Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

March 5, 2010

Microsoft has updated its Xbox Live Code of Conduct with terminology that now allows gamers to include their sexual orientation in their Gamertag.

Gamers are now free to label themselves as Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Transgender or Straight, in a move GayGamer called “fantastic.”

In a letter announcing the change, Microsoft’s Mark Whitten wrote:

Under our previous policy, some of these expressions of self-identification were not allowed in Gamertags or profiles to prevent the use of these terms as insults or slurs. However we have since heard feedback from our customers that while the spirit of this approach was genuine, it inadvertently excluded a part of our Xbox LIVE community. This update also comes hand-in-hand with increased stringency and enforcement to prevent the misuse of these terms.

Comments

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Chamale on Sun, 03/07/2010 - 21:15.

I don't know what you play, but I play Battlefield: Bad Company, Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead, and various other games online for hours every week. I've never heard anyone called a fag, though I've been personally called the N-word several times (I'm white).

This is a signature virus. Please copy and paste into your signature to help it propagate.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by thefremen on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 17:57.

Yeah the peeps I game with on Steam/PSN sure as fuck are. Being able to identify through profile allows ppl to connect with others/play games with others who won't give 'em shit so it has a net positive effect.

It's basically the equivalent of being called a haxxor for doing something somewhat amazing, like taking out a plane with an RPG in BF. Of course, harrassment/stalking is another matter entirely, but often ppl are targeted by stalkers just for being female/playing with a pink Spartan.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 20:10.

that's what the report button is for.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by thefremen on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 17:26.

Nobody is operating under the false assumption that identifying yourself as anything other than straight in your gamertag would result in anything less than the most horrific queerbashing possible, just as anyone who has a black avatar in xbl can expect to be called "Nigger" literally every 5 seconds. /b/ is no longer the asshole of the internet, the entire internet is the asshole of the internet.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Lcpuche on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 16:36.

Why would they even ask that? It's stupid.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 16:50.

It is not some question that one must answer when setting up their gamer profile. They are just allowing people to put it in their profile and gamertag if they want to. There is no requirement. There is no specific sexual orientation question.

Please people. Learn to read.

E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by killatia on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 15:23.

Nevered expected this to happen. Good job MS.

http://www.magicinkgaming.com/

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by SeanB on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 15:17.

WOAH! Holy 180 degree turnaround batman!

It wasn't long ago they banned a guy for having the last name gayman or something similar.

Booo on GP for missing the bigger picture though

"As of today, references to sexual orientation, race, religion and nationality will be allowed in Gamertags and profiles!"

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Andrew Eisen on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 15:27.

Richard Gaywood

Pray tell, what bigger picture do you feel GP has missed?

Andrew Eisen

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by SeanB on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 19:00.

uh.. the quoted area of my post ... the part about race, religion. That's a quote from the actual press release.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Andrew Eisen on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 19:15.

Egads, I'm blind!

Well, I feel sheepish. Especially considering I too wondered why that wasn't mentioned in GP's report.

"I'd like to announce an update to the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and Code of Conduct which will allow our members to more freely express their race, nationality, religion and sexual orientation in Gamertags and profiles." -Marc Whitten

Interestingly, the updated code of conduct does not mention race, religion, or nationality. Perhaps that's why GP omitted it?

Andrew Eisen

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Father Time on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 19:21.

Well I can't remember MS ever banning someone over talking about their race nationality or religion just sexuality.

----------------------------------------------------

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---------------------------------------------------- Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Erik on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 14:49.

Is there a "None of your fucking business, now shut up and frag something" option?

-Ultimately what will do in mankind is a person's fear of their own freedom-

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by State on Sat, 03/06/2010 - 05:59.

You're such a frag.

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 14:57.

Considering the areas of your gamer profile you can enter this in are areas that you manually enter information, then yes there is that option. In order to exercise that option all one has to do is refrain from typing that information in.

E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Re: Sexual Orientation Can Now be Included in Gamertag

Submitted by Sora-Chan on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 14:46.

huh, this is actually really nice of them to do.

Just one little teeny problem... Transgender/Transexual isnt a sexual orientation but a self identity to one's gender to those who beleive they were born the wrong sex.

Beyond that, I actually see Transgender being a option actually nice. Though I can see some people not wanting others to know.

Shout box

NyuRena: You nailed it James! Yikes..06/18/2013 - 1:56pm

james_fudge: With MS willing to share with the government, an always listening device should give everyone pause.06/18/2013 - 1:37pm

james_fudge: you can't turn off the Microphone on the Kinect and it has to be plugged in. It's not rocket science.06/18/2013 - 1:35pm

E. Zachary Knight: The Humble Bundle Guys just don't like me having money in my pocket do they? https://www.humblebundle.com/06/18/2013 - 1:12pm

E. Zachary Knight: CMiner, I know that my Android camera is off unless I am using an application that turns it on. Same with the microphone.06/18/2013 - 12:38pm

CMiner: Can you turn off the camera on an iPhone? Like, -really- turn it off, not just change a setting that -tells- you the camera is off?06/18/2013 - 12:13pm

james_fudge: when they make it a requirement, yes they are06/18/2013 - 12:10pm

CMiner: I just don't think Microsoft bears any more (or less) responsibility for privacy with its Kinect camera than do the makers of laptops or smartphones with integrated cameras.06/18/2013 - 12:00pm

Imautobot: The ability to operate the console without the camera is key. It's a peripheral, not directly integrated into the console, and yet it behaves as if it is. Thankfully I don't have kids, and won't have an Xbone either.06/18/2013 - 11:49am

CMiner: Oh, I agree that the decision to make the kinect mandatory/always listening is terrible.06/18/2013 - 11:48am

E. Zachary Knight: CMiner, and the easier the provider makes to do such things, the better. The fact that the XBone will not even funtion without it plugged in and turned on in some fashion makes a world of difference from a PC Webcam.06/18/2013 - 11:38am

CMiner: It takes steps on the user's part to ensure 100% privacy (unplugging, uninstalling, putting tape over it, not putting it in the kid's rooms, etc)06/18/2013 - 11:29am

CMiner: My point is that no webcam producing company can guarantee that no one will ever ever ever be able to access video from that webcam without your knowledge and permission06/18/2013 - 11:28am

E. Zachary Knight: Of course at that point, you are still opening up yourself to Windows zero day vulnerabilities and back doors that they are happy to share with the government before Windows users.06/18/2013 - 11:26am

E. Zachary Knight: Cminer, I don't because I wipe the OS and reinstall something more secure, Linux. Even still, just wiping the OS and reinstalling Windows fresh removes all the bloatware PC companies install.06/18/2013 - 11:26am

E. Zachary Knight: I agree that the Kinect requirement of the XBone has my civil liberty senses tingling. Just another nail in the coffin for me.06/18/2013 - 11:25am

E. Zachary Knight: Honestly, I wouldn't put anything with an integrated camera in my kids' rooms. You are just asking for trouble. Of course, I am not a fan of having tvs/videogames/computers in kids rooms in general.06/18/2013 - 11:24am

CMiner: In the case of integrated webcams on laptops, do you have the same concern that people at Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc might be spying on you?06/18/2013 - 11:24am

E. Zachary Knight: I love awesome indie devs. Incredipede is free if you run linux! http://www.incredipede.com/linux.html Thanks @ColinNorthway You're the best.06/18/2013 - 11:23am

Imautobot: More creepy is that the Xbox Camera can see in the dark. Now we're in Buffalo Bill territory.06/18/2013 - 11:21am

All shouts

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