When playing a competitive game, a certain amount of "trash talking" is to be expected. However, when you combine the competitive nature of some video games with the anonymity of the internet, these friendly jibes can quickly show a darker face, often involving racist and homophobic epithets.
In this week's Sessler's Soapbox, Adam addresses the issue of racist and homophobic comments that are seemingly running rampant on Xbox Live. The Sess is asking anyone who feels this behavior to be appropriate to write in and let him know why he or she thinks so. What do you think? Do think comments demeaning someone for their race, gender, or sexual preference is fair game? Or does a line exist somewhere, between comments that are "harmless" ones that are "going too far"? Check out the video and let us know what you think or share your thoughts on our forums.
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Comments
shoukanjuu
I really appreciate hearing you talk about this, Adam. I just have a couple of points to add to the thread
First, I think the problem in communities such as the one on XBOX LIVE becomes as bad as it does because a large segment of the user base does what many reasonable people would do when placed in a similarly unpleasant environment: THEY LEAVE. And this increases the relative number of members who use racist, homophobic, misogynist slurs. Which makes such speech appear to be even more "acceptable" in the community then it might otherwise be perceived.
Secondly, I think that homophobic speech in particular is so prevalent due to school age demographic that makes up a large portion of the community on XBOX LIVE. In most schools, even in those with "anti bullying" laws, anti GLBT hate speech is categorically NOT prohibited, which means that homophobic speech becomes the foul language of choice, when insulting someone, with little or no relation to the orientation or perceived orientation of the recipient (and god help you if you actually ARE identified as or perceived to be homosexual).
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