What about the queer female gamers?

[Charli]

But gay guys are gross, even to straight women.

You don't talk to women much...do ya cheif.

As for the thread topic, yes, you're correct but don't start a crusade. Try and convince the escapist calmly to see it your way, and if they don't? Well who cares about those jerks opinions anyway. Put the question to the developers themselves, they have email addresses... blogs. Go nuts.

Edit: But anyway a quick other note, I'm a straight woman with about 5 gay friends ... all whom have hit on me repeatedly in the past... And one who...still does and I have to hide from on certain days. Butanywayahem, I'm certainly no stranger to the outlook of the otherside of the sexuality preferance.
But you are preaching to the wrong side of the chromosome party here... Getting men to understand what women feel is a task tried and failed by so many... It's almost pathetic, my advice is if you're really adamant about finding the whys and hows out over this topic is to do what I suggested before and get the developers themselves thinking.

 

[RanD00M]

well most gamers are men.

Not so much.The amount of notable female gamers has been increasing rather much these last few years.

 

[Knight Templar]

I don't think gamers (who are mostly men keep in mind) would have a big issue with queer girls in games, in fact there are some games that have only such people.

Thats a slightly diffrent issue than the one at hand as far as I can see, maybe that will get looked at in the future, but as i said, it is (and will be) another issue.

 

[The Youth Counselor]

As glad as I am that the Escapist's topic this month focused on gays in the gaming community, I found it both interesting and a little depressing that "gays in gaming" apparently means "gay men in gaming". And beyond that, the focus on non-gender-normative male characters seems a little odd for the topic-- non-gender-normative men aren't necessarily gay (and I found Robert Yang's focus on "I'm not making you do girly things when you're being gay" a little off-putting because not only does it derogate gay men who like feminine activities, it derogates straight men, and women of all sexual orientations who do enjoy those activities.)

General critique over, what about the gay women? We're not represented either, except insofar as some guys want to watch two women make out (for the men's pleasure, natch, conventionally attractive women only, please). When do we get long-winded articles about the lack of representation?

I disagree completely with the statement that LGBT women are under represented in games. I do however believe they are misrepresented.

I'm not a lesbian woman, [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/6.147586?page=2#3416041] so I don't mean to co-opt your perspective and speak for you. After reading the newest issue of the Escapist, I just happened to have a conversation with my best friend who happens to be a girl who prefers girls, and she shares the opinion that I will share to you.

The largest demographic of gamers happen to be heterosexual males. Many of these heterosexual males are extremely homophobic when it comes to the notion of romance between males, but still find two girls kissing hot. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/6.147761?page=2#3415327] Many of them are willing to play a female character, but find it uncomfortable to take part in a romantic relationship with a male character, even when playing as a female character.

Due to this, lesbian and bisexual women are seen everywhere in games. There are games that merely feature the option to have a lesbian relationship such as in The Sims, Fable, or Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines. Then there are games that feature in depth subplots between two characters. From Lady Howard and Estelle Stiles in Gabriel Knight, Hana and Rain in Fear Effect, Juhani in KOTOR, or Shepard and Liara in Mass Effect. These characters are given great prominence.

Unfortunately many of these characters are portrayed as lipsticks simply there for the enjoyment of teenage boys. Yet nearly all of them are portrayed as strong and independent women. Gay men are more often depicted as sissies, deviants and more often just excluded.

Case in point: Vampire the Masquerade. Nearly every lady can be seduced by either a male or female avatar. Yet most attempts for a man to seduce a man elicits a homophobic response, or one that replies that they're straight. Only two women tell a female player character that they're hetero and only one responds in disgust.

There are greener pastures up ahead though. I cannot sing Rockstar more praise for the handling of the subject matter in Bully and Grand Theft Auto IV. With protagonists like Jimmy Hopkins, Luis Lopez, and Gay Tony the playing field may finally change for the better.

 

[Cody211282]

Well they are people who play games, I also play games, if they want to we can play the same game together if they want, i dont see the big deal

 

[Cody211282]

Some of the best characters in gaming you have no idea what way they swing, Master Cheif sure hes a tough manly man, but maybe he is also into manly men, Samus shes a hardass but you have no idea what she does on R&R, Link I mean have you ever seen him once kiss Zelda and he hangs around with a fairy and a guy wearing a green onesy. I love all of these games and they characters hat make them what they are, but who cares if they are gay or not, female or male, hell if the gameplay and storyline are good enough I would play a nazi in a WW2 shooter(and noone likes them).

 

[Disaster Button]

As glad as I am that the Escapist's topic this month focused on gays in the gaming community, I found it both interesting and a little depressing that "gays in gaming" apparently means "gay men in gaming". And beyond that, the focus on non-gender-normative male characters seems a little odd for the topic-- non-gender-normative men aren't necessarily gay (and I found Robert Yang's focus on "I'm not making you do girly things when you're being gay" a little off-putting because not only does it derogate gay men who like feminine activities, it derogates straight men, and women of all sexual orientations who do enjoy those activities.)

General critique over, what about the gay women? We're not represented either, except insofar as some guys want to watch two women make out (for the men's pleasure, natch, conventionally attractive women only, please). When do we get long-winded articles about the lack of representation?

I thought the topic being covered by The Escapist was the LGBT community. Not one specific part of it, that's the message I got from the articles.

Although you are right, gay people are under represented ingames regardless of gender. As are Transgender and Bisexual people. But I think they are starting to get more representation beyond the cliche'd "THAT'S A FABULOUSLY THROBBING WEAPON YOU HAVE THEre JAKE" which is a step in the right direction

 

[Knight Templar]

I'm starting to realise that, in truth, A LOT is being done for all homosexuals/bisexuals/whatever. It's getting better, but we don't need media attention supporting them - these sort of things will fix themselves, but only if ignored.

A lot? I wouldn't agree, what with most protagonists being white stright miltiary men.
Furthermore, what social problem is ever solved by ignoring it?

 

[Knight Templar]

Furthermore, what social problem is ever solved by ignoring it?

This one.

And only this one, or do you just hope things get better for everything?

 

[Sparrow]

To be fair, I think the article was focusing on gay men, not gays in general. Maybe there will be a lesbian one later on, who knows?

 

[Legion]

Uh... huh. You have the perspective to understand? Really? Because white boys? So oppressed. I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but when it comes down to it, in most place white, heterosexual men have the power. And in this particular community (that is to say, the gaming community) they definitely do. I am perfectly willing to keep pointing it out when someone is being racist, sexist and homophobic. Hell, who knows, maybe someone will actually pay attention, and that will be one less person who's being a jackass and intentionally or unintentionally hurting someone because they're different. Clearly the person isn't you, but I wasn't really expecting it to be.

This post makes you a hypocrite. You complain about how certain people are mistreated and complain about sexist, racist and homophobic remarks and yet are unsympathetic to a white male being oppressed simply because it isn't as common.

What difference does it make if it's an individual or a mass? It's either ok or it isn't and to try and claim that it's somehow less important because it doesn't happen to the majority is just plain ridiculous. I doubt Grimsprice was thinking: "It's ok that they beat me because I am white, because the vast majority of other white guys don't have it happen to them".

I'm not sure if this is due to ignorance or that it doesn't fit in with your image of women and homosexuals being the repressed and the evil white men being in charge but if you don't want discrimination then don't discriminate back.

Sexism, Racism and Homophobia are three of my most hated things. That goes for whoever does it, whether they are the oppressed or the oppressors. It's either ok or it isn't.

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

Perhaps I am strange, and if so I can take that. But I can honestly say that I am sick and tired of threads like this. Yes, I am a woman. Yes, I am a homosexual. Yes, I am in a longterm relationship. Yes, I play a lot of games.

My beef with the entire LGBT movement (which I am supposedly a part off) is that we are too sensitive at times. "Oh no, this lesbian woman in *game* is not an accurate portrayal of all lesbian woman!", why should I care? It is not like someone is going to call Modern Warfare on a stereotyped portrayal of the USMC and SAS. Or that Team Fortress 2 is chauvinistic for not including any females in the class selection.

My sexuality and my real life is not something I bring with me when I game. Especially not as it is meant to be entertainment. I understand that I am the minority and I am ready to let things slip because they satisfy the majority the game is aimed at. Besides, things are changing in the gaming industry and I can't expect changes to come over night.

There are homophobes out there, just as there are racists, chauvinists and all other forms of haters. I make it my business not to care too much about them, because they will be there no matter how much I get angry at them. I find it better to be tolerant, accept that I am the minority and move on.

Simply put: The more we raise the issue of LGBT-representation in games, the more we also point it out as something special and unique. Instead of trying to blend it seamlessly into gaming (ie. "Yeah, there's a transgender romance in this game, so what?" instead of "This game has a transgender romance, look at it! LOOK!") we raise it up and point it out as an issue that merits a lot of attention. Both for good and for bad. I can honestly say I am doubtful if I think lesbians require a better representation in computer games. But I am leaning towards a no.

 

[murphy7801]

'k, here's the thing

[HEADING=1]NOBODY CARES[/HEADING]

Nobody cares if a woman is a lesbian, cause, quite frankly, it's hot. But gay guys are gross, even to straight women.

Straight men love gay women

Straight women dont love gay men

At least this is the tally from people I've known.

I know of plenty straight women who find to guys going at it hot

 

[jebussaves88]

A point I made the other night is that characters in games are obviosuly going to be based on the developers image of that kind of person. The makers of FEAR and Prototype apparantly have a fear of young women, as both feature a character who was experimented on who gets revenge in scary ways.

It's still a young entertainment form, and considering how much of a headstart the movie industry has had, it's doing rather well in comparison. Women weren't even allowed to act in theatres some centuries ago, and yet within ten years of its birth, we had Ms Pac Man.
Things are getting there. It'll be a while before we get the equivelant of Brokeback Mountain, and gay women (surely the most unrepresented) will ahve their virtual stage, but we're getting there.

 

[DP155ToneZone]

I'm curious, do you chums feel representation in the media is important?

Does it add to the gaming experience?

Personnally, I don't need a person I can identify with. Max Payne is one of my favourite game personalities, but do we share any common traits? Apart from a physical level, no not at all.

What do you people think?

Is LGBT representation important to increasing the gaming experience?

 

[Emilie Diabolica]

Ah god i hear ya. We're not even condemned in the bible! Probably because Moses secretly liked to see his wife and his slave get it on...

>.<

But yeah, it's always frustrated me how we're never represented. I've noticed how so often when people are talking about gay interests and stuff they almost ALWAYS skim over us and focus on gay guys...

eh..