Microsoft supports Gaymercon

Gaymercon is a gaming convention that is specifically designed for LGBT culture in mind. Microsoft has recently released a video of their support for Gaymercon.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/microsoft-supporting-lgbt-gaming-convention-6394020

"At Microsoft we value the ideas and leadership of all of our employees and believe an inclusive and diverse community is important to a thriving Xbox Live," a Microsoft spokesperson told GameSpot. "This video was an employee-driven effort to show support of GaymerCon’s Kickstarter campaign and had the full support of Xbox Live leadership.”

I think it's wonderful that Microsoft officially supports Gaymercon. One of the main criticisms that I've read against Gaymercon is that it further segregates LGBT and hetero gamers. People often ask, why make a convention that focuses solely on the differences rather than the similarities? Shouldn't these gaming communities focus on the gaming aspect rather than their sexual preference?

Well, in a perfect world, you wouldn't need a convention like this. But gaming today is filled with homophobia and cultural ignorance. Online gaming communities (Xbox Live) discourage LGBT users from playing, developers make sexually ignorant mistakes in both their games and choice of words, and people don't know how to approach LGBT issues in story lines.

Gaymercon tries to alleviate these problems by merging these two worlds together and educate people to become more aware of these issues.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gaymercon/gaymercon-everybody-games?ref=live

I know I'm late to the discussion but with only 9 hours left to go, Gaymercon has already achieved over 300% of its 25,000 dollar goal.

There'd be a lot of different video game cons if there was one for every discriminated group that happened to be gamers.

Cool

While I still think the whole "Gaymer" thing is a bit silly, what if every minority group had to have it's own gaming convention?

But nevertheless, I will still give a thumbs up to Microsoft for supporting a decent cause, that a fairly large group considers worthy, and hey, it won't harm anyone anyway.

What's a game that is specifically designed for the LGBT community? Like, I get from a story perspective how something could be thrown together. But what are LGBT video game mechanics as opposed to heterosexual mechanics? And wouldn't the stories all sort of be similar? Not that I'm against this whole thing I just don't get it.

This is so dumb.

@JasonR86 said:

What's a game that is specifically designed for the LGBT community? Like, I get from a story perspective how something could be thrown together. But what are LGBT video game mechanics as opposed to heterosexual mechanics?

Pull the right trigger to bang hot dudes.

@familyphotoshoot said:

This is so dumb.

I think it's dumb, too. I mean, a gay convention in San Francisco is such a waste!

Why not have it on the east coast?

So I can go?

Microsoft openly supports gay rights so this is unsurprising. Still a good thing though.

@familyphotoshoot said:

This is so dumb.

This kind of reply doesn't surprise me coming from the GB forum. Personally i am happy for the community and hope it turns out great.

God forbid people support something.

I don't think LGBT community can't attend any other convention. So why do this? Oh, I know. To promote their sexuality. Just like any other parade.

So what does the entrance sign say? Oh come my way. Get it?

So...... homosexuals want to be treated equally and to be equal individuals in society, so they're having their own "gays only" game conference that distances them from the heterosexuals?

Fascinating. Arabs should have their own con, so should Jews, Blacks, Hispanics, little people, disabled people and maybe fat people. Let's all be one equal species by dividing among ourselves based on our ethnic and sexual differences! Equality!

Well...if there's minecon and brony-con, why the hell not gaymercon. It's not as dumb as those other two cons.

@Szlifier said:

I don't think LGBT community can't attend any other convention. So why do this? Oh, I know. To promote their sexuality. Just like any other parade.

This guy gets it.

@HydraHam said:

@familyphotoshoot said:

This is so dumb.

This kind of reply doesn't surprise me coming from the GB forum. Personally i am happy for the community and hope it turns out great.

God forbid people support something.

You don't.

If you want to support the further fracturing the "gamer community" with irrelevant bullshit, be my guest.

@AhmadMetallic said:

So...... homosexuals want to be treated equally and to be equal individuals in society, so they're having their own "gays only" game conference that distances them from the heterosexuals?

Fascinating. Arabs should have their own con, so should Jews, Blacks, Hispanics, little people, disabled people and maybe fat people. Let's all be one equal species by dividing among ourselves based on our ethnic and sexual differences! Equality!

It's not a gays only game conference. LGBT by definition is more than just homosexuality. This event is not about segregation, everyone is welcomed. Like I said before, this convention is supposed to be a place where people can feel safe and where people can learn from one another.

THERE'S A CON FOR EVERYTHING!

@Castermhief117 said:

LGBT by definition is more than just homosexuality.

Edit: Nevermind, I thought you were talking about sexuality in general.

@familyphotoshoot said:

@Castermhief117 said:

LGBT by definition is more than just homosexuality.

Explain, please.

The Bisexual and Transgender part of LGBT.

What's with all these comments about "LGBT only"? Are you new or something?

Oh wow. Look at all the jealous people in this thread, wishing they could attend Gaymercon XD

Of course they would say that.

@familyphotoshoot said:

@Szlifier said:

I don't think LGBT community can't attend any other convention. So why do this? Oh, I know. To promote their sexuality. Just like any other parade.

This guy gets it.

@HydraHam said:

@familyphotoshoot said:

This is so dumb.

This kind of reply doesn't surprise me coming from the GB forum. Personally i am happy for the community and hope it turns out great.

God forbid people support something.

You don't.

If you want to support the further fracturing the "gamer community" with irrelevant bullshit, be my guest.

How is it fracturing? It's open for EVERYONE. It's just being aimed towards a certain group that has a hard time in the community.

If you find a problem with that then i suggest you go back to your 13 year old hate mongering XBL group. There is nothing wrong with this con but there is defiantly something wrong with this GB community. You have absolutely 0 reason to hate this con because it's not excluding anyone. God forbid they have a con that welcomes a group of people who believe it or not have a hard time in the gaming community but the point is, is that this con? It's not just for the LGBT community, it's just being aimed to them and how is that wrong? Because you are ignorant?

Props to Microsoft.

While I'm with people that this might fraction away the audience instead of bettering the intelligence of the core audience, this convention will bring a spotlight to LBGT games (dys4ia), and eventually more positive LBGT themes in mainstream video games.

@HydraHam: Yes, resort to insults and name-calling because you are unable to discuss rationally and without getting emotional.

I sure want to be a part of your community.

That's awesome news.

Congrats to them on gaining some huge support and good on Microsoft to get behind this even though, as I become more jaded, I see this as nothing but a publicity stunt on their end. Still, at face value, I can't see this as anything but a good thing.

@HydraHam said:

@familyphotoshoot said:

@Szlifier said:

I don't think LGBT community can't attend any other convention. So why do this? Oh, I know. To promote their sexuality. Just like any other parade.

This guy gets it.

@HydraHam said:

@familyphotoshoot said:

This is so dumb.

This kind of reply doesn't surprise me coming from the GB forum. Personally i am happy for the community and hope it turns out great.

God forbid people support something.

You don't.

If you want to support the further fracturing the "gamer community" with irrelevant bullshit, be my guest.

How is it fracturing? It's open for EVERYONE. It's just being aimed towards a certain group that has a hard time in the community.

If you find a problem with that then i suggest you go back to your 13 year old hate mongering XBL group. There is nothing wrong with this con but there is defiantly something wrong with this GB community. You have absolutely 0 reason to hate this con because it's not excluding anyone. God forbid they have a con that welcomes a group of people who believe it or not have a hard time in the gaming community but the point is, is that this con? It's not just for the LGBT community, it's just being aimed to them and how is that wrong? Because you are ignorant?

If there was a straight con that features panels about being straight in gaming, would you feel welcome? Don't say every con is a straight con because that's an outright lie. LGBT are dragging their lifestyle's politics into everything they do and it starts getting real old real fast. You're not helping yourselves by segregation. Keep the social politics where they belong.

LGBT gaming culture. What a load of shit. I don't care about peoples sexual preferences so can't we just keep to the subject of actual videogames? It just looks like a gay pride parade except not a parade.

Oh, how I love being told that my sexuality and the prejudice that comes with it is "political."

If people haven't noticed, gamers are pretty damn homophobic. It pops up in just about every community and game. And no one is asking you to come to this thing if you're so bothered by it. In fact, they'd probably rather you stay away.

I wonder when everyone will realise that the solution to pretty much all problems of segregation is to not give a shit.

Someones gay? I don't give a shit. See, it's that easy. Now every homophobe say that after me, and then we can go over to not having idiotic no purpose cons.

Not to be a dick or anything, but what's wrong with PAX? I would be incredibly surprised to see anyone is being a hate mongerer at PAX.

Also, the people who are racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. probably don't know the con is happening, don't care, and would just use it as fuel. Those people are assholes and there's people who hate you for EVERYTHING. There's people who seriously try to use "nerd" as an insult in online games. Maybe I'm just missing the point of the convention.

Edit - by the way, PAX, at least East, has had a decent representation of panels regarding female and non "straight white male" characters.

Excuse me if I'm wrong, but didn't Microsoft's XBL ban a female gamer for openly disclosing that she was a lesbian on her profile?

Good news.

It's unfortunate that people have a problem with a convention that raises awareness and gives people a chance to fully understand that they aren't alone and it's okay being who they are.

I fully support gaymercon and its great to see MS openly support it as well, but i can see why they would want their own thing in the gaming space where all are welcome because there is a large group of people on XBL who would never accept this and would completely hassle any openly gay person on XBL

@Castermhief117 said:

@AhmadMetallic said:

So...... homosexuals want to be treated equally and to be equal individuals in society, so they're having their own "gays only" game conference that distances them from the heterosexuals?

Fascinating. Arabs should have their own con, so should Jews, Blacks, Hispanics, little people, disabled people and maybe fat people. Let's all be one equal species by dividing among ourselves based on our ethnic and sexual differences! Equality!

It's not a gays only game conference. LGBT by definition is more than just homosexuality. This event is not about segregation, everyone is welcomed. Like I said before, this convention is supposed to be a place where people can feel safe and where people can learn from one another.

Are homophobes allowed into the convention?

@Wong_Fei_Hung said:

Excuse me if I'm wrong, but didn't Microsoft's XBL ban a female gamer for openly disclosing that she was a lesbian on her profile?

Yes - they've apologized for that incident a while back. It makes sense for them to support this convention to heal any PR problems from the past.

Really disappointed in some of the responses here. You guys need to read up on what "segregation" actually is, and realize you can't really "self-segregate", at least in the context you all imply.

A group of people wanting to establish a convention that pertains more specifically to their beliefs, hobbies, and lifestyles is completely acceptable. I mean, game conventions are already sort of that, this is only an extension. And further, this isn't disallowing straight game fans anything. I mean, what is this taking away from you? You'd be welcome to this convention even, I'd imagine.

Also, can you straight white dudes please quit telling the minorities how they're hurting themselves with stuff like this?

What a surprise. Just like the last thread about this convention, this thread is filled with a bunch of fucking idiots who have no idea what they're talking about.

@Castermhief117 said:

@Wong_Fei_Hung said:

Excuse me if I'm wrong, but didn't Microsoft's XBL ban a female gamer for openly disclosing that she was a lesbian on her profile?

Yes - they've apologized for that incident a while back. It makes sense for them to support this convention to heal any PR problems from the past.

Oh really, I've yet to see that apology, In fact most of the gay gamers I know don't appear to be aware of it. Perhaps that apology needs some promotion also.

@HatKing: I just don't see the point though. I mean, It's a gaming con. We have several of those already.

Sure homophobia runs rampant on the internet, but the internet isn't a con... People at PAX aren't running around screaming homophobic chants and booths aren't denying someone free swag for being gay. At it's core, this is just another con. And I'm not sure if you know this, but gamin cons are usually open for everyone, without making a big deal about it. Calling E3 a "Straight Con" would be fucking moronic, and so is making an actual "straight con". So how is this any better.

Well whatever, I neither can or want to go. It's not like it matters in the long run. People can do whatever the fuck they want. I just reserve the right to call it dumb.

Christ this thread is full of idiots. What's wrong with a convention where people of a particular disposition or with particular interests can get together? It doesn't 'fracture' anything or seperate gamers any more than a furry convention or Blizzcon, or Dragoncon or whatever. Don't feel threatened because....

....Everyone is wellcome!!!! Its just a place where LGBT people can go and be open about who they are without having to worry about people calling them gays or faggots or whatever - and it can't be denied that this is huge problem in the gaming community.

When even someone as open-minded as Ryan can let the odd word of abuse slip out you know its really ingrained in our culture.

@wjb: @HatKing: @Milkman: I am genuinely curious as to the point. At the risk of sounding like I'm hating on it or whatever, it sounds to me like "It's like PAX, but with an emphasis on LGBT people". Pax is accepting of everyone and doesn't call anything that might differentiate you from anyone else. Hell, a running theme of PAX is the notion that when you're there, everyone is the same. I just don't understand the need for a special convention.

Also, for the record, I'm pretty indifferent to the whole thing so by default I hope people go have a great time, because why not, but I'm still confused,

@YI_Orange said:

@wjb: @HatKing: @Milkman: I am genuinely curious as to the point. At the risk of sounding like I'm hating on it or whatever, it sounds to me like "It's like PAX, but with an emphasis on LGBT people". Pax is accepting of everyone and doesn't call anything that might differentiate you from anyone else. Hell, a running theme of PAX is the notion that when you're there, everyone is the same. I just don't understand the need for a special convention.

Also, for the record, I'm pretty indifferent to the whole thing so by default I hope people go have a great time, because why not, but I'm still confused,

Sometimes people want a place where they can focus on a certain aspect of their interests and that is all it is. I think you are probably right that it is like PAX with an emphasis on LGBT, and I don't understand what the problem is with this. People want to meet other people with simillar experiences and stories to themselves. I don't see how its different from any other con which focuses on a particullar aspect of gaming rather than the general thing which is PAX.

@leebmx said:

Christ this thread is full of idiots. What's wrong with a convention where people of a particular disposition or with particular interests can get together? It doesn't 'fracture' anything or seperate gamers any more than a furry convention or Blizzcon, or Dragoncon or whatever. Don't feel threatened because....

....Everyone is wellcome!!!! Its just a place where LGBT people can go and be open about who they are without having to worry about people calling them gays or faggots or whatever - and it can't be denied that this is huge problem in the gaming community.

When even someone as open-minded as Ryan can let the odd word of abuse slip out you know its really ingrained in our culture.

Okay, just because people are questioning the point of a convention such as this, does NOT make them idiots.

I only question it because I don't see what sexual orientation has to do with video games. And unless I'm mistaken, I'm pretty sure the regular conventions are pretty open to everybody. That's all.

Meh, go right on ahead LGBT community. It's not like it's heterosexual people forcing gay people to go to this, and straight people are allowed to go so I don't see the problem. If they want it, and don't see it as patronising more power to them. The way I see it it's just somewhere gay gamers can be openly gay, and homophobes are in the minority. That's the kind of world I want to live in, and I'm not even gay.

@leebmx: Soooo, what do you do at this con then? I mean it's a gaming con right? How do you make a gaming con focus more on the experiences of homosexuals? I mean games are games. They won't change just because someone else is playing it. Are you saying the point to go there is to find likeminded gamers that are also gay? It just seems pointless to me.

Meh.

@Wong_Fei_Hung said:

@Castermhief117 said:

@Wong_Fei_Hung said:

Excuse me if I'm wrong, but didn't Microsoft's XBL ban a female gamer for openly disclosing that she was a lesbian on her profile?

Yes - they've apologized for that incident a while back. It makes sense for them to support this convention to heal any PR problems from the past.

Oh really, I've yet to see that apology, In fact most of the gay gamers I know don't appear to be aware of it. Perhaps that apology needs some promotion also.

This is the "apology" that Gamespot referred to. You're right - it's not much of an apology.

http://www.qj.net/qjnet/xbox-360/microsoft-gamertag-ban-inelegant.html

@TobbRobb said:

@leebmx: Soooo, what do you do at this con then? I mean it's a gaming con right? How do you make a gaming con focus more on the experiences of homosexuals? I mean games are games. They won't change just because someone else is playing it. Are you saying the point to go there is to find likeminded gamers that are also gay? It just seems pointless to me.

Never been, so no idea. The fact that it is pointless to you is fine, you just have no interest in it. Other people do.

Maybe its just for hook-ups, maybe its to swap war stories about the time they got shit on XBOX live. Maybe its so men can get dressed up as Bayonetta and women as Nathan Drake. Or maybe they just talk about persona 4. I don't know, but games aren't just games as you say. Games, like books, art and music can represent and say things about all aspects of society and people can use them as they can use anything to tell stories or group around.

There are conventions about all sorts of things in gaming and everything else, this is just one of the many - nothing special to see.