Texas gaming group bans women from Battlefield 3 launch LAN party
Even DICE employees are not amused
Gamers can be a terribly immature bunch, as anyone who plays online multiplayer is no doubt aware. Immaturity, sexism, and racism are not bound by game nor platform.
So when a Texas gaming group was organizing a grand Battlefield 3 LAN party to celebrate the game's launch, they decided to nip one of those potential issues at the bud. To ensure sexist comments don't ruin the party for attendees, the group simply banned women from attending.
The original FAQ for the event listed the gender restriction, reading: "Nothing ruins a good LAN party like uncomfortable guests or lots of tension, both of which can result from mixing immature, misogynistic male-gamers with female counterparts. Though we’ve done our best to avoid these situations in years past, we’ve certainly had our share of problems. As a result, we no longer allow women to attend this event."
Well, you don't post something like that on the Internet without catching a whole lot of flak. Bloggers and gaming news sites (also Reddit) spread the news, while several DICE employees have posted the link and their disapproval on their personal Twitter accounts, including Christina Coffin and Daniel Matros.
After sustaining a weekend's worth of negative publicity, the group altered the original FAQ, removing that section and calling the LAN party a "Gentlemen's Retreat." Shouldn't real gentlemen have no problem gaming in the presence of women?
Later, the organizers decided to clarify this decision with an explanation, stating, "We actively discourage gamers from being the kind of mysogynistic jackwagons seen in the Reddit post, and such behavior should not be tolerated. Frankly, we don't like that kind of player either. So far as this event goes, it is an special event designed specifically for male gamers. Further, it is meant as a getaway designed to help said male contingent become better men both for themselves and for those who love us."
Wait, did that make sense to anyone? "We don't like sexist jerks, so we're making this an all-male event." What?
On that note, why not just ban the gay and black gamers too? At least then the attendees can spam their favorite vocabulary without running the risk of offending anyone! Good plan.
Source: Border House
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On a related note, betting somebody's going to start a lawsuit war over this.
I view this more as condoning unacceptable behavior amongst an otherwise tight-knit community. The organizers are within their rights to exclude women or any group from the LAN party, but it is exceptionally irresponsible of them to do so. I'm sure the majority of gamers, even, find that sort of language deplorable or, at the very least, annoying. Yet the organizers are giving in to the douchebags by creating a space where they are at home.
Gamers as a whole have come a long way. But situations like these are halting our progress.
Whether the exclusion is based off misplaced good intentions or not, you'd think the organizers would realize how much of an incredibly bad idea it was after receiving so much backlash.
Bitches stay in the kitchen while we go attend battlefield parties, that is how things go!
in general though, it's obvious that not much thought has been put into their solution. it's more a grade A logic fail then a delibirate stab at female gamers. what were they thinking...
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