Well, I read the post from the "ignorant" fool on the bioware forums and honestly he is not entirely wrong on one key point. The off/on switch. For me I find playing as a male and getting hit on by men offensive. By offensive I dont mean what people assume the word means that I think all homosexuals should be shot into the sun. I mean what the word actually means.
unpleasant or disagreeable to the sense
So getting hit on by Fenris and Anders offended my personal sensibilities. Its more like how the smell of a couch that has the aroma of wet dog, than I am personally insulted that they exist. I dont like it, but it can for the most part easily be ignored.
But I like the on/off switch. The OP is right from a development standpoint it really is not hard to code a switch that can block certain dialogs from being presented. And really it is a good idea. Hell take it a step further and have the ability to block off heterosexual context too while your at it. Or perhaps a 3 prong switch between Hetero/Bi/Homo.(perhaps make the default setting Bi which would run pretty much like the game does now) In all reality that would be a logical thing to include in Biowares flagship dating sim.
What I find to be not only offensive but out and out wrong is how far too often people seem to look at anything that does not accept (not tolerate, accept) homosexuality as an opportunity to lash out and insult people for the way they choose to live. It is fairly common (at least in net culture)when you see topics come up about homosexuality that if you express an idea that is anything other than not only tolerant but accepting, it makes you a hate filled ignorant moron that has wet dreams about the WBC. I am downright astonished by it because its insanely hypocritical.
Now as for the pandering to straight males. The way I am seeing it Straight males did sort of get shafted in DA2. The straight male options are rather limited. You get a choice between the geeky semi oblivious girl in Merrill, which is sort of a niche taste, Or you get Princess Skankerella which is an option that many straight males dont find appealing. There is no clear cut option, Nothing with more widespread qualities. It does genuinely seem like they just phoned in the straight male options this time around by giving us the choice of the merrygoround (everyone gets a turn) with boobs, or the awkward clueless girl. And while I have not persued a relationship with Fenris or Anders, From what I have been told from my best friend who has, is that they are both handled extremely well.
Anyway, I think the real problem here is not gay or straight, but the fact that Bioware and EA pushed this out entirely too early and did not give themselves the time to put the proper polish on the game as a whole, not just as it relates to relationships because just about ever facet of this game shows examples of where it needs to be refined and polished. (This is an example where a directors cut of a game would seriously be warranted)
