Kyodra

@Deusx: Come back in a week and this whole thing will have died down. This is just one of those points that most communities have to go through, be glad that it's past us soon rather than still being ahead.

@Droop said:

This whole thing seems very American to me. Soccer mums and the constant need for censorship. They're word. They have the power you give them.

This is not about censorship, just what the staff wants (and hopes) this community to be like, to have basic consideration and respect for others. Words have meaning and power in our world, and they can have consequences, it's a fact. If someone wants to be in a community where they can use all possible derogatory terms in the English language there are groups like the KKK and Westboro Baptist Church, for example. No one is stopping them from expressing their opinions.

@ZeForgotten said:

Youtube comments and 4chan, just to name a couple

Exactly. I expect better from GiantBomb than those two, and by their actions they seem to be committed to be better too. I do wish that the community here was as awesome as the staff.

@Jimbo said:

@Kyodra said:

No one is stopping people from saying the word...

Hmmm...

Meaning of course in your private life, and in the sort of clubs or communities that are okay with that word (which GiantBomb says in their rules is not). I don't think you'd be saying the n-word at your workplace either, even though you're allowed to say it as a private person. What people say here represent the community, and GiantBomb obviously does not want a community where saying the n/f-words would be accepted, if you want to do so I can point you to many such forums where you can use those words as much as you want.

Might as well post this here too:

This issue hasn't been about Ryan at all really, he did the right thing, apologized and that should've been the end of it. It's instead become an argument between people who don't understand why the word shouldn't be said and the ones who do. As Ryan said in his apology, the word comes with a baggage that does not justify its use in any way. Some people just haven't got the sympathy to try and put themselves in someone else's shoes and think what kind of images that word brings up in their head, regardless of its context.

For many gay people just hearing the word puts their mind back to a time and place (usually in school) where people call them that in the hallway, possibly beat them up or just threaten doing it, laugh at them in a group and make them feel isolated. Young people even this day are killing themselves because of that kind of treatment. No one is stopping people from saying the word, because of freedom of speech and all that, but just try and think how hearing that word affects some people and if you want to affect them in that way. Is the use of that word so valuable to you that you're willing to make a lot of people feel bad by using it?

Peace.

This thread hasn't been about Ryan at all really, he did the right thing, apologized and that should've been the end of it. It's instead become an argument between people who don't understand why the word shouldn't be said and the ones who do. As Ryan said in his apology, the word comes with a baggage that does not justify its use in any way. Some people just haven't got the sympathy to try and put themselves in someone else's shoes and think what kind of images that word brings up in their head, regardless of its context.

For many gay people just hearing the word puts their mind back to a time and place (usually in school) where people call them that in the hallway, possibly beat them up or just threaten doing it, laugh at them in a group and make them feel isolated. Young people even this day are killing themselves because of that kind of treatment. No one is stopping people from saying the word, because of freedom of speech and all that, but just try and think how hearing that word affects some people and if you want to affect them in that way.

Peace.

@Baillie said:

@Kyodra: While it may be a big discussion in the United States, it's mainly because of the legality of gay marriage, or the likes. Which just always boils down to everyone - who's sensible - rolling their eyes and wondering why it's such a big deal. When states allow gay marriage, they will overwhelmingly congratulated.

In some areas of the US things are so, however different states have widely different laws and attitudes regarding homosexuality. What's considered sensible, beneficial and progressive by a majority in one state is considered a terrible sin in another. It's sometimes easy to lose perspective when living in a more tolerant area of the world.

@Baillie said:

While I respect your views, I would like to just say words are words, people shouldn't get offended by them, but more so the intent of the person saying them. I have never used the word faggot, but that's purely on the basis I think the word sounds stupid, and to me it's predominately Americans who use it. These areas you speak of where homosexuals aren't welcome, they wouldn't be calling you a faggot.

So with the assumption it's an American term, if someone is going to use it in a hurtful way, I can guarantee you that they are in the minority. No one cares about homosexuality anymore, and those who do, are in the older generation and with them gone, so will most of homophobia.

There are certain words and topics that people don't talk about in front of children, because it's considered inappropriate. Would you say those are just words? The n-word is one that I wouldn't imagine anyone who isn't either a 4chan troll or a kid on XBox Live to say, and the only reason people use that word is to cause a reaction from people. These aren't "just words", they have a meaning and can have consequences if they are accepted as a social norm, no matter the original intent. Young people are currently killing themselves in the US because of the use of the word faggot, it might be the one last thing on top of everything else that puts them over the edge. By the way, there are in fact many countries in Africa where English is an official language and the word faggot is used, people are sentenced to long periods in prison or given death sentence, or just killed by homophobes who take the law into their own hands. If they do not speak English they have their own derogatory terms for gay people, like the word "hintti" here in Finland.

You say that no one cares about homosexuality any more, but people do obviously do, since it still causes so much discussion in the United States and around the world on a political level. I do hope that homophobia will eventually disappear, but I don't believe things will get better unless people stay vigilant and act to change these social norms that have serious negative impact.

@Baillie said:

Wow, I can't believe this all over a dumb word that just sounds retarded when anyone uses it. Do people really get offended when someone calls them that? :/

As a homosexual, I would get much more than offended if someone called me that word, I would be upset too. The word has been used, and is still used in many parts of the world, to dehumanize millions of people, to make people think of them as just "worthless faggots". Many people still have to hide a part of themselves because of fear of consequences. There are tens of countries in the world where I can't go even if I wanted to, because there are laws against people like myself existing in their society. In the country where I live I would've been put to mental asylum if I was born just 30 years earlier than I did. I would hope that people thought of what meaning a word carries before saying "It's just a word".

I can understand that people Ryan's age group might utter the word in frustration, it does not make it okay, but I can see that he did not mean to say it and immediately apologized. I have not lost any respect for him since he has dealt with this in a very polite and professional manner.

Well, at least that complaining got them more Mass Effect content for free, that's something at least. Now let's see if it's good or not.