Gaymer's Convention

I was first made aware of this on IGN. Long story short, if you haven't seen it yet, there's a Kickstarter in the works for a GLBT-themed convention in San Francisco. While IGN didn't seem to be putting forward any opinion besides one of neutral awareness (for once,) the comments section was...heated. To say the least. Linkies:

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

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/08/02/gaymercon-the-first-lgbt-gaming-convention

So my question is this: Do you think that Gaymercon is creating an unnecessary rift in the gaming community by targeting a specifically LGBT audience, or do you think that it's serving a needed and appropriate purpose in the current world of gaming? To inquire further, do you think it's even a big deal to start with, or do you think that it actually brings some important and divisive issues to light?

While I obviously have my own opinion on this, I'm curious to know what the HTL crowd thinks as compared to the IGN crowd. Discuss!

I think that this con has two goals,

1. To provide a more explicitly welcoming/safe environment for LGBTQ gamers to enjoy the "proper geeky stuff"
2. To provide a platform to discuss specifically LGBTQ themes/issues in gaming (especially in an environment that treats being LGBTQ as positive rather than controversial)

The first is a good goal for now, but you can work towards the same goals at other cons, by supporting robust anti-harassment policies, etc. Hopefully, eventually, we won't need an LGBTQ con for this reason.

I think the second goal has more staying power. Obviously this type of content should be integrated at other cons too (like the ME3 writers talking about writing same sex relationships) but gender and sexuality in games and gaming communities is a subject with room to explore in great depth.

Please don't get me wrong when I say this, but I don't necessarily support this, and I have no issue with the GLBT community.

This just seems like it is supporting the segmenting of our community as video gamer enthusiasts, or gamers. Just because some may be gay and a gamer, we don't refer to them as a gay gamer, which just say gamer. If someone is black and a gamer, we don't call them a black gamer, we call them a gamer....hopefully you see where I am going with this.

I am all for celebrating our differences, but is that really necessary to do as a gamer?

Dude, after some of the stuff I've read I'd have to be majorly unbalanced to take issue with your stance.

In my personal opinion, this isn't a discrimination thing...honestly, it comes across as being a little bit more like a themed convention. "Everyone is allowed, but know that there is a point to it all" sort of thing. And while I completely and totally see your point, (seriously, the idealist in my is right there with you) I think it gives a great opportunity for another side of the gaming audience to show its face...specifically one that doesn't get targeted in standard conventions. (Booth boys anyone?)

Again, I find it to be less about celebrating our differences and more about appealing to our differences. My one minor gripe is with the name, which I find to be a little heavy-handed, but besides that I'm all for it.

phew! I thought the first response to my post was going to something along the lines of "you are a homophobe." Thank you for proving me wrong Austin.

Did you mean after reading what I wrote, or things you read else where?

Agreed.

I like to think that HTL can hold an intelligent conversation without stooping to "I'm right and you're wrong" wars.

Hahaha. Things I read on IGN. If you want a good drinking game, go through some of the comments and take a shot every time the discussion of homosexuality being a choice or not comes up. Seriously, the users there sometimes seem to exist for no reason other than to antagonize one another.

A little more on topic, I'd like to hope that in the years to come the idea of a "Gaymercon" will seem stupid and prudish. To everyone, of all social groups. The fact that there seems to be a substantial audience advocating its establishment leads me to surmise that it is not wholly undesired by the community, which in turn draws me to conclude that the industry in its current state doesn't cater to all groups equally. I know, I know, I'm a real Sherlock Holmes here. Captain Obvious to the rescue!

You had me at booth boys.

I feel the same way, I don't really like the idea of separating the gaming community with labels like girl gamer or gay gamer. We already have enough division in the community over the issues like the ending of ME3, why do we want to create division by using these labels. I'm a gamer, my sister is a gamer and a lot of my friends, some of them gay, are gamers, not a boy gamer, not girl gamer and not gay gamer, we are just gamers.

I am glad someone else sees my point of view.

The creation of this convention is like implying that all other conventions shun/ban members of the GLBT community. While I have never been to a gaming convention (I really want to!) I find that notion very hard to believe. I think that the gaming community is one of the most accepting groups out there, where we don't care about your race, religion, sexual preference, etc. We just enjoy meeting other people who also enjoy gaming, am I right?

I was hoping that the next big initiative that was created on HTL (if this is considered "big") would be something I could get behind, and even donate to if that is what the initiative called for. Sadly, I can't bring myself to give money to this initiative. I am sorry, and I hope you understand that me not supporting the initative is in no way to show disrespect.

The gaming community isn't as open and excepting of people's differences as it should be, especially online. I feel that creating labels like girl gamer and gay gamer actually makes it worse because now it's excepted that these people really are part of different group then those of us that just call ourselves a gamer.

Nope. The gaming community, and the nerd community as a whole, wants to believe that it's accepting because, hey, if it's something nerds know something about it's being ostracized and feeling out of place and being weird, right? Yeah, no, it's not as accepting as it wants to be. Basically, if you're a white, heterosexual cis male: congratulations! If you're not: yeah, well, sucks to be you.

So, yeah, I understand why GaymerCon was created. I don't want it to have to exist but before the gaming community can get its act together and be as accepting as it wants to be, GaymerCon and other venues like it are sorely needed.

Well, I guess it is a matter of opinion, but I still believe it. Other than the hateful online gamers over XBL, which I think represents a small percentage of gamers, I think the gaming community is very accepting. Every gaming website I have been on, including this one, is very accepting, and I would imagine it would be so at conventions and those two groups I think represent a majority of the gaming community.

Really Gaymer's Con? That just sounds really wrong, and it putting a rift in the community. I don't like this one bit.

I don't think it will create a rift in HTL but I do believe that creating these labels, like girl gamer and gay gamer, actually makes the problems that they are trying to fix worse. I feel that using these labels makes it seem OK to treat these people differently because now they are part of a different group then those of us that call ourselves a gamer. I could be wrong and having a Gaymer's Convention is a good thing but my gut tells me this is a bad idea.

To be completely honest, I feel like calling this a "bad idea" and "wrong" is a bit much. The community isn't cohesive enough to begin with for a rift to form. Gamers identifying themselves as gay doesn't hurt the heterosexual population in the slightest, so I do take issue with words like the ones that have just been used.

And that's my problem. How is the gaming community going to become cohesive and unified if we're going to willingly create labels that divide us? I guess I just don't understand what someone's sexual orientation has to do with gaming. Maybe your right and I'm just to close minded to see it, I hope so since my voice alone isn't going to change much.