As I said in my original post… If similar guilds are permitted and/or if a GLBT guild would not be against the rules, it should be allowed.

However, I sincerely doubt that Blizzard is going to go back on their decision. Maybe they honestly do feel they’re protecting a group from harassment, but I doubt it. If that were the case, they would crack down on the use of the word ‘fag’. I suspect they just don’t want to deal with people’s complaints.

yes. it’s the OTHER posters who are being reactionary. jerks. regarding the claim that WoW members have no right to expose or educate other peoples children, I think that’s a ridiculous suggestion, you could reverse that point and similarly claim that other people have no right to blame you for what their children are exposed to. parents have the final say in what their children are exposed to insofar as they have controls over their activities. now obviously they dont know everything that will happen near around or within listening distance of their children but a mature adult, who choses to allow their child (a term I’m using losely since as the games content is publicly broadcast to be suitably for those 13+) to play WoW should allready be aware that in allowing their children to play a MMOG they are opening them up to sexuality, violence and the opinions of people all around the world. In chosing to allow their child to become part of a massive worldwide community, they should expect that they will not have complete choice over the content their child will find within the game as it is constantly changing and evolving. there is no WoW V-chip which can take away the sexy elves or sexist comments, and a responsible parent, knowing what games their children are playing should know that.

also avah i think you have the groups intentions all wrong. i dont think that they are trying to “broadcast” their sexuality, it is just an important facet of their life, and the way they chose to connect to other players. it is, of course a similiarity which often comes with common experiences, and as long as they aren’t screaming about anal sex or blow jobs, i dont think that gathering based on sexuality is any worse than dave matthews band fans gathering based on that, as long as they dont rave about getting baked at the concerts.

having sorted that out I argue that..well this isn’t even the issue. the moral issue here, isn’t whether children should be exposed to homosexuality, or whether homosexuals have a right to express their homosexuality in front of children, but whether or not Blizzard is discriminating in its removal of this specific sexual content. which it obviously is.

and the legal issue, which is the only one that counts for blizzard, is simply whether or not they can legally shut down this group, according to their policy. which isn’t clear at this point since we dont have complete information on the gropus actions. however if their codes of conduct etc. do allow them to shut down this group, then that will be the final legal decision, since as a private corporation they can legally discriminate based on sexuality.

I agree that blizzard has made a mistake. there is a big homosexual gaming community, and as word of this gets out I think it could very well have a negative affect on their views of blizzard and participation in WoW. I personally allready know two obsessed players who have quit the game after hearing about Blizzards actions. so lgbta members and supporters, you can give thanks to our free market economy for allowing the dollar to have the final say in most major corporations decisions.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, as someone (I believe it was also Avah) pointed out above. The question in this case, though, isn’t what individuals feel is right, it’s what the company has said in their ToS and whether or not that’s being upheld.

As Triona very accurately pointed out, this GLBT-friendly group did NOT explicity break the Blizzard/WoW ToS with what they have been said to have done here. Let me make this clear: I don’t play WoW, I never have played WoW, and I never intend to play WoW. This, however, seems to me more like a general ethical and moral issue.

My own personal feelings towards any parties involved in this aside, I personally believe that Blizzard made a huge error, and should reverse the decision as soon as is possible.

I can’t speak for anyone but myself, but I wasn’t attacking you as a person, or even really *attacking* your viewpoint. If you felt I did, sorry. I don’t agree with you but riling you up further wasn’t my intention.

From the namecalling, I’d guess you’re getting a bit too worked up about this. If what people are saying offends you, maybe you should do as you originally said you were going to and just stop posting on this topic. Maybe get a stress ball or something. Yikes.

~A Future SL Resident

Sexual Orientation: No insulting referalls to any aspect of sexual orientation pertaining to themselves or other players.
Obscene/Vulgar: Nothing pornographic in nature.
Extreme Sexuality: Nothing that refers to extreme and/or violent sexual acts.
Innappropriate language: Nothing otherwise considered objectionable.

Personally, I look at those terms and I can’t see why a GLBT-friendly guild shouldn’t be allowed in World of Warcraft. No one is insulting any sexual orientation, it isn’t extreme or violent like BDSM, it isn’t pornographic, and it ~shouldn’t be objectionable~. Except for that last little note, there is no argument that a GLBT guild shouldn’t be allowed.

As for the problem of children in the game… I knew what GLBTQs were all about by the time I was eight, and I didn’t learn it online or from my family. I learned about it in public elementary school. I come from a very conservative and small town, but by the fifth grade, everyone knew all about GLBTQ and things that were actually potentially harmful: drugs, sex, etc. You can’t protect kids from this kind of stuff. GLBTQness isn’t even a dangerous thing for kids to learn! Knowledge of alternative sexualities will not necessarily convert your child to homosexuality. Ignorance of them will only inhibit them later in life, when they find that they actually have to be accepting of other’s personal choices. The GLBTQ-friendly group was simply trying to create an educational and supportive society. They’re not advocating their way of life or degrading anyone else’s.

I do have one little problem with a GLBTQ guild. Blizzard’s reason for destroying the guild was supposedly to defend the guild’s members from unnecessary harrassment. I logged on the other day and was nearly immediately bombarded with flames of ‘fag,’ so I can see why Blizzard wouldn’t want a guild to exist that calls extra attention to the matter of sexuality. However, I’d argue that the benefits of having a GLBTQ guild outranks that. The members would know what they are getting into. If someone harrassed them, the harrasser would be reported to Blizzard, which should take the appropriate disciplinary actions. The only one inconveinienced is Blizzard, but it’s corrupt if that is the true motivation behind their banning of the guild.

In the end, the deciding factor for every individual is whether or not he personally considers GLBTQ to be offensive. I’m an advocate of tolerance myself. I mentioned earlier that I’ve been in a GLBTQ-friendly group in RL, as a straight participant. There was never any pressure for me to change my sexual orientation; they were supportive of my heterosexuality. Why would I fail to return the favor?

I know a straight woman with a twelve year old daughter who is a lesbian. All she and her girlfriend do is hold hands, just like in any of the innocent heterosexual puppy loves people ‘aww’ over. Do you consider that ‘sexual content’? Do you think they should lie to their friends about their relationship so other kids aren’t exposed to the fact they care about each other? I’m sure some parents would disapprove. You feel very strongly about protecting young minds, and that’s damned admirable, but I’d think if you believe something like this is such a dangerous and inappropriate influence on kids you’d be against them playing a game with bikini-clad, dirty dancing elves at all. Wouldn’t such blatant sexuality be more of a concern than who loves who?

*Shrugs*

Also, on the subject of something mentioned in the article that wasn’t commented on very much… I’m pretty sure anyone using racial slurs in the game would get into trouble pretty quickly. ‘Fag’ should be just as big of a no-no.

~A Future SL Resident