giandujakiss: (sleeping methos)giandujakiss ([personal profile] giandujakiss) wrote,
@ 2009-04-29 02:30 pm UTC
Entry tags:political-ish, random fandom
Nothing Gay in Star Wars, Game Company Insists
The Canadian electronics company BioWare, which distributes a Star Wars-themed game with LucasArts, has angered fans by blocking any discussions of homosexuality and even going so far as to censor the terms gay, lesbian, and homosexual in its online forums.

What's more, BioWare is even trying to prevent discussion of the ban according to Eurogamer, closing threads titled 'GLBT discrimination in the forums?', among others. The only real explanation yet offered up has come from BioWare's Community Manager Sean Dahlberg, who said that the discussions were not relevant to either the games or the larger Star Wars franchise. According to Sean the idea and terms of homosexuality do not exist in the Star Wars universe and are therefore being dealt with as irrelevant.
Edit: They've since apologized and changed the policy. Apparently, they wanted to filter out the words because they were being used as slurs - but frankly, their response to inquiries at first suggests there was more than a little homophobia in the mods, as well.


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sara: Please: Kill Me Now (kill me)


[personal profile] sara
2009-04-29 09:14 pm UTC (link)
...the idea and terms of homosexuality do not exist in the Star Wars universe and are therefore being dealt with as irrelevant.

Wow, I've never felt the urge to write Star Wars porn before. But I kind of do now.

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giandujakiss: (sleeping methos)


[personal profile] giandujakiss
2009-04-29 10:40 pm UTC (link)
See above update. They've apologized and changed the policy. But never let it be said that I discouraged anyone from writing porn....

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monanotlisa: (olivia sideways - fringe)


[personal profile] monanotlisa
2009-04-29 10:16 pm UTC (link)
Oh, wow. Can I just be extra-eloquent and say, FAIL?

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giandujakiss: (sleeping methos)


[personal profile] giandujakiss
2009-04-29 10:40 pm UTC (link)
Happily, they've quickly reversed their decision - see update. What with Amazon and everything, there seems to be a rash of automated computer homosexual filters.

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monanotlisa: (olivia sideways - fringe)


[personal profile] monanotlisa
2009-04-29 10:52 pm UTC (link)
Jesus. As you say: in a way, that's much more frightening than conscious decisions of a few heads up there somewhere: an automated system of discrimination, quietly accepted.

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