Quote:Game publishing giant Electronic Arts and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation are teaming up to bring the gaming community a panel on homophobia in videogame culture. The panel is open to the public will be held this Saturday at EA's offices in Redwood City between 11AM and 1PM.
Representatives from Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Linden Labs, GayGamer.net and the Entertainment Software Association will be on hand to discuss topics like "how to provide safe spaces for LGBT people online, how to ensure the best policies are in place to prevent virtual attacks against LGBT people and how to educate the users of online communities about the effects of homophobia."

GLAAD has recently become very interested in the world of video games, seeing it, rightly, as the home of rampant virtual gay-bashing. Here are some stats to back up the assertion, from a 2006 survey done under supervision by the University of Illinois:

52.7% of those surveyed said the gaming community is “Somewhat Hostile” to gay and lesbian gamers, 14% said “Very Hostile.” When asked what forms of homophobia people have seen in the gaming community, here are some of what the surveyed said:

87.7% – Players use the phrase, “That’s so gay.”
83.4% – Players use the words “gay” or “queer” as derogatory names.
52.3% – Stereotypical representations of gay characters in games.
42.5% – Refusal of game designers to include well-developed gay characters.
49.4% – Invisibility of gaymers and/or the gaymer community.

When asked how frequently players experience homophobia, those surveyed who responded “Always” or “Frequently” equaled 42%. Add in “Sometimes” and it brings up that total to 74.5%. When asked how often those players respond to the homophobia they witness – 50.9% total responded “Never” or “Rarely.” So you could see why GLAAD is trying to extend its message of tolerance to the online community.

The survey quoted above was taken over three years ago. Do you think online attitudes toward gay people have changed since then? I feel like there's less noticeable homophobia lately, but it could be just that I'm so used to it that I don't notice it as much. Do you think gamers are more likely to be anti-gay than other groups of people?
For the record, gay people are awesome; I have many gay friends and I like their parades. People who hate gay people, on the other hand, are not awesome. Why anyone would worry about what other people do with their personal life is mysterious to me.