The /Games Subreddit has temporarily closed its doors to shine a light on the growing issues affecting video game communities.
The entire Subreddit will be closed for 24 hours to shine a light on how some online gamers tend to treat those in minority groups, pointing to examples of transphobia, homophobia, islamophobia, racism, misogyny, pro-pedophilia/pro-rape, and vitriolic personal attacks against other users.
It’s definitely a different stance than most take on this day, and one that should be applauded. Whilst these issues aren’t exclusive to gamers, it’s definitely something we see online (both on forums/social media and also whilst playing games online).
You can find the full post HERE, but we’ve also included an excerpt below:
Not April Fool’s.
This April Fool’s, we decided to take things a little more seriously and shed some light on a growing, pervasive issue that has affected the community of Games and gaming communities as a whole. In recent times, it’s come to our attention that what has been intended to be a forum for the potential spread of knowledge and involvement in video games has instead become a battleground of conflicting ideas. Ordinarily, this isn’t an issue; discussion by its very nature is certain to bring argument, but when that argument descends into vitriolic attacks between individuals on a regular basis with no chance at deescalation, that’s when, put simply, something’s got to give.
Though certain memes (such as “gamers rise up”) surrounding gaming are largely viewed as a humorous interpretation of a mindset, at the core of the humor is a set of very serious issues that affect all gaming enthusiasts. By showing disdain or outright rejecting minority and marginalized communities, we become more insular. In this, we lose out on the chance to not only show compassion to these people, but also the chance to grow our own community and diversify the demographics of those involved in it. Whether it’s misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, racism or a host of other discriminatory practices, now is the time to stymie the flow of regressive ideas and prevent them from ever becoming the norm.
