The more I reflect on it, the more this actually bothers me. A big factor is certainly the overwhelming negative and often nasty response to anyone bringing up concerns over diversity. I may not share the same outrage as someone like Samantha Allen, but I can understand why she might see this outcome and feel the way that she does. It does feel odd, if not really surprising, but coming off some recent comments from Patrick regarding the diversity(or lack thereof) in Giant Bomb's E3 coverage, it strikes me as a decision worth explaining further.
Not to mention, there is also the dynamic of the open call for applicants only to then turn toward established contacts within their circle. I figured they might do that from the start, but the open call did give me some hope that they may be looking outside the insular games journalism industry toward fresher faces. The past selection of Patrick is practically radical by comparison to such establishment and expected picks here. It's one thing to not apparently improve diversity in a gender, racial, or even nationality way, but to also keep things rather insular after making such a big call for a diverse audience of applicants just strikes me as a bit disappointing.
It is encouraging that Dan and Jason seem to have some slightly different gaming preferences from the core cast, and that should help mix things up a bit. I just can't escape how much it does feel like a kind of reinforcement of the Boys Club, and when there seems like a chance for it to open up a bit, it closes and rebukes you for expecting anything different. And when you share that genuine feeling, you just get attacked and mocked by commenter and moderator alike. Something -is- wrong here. It's sadly apparent, no matter how far we have come. This continues to be an issue challenging our community.
For the moment, this feels a bit unfortunate, but I still welcome Dan and Jason with open arms. I will not avoid giving them a chance simply because their addition feels like another part of a larger, stilted system. I enjoyed them on this first Bombcast, and I really look forward to what they do next. I hope they will engage with the forum a bit and get to know the many folks who continue to support the site. Many folks are eager to get to know them better. :)
I care about Giant Bomb and this community of gamers; so, it's only natural for me to express myself openly about the concerns I may have. It may not always be popular, but I believe Giant Bomb can accommodate all of us under one roof. We are Giant Bomb, and we must be able to honestly discuss and work through these things together without tearing down one another.
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