Don't Ask, Don't Tell on Xbox Live

Sexually themed gamer tags are forbidden from Microsoft's Xbox Live. They have the right to edit their own service, but lately that rule has taken a perceptibly homophobic bent after the gamer with the tag “theGAYERgamer” had his name banned from the service. Now, according to Kotaku, that homophobia has gone from disturbing to ridiculously, politically correct, after Microsoft banned the gamer, “RichardGaywood,” for the same reason. The problem is “RichardGaywood” is Richard Gaywood's real name.

It's hard to believe, I know, but Gaywood sent Kotaku a picture of his driver's license, so apparently this is legit. Either the words “gay” and “wood” don't have the same meaning in the UK, where Gaywood lives, and Richard is never abbreviated to “Dick,” or Gaywood's parents are the Farrlley brothers. Whatever the case, his given name is too much, in Microsoft's reasoning, for the young minds on Xbox Live.
 
I don't know theGAYERgamer or Richard Gaywood and I've never played in a game with either of them, but I'm going to make an educated guess and say those names probably stirred up the homophobic taunts that now define the banter on Xbox Live. Banning them is an easy way help keep the bigoted language down. It also puts Microsoft on the wrong end of the controversy. It's not worth getting into the counter examples (the would you ban “theblackgamer?” “thejewishgamer?” questions) to show what Microsoft is doing wrong. The answers should be obvious now. You can't blame the victims for the bigots who hate them.

In Microsoft's defense, the company has earned, and deserves, a “gay friendly” reputation. They give spousal benefits to the partners of gay employees and recently came under fire for their support of a Washington State bill that aimed to bar workplace discrimination based on sexual-orientation. (Microsoft withdrew their support part way through the election cycle, but ended up supporting the bill by election day).

Of course it is much easier for Microsoft to clean gamer tags than the language used over their service, but doing so reinforces the hate that created the problem in the first place. Thegayergamer lost his name after users complained to Microsoft, and the company caved to the pressure. Do those users hate gay people? Do they not want their kids to know gay people exist? Or is it just less fun to call someone a “fag” when you know it offends a principle core of their identity? None of those questions have nice answers, and no one should have to ask them.

Maybe I don't understand the games well enough, or I'm just naive, but I've never understood why homophobia makes Halo 3 or Call of Duty 4 more fun. I'm pretty sure it doesn't. That is the only reasonable conclusion Microsoft should make, and in a way you could argue they have come to that conclusion, but addressed it in the wrong way. Barring gay themed names won't keep bigotry off Xbox Live. It just lets bigots know they're right. A policy good enough for Washington State is good enough for the rest of the world and hopefully Microsoft will come to agree.