“There are definitely LGBT heroes — that’s multiple heroes.” (Rebirth)

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(The old old version of this thread is no longer suitable for conversation, so this new version exists in hopes of eliciting constructive conversation about the subject, as well as providing feedback for Overwatch)

Quote from a person on the development team I’m not allowed to name, Nov, 2016.

So uh…where are they? It’s 2018 and there’s still no delivery on more LGBTQ heroes despite there supposedly being more than Tracer. Are we ever going to get them? Will we learn anything new about the already established characters in general? :frowning:

IMPORTANT NOTE: Because it’s asked very often–this initial post is in no way saying I want an LGBTQ character who’s personality solely revolves around their orientation or gender identity. That is quite the opposite of what I want.
UPDATE:
Because this thread is rather large now, I’ve copypasted one of my posts in response to a popular inquiry. Said inquiry being “Why does this matter?”
Here is one of the oldest examples of why I think representation matters.

Nichelle Nichols played Uhura on Star Trek: The Original Series. At one point, she had considered quitting the show before being begged not to–because so many people of color had looked up to her. The person in question who begged her not to do this was Martin Luther King Jr. himself.

Here are some notable people she inspired.
Mae Jemison (The FIRST African American astronaut)
Jeanette J Epps (Astronaut)
Martin Luther King Jr (as stated above)

This is why representation is important–while many of us underestimate the power of media, it can inspire people to accomplish things they never thought they could do before–because countless other influences in their lives told them it wasn’t possible because of who they are.

UPDATE 2: If you’re going to debate with someone, be nice about it. Don’t shove words into their mouth, don’t insult their character, and be respectful. This applies to both sides of the debate! No one will want to listen to you if you’re mean about it! I mean it, be nice to people–even if they don’t return the favor.

UPDATE 3: Please keep this thread on topic and please do not respond to people who purposefully try to derail it. Doing so will only make the thread spiral into a negative direction. We are talking about LGBTQ in Overwatch, not about religion or the policies of countries.

(This is NOT a Hammond/Wrecking Ball hate thread. Please don’t fight about that here)

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Guess what’s back back back
Back again gain gain
This thread’s back back back
Tell a friend friend friend

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Round 3, FIGHT!

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Let’s hope this one doesn’t get derailed with off topic debates about Chile and the physiology of trans women. I believe in yall.

Anyway, here is what should be required reading on the subject.

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I honestly don’t really know what else to say on this subject, though, honestly, that isn’t arguing with people about whether the LGBT have reason to be shown in video games. Which… I already know why it’s great, so. Hmm.

I’m sympathetic to the dev team, at any rate, and do believe they’ll get to it. I think we genuinely just need more outlets for this kind of character development to happen.

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Well, I’ve been in 2 of them, but I’m gonna dip out this time I don’t have the stamina to debate with people endlessly who clearly have a lower standard of debate than the people being civil to them and providing them facts and science in retorts to their feelings and hate speech. Wish you luck though LGBT peoples, fight that ignorance cuz no one else will :frowning:

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I find it commendable that you keep making these threads. :smiley: Hopefully it will go better this time. Is it alright if I kick off with some discussion?

I agree that it’s ok that we talk about it and don’t see why people keep arguing that we are shoving things down the dev’s throats. We’re not - we simply want to talk about potential things that the devs themselves have stated multiple times. If they no longer plan to do those things they should say so.

Personally, as I have made repeatedly clear, I hope that they continue with the current vein of good, upstanding heroic characters being revealed as LGBT and do not go backwards towards evil/morally ambiguous/mentally disturbed LGBT characters (because that’s old and negative stereotyping that really doesn’t help the community at all). I get that not everyone agrees with this, but I truly do not understand how giving people any more ammunition against LGBT people by validating the idea that we’re mentally ill/evil by having representation that would state exactly that is a good thing. Even if it is made “okay” by having multiple LGBT characters.

That is what I think about whenever I make these kinds of statements - what the next LGBT reveal would imply to people who don’t like the LGBT community, especially with a multinational company like Blizzard either upholding their negative views or refuting them. It’s why I keep saying I only want morally upright and good characters, like Tracer was and is, as our representation.

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That is generally my take.

I only really show up to these threads to point out bad arguments and statements that are objectively false anyhow. Graphic throat-based imagery and handwringing about trite quotas (which, uh, why aren’t you caping about the amount of white people in the cast if that’s your issue) need not apply.

At the end of the day, the issue is slow lore progression, which I’m sure people on both “sides” can agree on being an issue.

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Not a problem, don’t feel pressured to hang around–do what ever is best for you and your well-being. :slight_smile:

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Lesbian, I good with there being no more LGBT characters

Don’t care about lore either. I just want a fun balanced game

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That cool but it’s not really what we’re talking about here. In this thread we’re wanting to talk about lore, so this kind of commentary isn’t constructive.

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Blizz should just give the LGBT community a gay male so all this ranting and fighting can stop. Aren’t people getting tired of pulling and pushing?

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Hell yah her we are again.
Can we just stop it.
I still dont belive this is needed in anyway.
Becours ther is nothing special or so.
But if they need to do it, they shoud make it like they did it with tracer.
A oneliner that tells it but ignores it for the rest.

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If I may respond to this… I personally don’t have an issue with antagonists being LGBT, or coded as such, as long as they are not the only examples of LGBT rep in the franchise, but that’s just me. Balance is important.

I am interested in your perspective, though.

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So instead of patiently waiting to see how the story develops we are just trying to force their hand.

We don’t know how long they plan on continuing to support overwatch. It may be years and some more lore may come out. If not then that’s the devs decision.

I am okay with that. It’s their game and us screaming “We Want…” won’t accomplish anything

After the tracer comic backlash it may of been shelved or they are being really careful. They don’t owe us any explanation

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Isn’t this spamming at this point?

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The mistake there is thinking that the struggle ever really ends, with this kind of thing. Getting a gay dude isn’t going to solve the problems that LGBT people have with media, it isn’t going to end homophobia or the fact that gay people existing so often gets ignored in mainstream fiction.

It’ll just be a good day for the people who care about that, and a step in the right direction. It’ll be a long time before any of this will be ‘resolved’ in a grander scale. I already consider OW to be a huge victory for a lot of things, though.

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The bisexual and trans communities would also want representation, though I honestly am not sure if anyone would argue for them if they did give us a gay man, seeing as gays and lesbians tend to be seen as all there is to represent.

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It sure seems like it’s getting there

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