Sexual Orientation Terms Now Allowed in Xbox Live
When a 2009 incident that a gamer was banned for using the term “lesbian” on her profile, and the name Richard Gaywood was permanently banned for using his real name because it contained the word “gay” on his surname, Microsoft decided to change the code of conduct rules. Marc Whitten posted an online letter stating that they will now allow the terms ”lesbian,” “gay,” “bi,” “transgender,” and “straight” in their Gamertag or profile. Changing the code of conduct rules for Xbox Live will allow members to express their race, nationality, religion and sexual orientation in Gamertags and profiles.
Originally, the use of words were prohibited to avoid insulting fellow gamers, that’s Mr.Whitten wants to clear. “However we have since heard feedback from our customers that while the spirit of this approach was genuine, it inadvertently excluded a part of our Xbox LIVE community. This update also comes hand-in-hand with increased stringency and enforcement to prevent the misuse of these terms.” —- Marc Whitten
