http s://books.google.com/books?id=_5GtAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA99&lpg=PA99&dq=Blizzard+disbands+LGBTQ+guilds&source=bl&ots=fjrlREIcOD&sig=ACfU3U3efuW_aom9mBqVC7Ydxv43-1saeA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjpx4uwjIL3AhVWZ80KHQXWDe0Q6AF6BAgnEAM#v=onepage&q=Blizzard%20disbands%20LGBTQ%20guilds&f=false On page 98-99
There’s a lot of stuff like this. Mostly from early WoW, up to maybe 2018/2019 (when they updated their policies?)
It’s mostly that they see it as either protecting the LGBTQ members by preventing them from marginalizing themselves, they see restricting recruitment to LGBTQ members as a violation of their terms and services, or they just Auto React through their AI to ban or restrict guild names related to reports from other players. In both cases Blizzard is not acting out of Malice, but rather just reacting out of a lack of understanding.
It’s kind of like if a city refused to issue a permit for a Pride Parade because they were worried about acts of violence against the parade marchers. They are acting out of the best of intentions but it’s not going to be over well and it’s mostly bad because it just outlines a lack of understanding from the city on how and why the Parade would benefit the LGBTQ community.
Basically back in early wow (think 2006ish) if you had a guild with a name like “LGBTQ friendly” it could be changed on you, and you could face account action. If someone reported that your guild was specifically recruiting gay members you could face account action.
Like many scandals that get blown up it wasn’t nearly as widespread as it was reported, but it was still a thing that happened and longterm players that were affected remember it.
Nah. Harassment happens. It sucks. It’s something people go out of their way to find guilds and communities where homophobic attitudes and casual transphobia, misogyny, etc. are not tolerated.
Trolling the issue like it isn’t a well known concern across gaming communities is just you being part of the problem. Thanks for demonstrating why it continues to be a real issue to affected players.
So you are inferring that I am doing the trolling now?
My best friend in this game quit a few years back. I suspect that they were trans but I was never sure which way. I never addressed it and I never brought it up. I feel like if my friend needed to talk about it, they would let me know. I never said anything either pro or con about the issue nor did I ever address them as male/female because honestly I was not certain which and I didn’t want to insult my friend. This was years before all the PC stuff ever came about.
The point I’m making is it wasn’t relevant to me because it didn’t matter. I liked them for who they were and considered them my best friend in game regardless. We did everything together including being a member of the same guild. No one ever said anything about it.
You seem to be super sensitive and look for issues when they don’t exist. That’s not to say that they never exist for everyone but don’t try to pigeonhole me with your virtue signal.