy
And people are paying moneys for that shit.
falinter's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:15
falinter
Yeah seriously who hates lesbians?
This is complete bullshit.
necrozen's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:22
necrozen
@ Shoop

Who are you to tell people what does and doesn't concern gaming. It is subjective. Have you been to the C-Blogs here? You'll notice that gaming spills into other avenues of a persons life. When you immerse yourself in a hobby, you can equate anything you want to it.

First off, when I think of things that should get a person banned I think of Racism, Sexism, words which the censors have decided are unfit. I don't think calling yourself gay fits into anything like that. Your sexual alignment is part of who you are, but when you are in a minority, like a gay women videogamer, I'd imagine you'd have to advertise it if you wanted to meet others who are like you.

And secondly, here you are telling me that gaming has nothing to do with sexuality? Have you ever played a video game? Pick ten random games and examine the female characters.

Either way, this is just Microsoft taking the easy way out instead of trying to get to the heart of the matter. Why aren't the people who were oppressing her in the first place punished?
Velt's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:22
Velt
I doubt the lesbian was as hot as that picture...
Corak's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:27
Corak
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Exerpt from the Declaration of Independence. Since when can someone's sexual orientation effect their basic human rights as set forth by that document? Is it an over the top answer to this problem? Maybe as its applied to government more than private enterprise. But a private enterprise can't deny people these rights just because they are a private enterprise.
Kia's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:28
Kia
First: That is an awesomely hot header.

Second: I'm going to go try this on live with one of my secondary gamertags to see what happens.
joemoemino's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:29
joemoemino
I would like to know the reason she needed to let everyone know she was a lesbian in the first place.
CharleyTony's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:32
CharleyTony
does MS ban the words hetero or str8 ???
necrozen's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:36
necrozen
@ joemoemino

Oh my god, you people are freaking insane! Once again, when you start making demands like that, you start putting up barriers.

It is none of your business why this person, assuming she lives in a free country, decided to list her sexual orientation on her fucking live profile. Does she have to have a reason to bring it up? Is there a rule that says you can only list "video game related" items on your profile? Well then what is the point of a profile? Isn't it a place to talk about yourself?

If you start regulating what people can and cannot say on their profiles(so long as it is harmful to no one, which I'm pretty sure calling yourself a lesbian fits), then you are taking away the freedom to be an individual.
atastysammich's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:37
atastysammich
DOWNLOAD THIS SICK FILTH
Pacopaco's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:37
Pacopaco
@joemoemino

Because a lot of people are proud to be "X" and see no problem with letting other people know.
spas's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:40
spas
I know some lesbians they wear hats, I love hats now!
Monodi's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:41
Monodi
You are bannes from XBOX Live because you are gay.

@kaspar

I am sure they were gay guys too.
gamadaya's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:52
gamadaya
You were kidding about the Jews thing, but that's really the logical next step. MS is clearly trying to appease homophobes do to the huge amount of money they make from them using Live. Now, what percent of said homophobes are anti-Semites as well? My guess would be above 85% (let's face it, they're very stupid people). And considering that the word "Jew" has gained about the same negative connotation as the word "gay", I wouldn't be surprised if they started banning accounts with the word "Jew" in them. In fact, didn't Sony do the same thing with Home? Or was it that you couldn't say "Jew"?
liam2015's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:52
liam2015
You know what I hate about this site?

The trolls.
necrozen's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:54
necrozen
@ ALBINOGYNO

Do you think that is clever? You took the easy road. If you disagree, at least argue your point. Don't just say "Nah Nah Nah Fatty Fat Fat." like a fucking 5 year old.

It makes you sound ignorant.
gamadaya's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 18:56
gamadaya
@Jim:
How many companies/consoles have you been accused of being a fanboy of.

Also, are you a fanboy of anything?
Usedtabe's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 19:03
Usedtabe
You live and you learn. If MS says they don't want that shit on their service, and you agree to that on the TOS, you don't do it. It sucks for her, and I don't necessarily agree with MS's stance, but it is their service. I'm not going to cry about or pretend to be some forum activist over it.

This was MS saying "don't suck", and she sucked. And then got ban hammered. I don't care about anyone's sexual preference, doesn't bother me one bit. But again, if MS says no on their service, nothing you can really do. I remember getting my profile locked til I took out a reference to standing around in a fight with my pants down. Didn't think it was really offensive, but oh well, someone else did.
-PL-'s Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 19:04
-PL-
Microsoft loves america, america hates gays. Just the way it is.
gamadaya's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 19:05
gamadaya
@ALBINOGYNO:
I thought it was an interesting post, so just because you don't care about it doesn

I just realized how pointless arguing with you would be.
Luke Barnard's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 19:17
Luke Barnard
"Yeah? well your mom is a fucking whore piss crap bitch ass!" is the typical banter I hear on XBOX live, but god forbid someone says lesbians. Come on kids, at least learn to swear in well thought out/structured sentences.
Lemmiwinks's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 19:18
Lemmiwinks
I can understand the scorched earth policy, but in the end it's just promoting closed mindedness. Reminds me a bit of 1984; if they don't have the words to say it, they can't think it.

@ALBINGYNO
Fuck off. This community doesn't need more trolls.

@Jim
I <3 you
pedrovay2003's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 19:19
pedrovay2003
@Albinogyno

If you hate him so much, then leave. The rest of us wouldn't mind, Mr. No Blog and Five Comments.
DJDuffy 's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 19:21
DJDuffy
yea I was pretty offended by this when I found this today. Screw you Microsoft and your anti-gay policies! We should be out and proud wherever we want.
ThrashingLimbsEd's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 19:24
ThrashingLimbsEd
microsoft are painfully awfull
Drach's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 19:31
Drach
Wow, I'm proud to be part of this community. I see some of you showing superior intelligence. I think necrozen hit the nail on the head with quoting the Constitution, These words are the header of our bill of rights in the USA and this action by MS clearly defies and revokes this persons first amendment right. To Pursue Happiness. Gay people are a minority. Therefore advertising your sexual preference could initiate you finding someone with similar likes and dislikes. No one should be banned for such a thing.

I agree, MS is siding with bigots. Next they'll ban Middle Eastern users (for having "AllahPwnsJesus" as their tag), then it's the Jewish gamer tags ("HebrewSpammer") then what's next? Hindi("KaliBBQSAUCE")? Asians("KillRoundEyeDevil")? Africans? South Americans?

Someone pointed out that people are allowed to have "straight" names.. This screams of a double standard.

Check off another reason that I refuse to subscribe! (other than me paying for internet twice)
necrozen's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 19:32
necrozen
@ Usedtabe

You can mock people and call them forum activists, but you don't know what people do in their own time. And do you know what is worse than a forum ACITVIST? I'd say a forum DETRACTOR. Especially when we are talking about rights.

If the only way that people can get attention is through being "forum activists", then let them. We've seen fast responses from news getting spread over the internet. No company wants to look like Nazis.

I think the worst thing you can do is just lay back and take it. Either you don't care about other people's rights, which is bad. Or you do care, but you are too much of a pussy or too lazy to say anything, which is worse. Or maybe you just have this delusion that the world is too big now and things can never get accomplished, but I'd say that is incorrect. People have a louder voice NOW than they ever have.

Look at the overall response to this. Looks pretty negative wherever you go. I've seen it on a few sites, actually. I like that people are responding negatively. I would start to worry if everyone posted the "just lay back and take it" post, like you did.

If it was in the fine print, people didn't know about it. Now they do. When you are voting with your dollar it doesn't help that PSN is free. And for the Halo fans, Killzone 2 is right around the corner. Bad time to look like a bunch of space nazis.
Mushman's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 19:34
Mushman
Is Cotton Mcknight back?????????


YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!




Seriously, it doesn't matter if what MS done is wrong, which it is, they have'nt done anything illegal. Sadly, this is how things are at the moment, amd will remain for a lomg time.

The only real thing we, as gamers, as human beings can do is to lodge complaints with MS over this, but I have a feeling that will have no avail whatsoever. :(

Anyway, seeing as I am a muslim, BACK TO KILLING THE GAYS AND THE EVIL INFADELS!!!!!!!!!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!


/end sarcasm

The ones who sould be banned are the harassers, they too broke the ToC's, yet we see no justice, MS is a big fat hypocrite, simple as.
necrozen's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/25/2009 19:34
necrozen
@ ALBINOGYNO

It is crazy how, the more you talk, the more ignorant you sound. How do you do that? Is it just a troll thing, or does it stretch into other aspects of your life?
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