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[LiquidMetal14]

Again, your mistake lies in thinking that this convention was for gay people only. It was not, gamers of every sexual orientation were invited (though it was themed to appeal to those of a specific sexual orientation - much like every other gaming convention is).

After re-reading this, I jumped the gun a little. I was more in line with agreeing with this post here....

I don't understand why gamers that happen to be gay would want to go to this. Why not just hold a video gamer convention?

That would have probably been a better tangent to start this conversation off from me.

 

[Jburton]

This was not a convention for only gay people. Everyone was invited. If you want to make a convention that's aimed at straight people "to even things out", go ahead.

OH WAIT that's already every convention ever.

I wouldn't say that conventions are aimed solely at "straight people" rather at the main demographic.

Whatever demographic constitutes the main consumer of what the business sells will obviously be where the most attention is directed at.

It seems that white, straight people between their late teens and mid 30's buy the majority of games.


I would say that things are not aimed at a certain sections of the population with the intention of being exclusionary to others but rather business goes after where the money is.

Games aimed at gay people and other minorities would I suppose from a business sense be considered "niche" and not massive profit driving markets.

Unfortunately I hazard a guess and say most gamers would not be interested in devs making an effort to include gay / minority figures / scenarios etc in games as they have no affiliation / relationship with those issues and perspectives.

In a way I suppose the only way for gay people and minorities to see products that contain anything relating to themselves is for products to be created and marketed solely for their consumption, rather than finding anything they can relate to filtering into general, mass market products.


This convention is a reflection of that.

 

[DashReindeer]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised about people's reactions to this, but c'mon guys. You really can't see why a gay gamer might want to have a convention that is geared towards them?

 

[studyguy]

Eh, that's fine. I mean there's already conventions for everything under the sun. Cons aren't always gigantic things. Some of the coolest ones are pretty small. I don't really know how big the draw from devs would be to even attend, but whatever man. More power to em.

 

[Dylan]

Sure, but let's see what the reaction is if there was a straight only gaming convention.

The emphasis on Gaymerx is that it's gay people with a shared hobby. The emphasis of something like PAX is just games. They are two events that exist for two different reasons, even if gaming is a common link.

There are a lot of people who read books, but I would never tell someone who started a gay book club that they were being exclusionary. I understand that there are specific things about that community that justify holding a unique event.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Both of these comments are stupid as hell, but I hoping it's more born out of ignorance than hate. First, you don't determine if a convention is necessary, especially if you're not part of that minority. Second, every gaming convention is a 'straight' convention because that's the norm. You don't cater to minorities in conventions unless the conventions are specifically for those minorities. You can't make a 'straight' convention because they already are.

It's like saying you should have a straight pride parade because gays get a gay pride parade.

How do you distinguish a straight gaming convention from the latter?

I appreciate the thoughts but don't think for a second I don't take your language offensive. If I wanted to be called ignorant and had my posts called stupid then my responses would further stink up the thread.

I really don't think you're quite getting it. The emphasis on Gaymerx is that it's gay people with a shared hobby. The emphasis of something like PAX is just games. They are two events that exist for two different reasons, even if gaming is a common link.

There are a lot of people who read books, but I would never tell someone who started a gay book club that they were being exclusionary. I understand that there are specific things about that community that justify holding a unique event.

Well said.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

I wouldn't say that conventions are aimed solely at "straight people" rather at the main demographic.

Whatever demographic constitutes the main consumer of what the business sells will obviously be where the most attention is directed at.

It seems that white, straight people between their late teens and mid 30's buy the majority of games.


I would say that things are not aimed at a certain sections of the population with the intention of being exclusionary to others but rather business goes after where the money is.

Games aimed at gay people and other minorities would I suppose from a business sense be considered "niche" and not massive profit driving markets.

Unfortunately I hazard a guess and say most gamers would not be interested in devs making an effort to include gay / minority figures / scenarios etc in games as they have no affiliation / relationship with those issues and perspectives.

In a way I suppose the only way for gay people and minorities to see products that contain anything relating to themselves is for products to be created and marketed solely for their consumption, rather than finding anything they can relate to filtering into general, mass market products.


This convention is a reflection of that.

That's a lot of supposition. Have you ever talked to any minority gamers?

 

[dickgumshoe]

Let's just make a convention for only straight people then to even things out.

Power to them but this is really not necessary.

You could have attended it. You didn't have to kiss a guy to get in.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

You could have attended it. You didn't have to kiss a guy to get in.

Well I'll be lol

 

[Grakl]

Way to separate yourselves.

Idiotic comment. Meeting other like-minded people isn't 'separating' from other people.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised about people's reactions to this, but c'mon guys. You really can't see why a gay gamer might want to have a convention that is geared towards them?

I think the comments in this thread on how they don't understand why gay gamers would want to meet up is a good way to show why gay gamers want their own convention. Gay gamers creating their own convention is a way to get away from the misunderstanding, and the stories from GaymerX is probably a good way to get the word out that it's useful.

How do you distinguish a straight gaming convention from the latter?

I appreciate the thoughts but don't think for a second I don't take your language offensive. If I wanted to be called ignorant and had my posts called stupid then my responses would further stink up the thread.

You don't have to until you find an actual convention that caters to minorities, AKA GaymerX. Every convention is for straight gamers unless created otherwise, because straight is the norm.

 

[mollipen]

Again, your mistake lies in thinking that this convention was for gay people only. It was not, gamers of every sexual orientation were invited (though it was themed to appeal to those of a specific sexual orientation - much like every other gaming convention is).

Blame, in part, the terrible name of the con.

And I really really wish Anthropy wasn't the go-to patron saint of the transgender gaming community. I find her to be such a terrible representative, and think it does the community more harm than good to have her be the one trans gamer people are most likely to know.

 

[perineumlick]

Assuming the younger end of the "average" gamer spectrum is probably 14-18 and male... yes.

Have you never been, or raised, a teenage boy? Lynx/Axe can only cover /so/ many sins against fresh air.

Going by that metric, do gay 14-18 year old males smell better than straight ones?

I know, I know, this is veering into ludicrous territory, lol.

And yes, I am the father of a 14 year old boy, and an 18 year old girl. The boy is better at hygiene nowadays, since he became enamored with the girl down the block, lol.

 

[The Elite]

How can you NOT understand why gay gamers would want a video game convention tailored to their preferences? Video game conventions have an overwhelming amount of straight male focused entertainment: booth babes, boobs, more boobs, talking about babes and boobs. This gives the gay gamers a chance to talk about the things they want to talk about in a safe environment: Batman's pecs, Batman's package, what Superman is packing, who tops: Flash or Robin, things like that. I think this is a great idea, and doesn't in anyway take away the importance of any other gaming related conference.

I welcome the day when we can talk about every comic book/video game character's sexual organs and appetites equally and without prejudice under one roof.

 

[voodoopanda]

There's nothing wrong with this event or having events with a focus on underrepresented minorities. These questions are like asking "Why would nerds separate themselves even further from mainstream society with conventions based on niche interests??"

 

[Jburton]

That's a lot of supposition. Have you ever talked to any minority gamers?

I can't say I have except for any interactions I may have had on here with people.

If I am way off the mark in relation to anything I may have said I apologise.

 

[Foofaraw]

This sounds like it would be a fun con to go to. A drag specific cosplay show? Hell yeah, that sounds like a great time.

I think the portion of people here getting aggressive about this existing is the exact reason it should exist.

Did anyone go?

 

[lenovox1]

Way to separate yourselves.

Is a NeoGAF meetup a tool to separate this community from the gaming community at large or is it just a way for NeoGAF members to get together and hang out?

If you answered that question honestly to yourself, you'd realize that GaymerX is the same concept.

 

[Haunted]

I wouldn't say that conventions are aimed solely at "straight people" rather at the main demographic.

Whatever demographic constitutes the main consumer of what the business sells will obviously be where the most attention is directed at.

It seems that white, straight people between their late teens and mid 30's buy the majority of games.


I would say that things are not aimed at a certain sections of the population with the intention of being exclusionary to others but rather business goes after where the money is.

Games aimed at gay people and other minorities would I suppose from a business sense be considered "niche" and not massive profit driving markets.

Unfortunately I hazard a guess and say most gamers would not be interested in devs making an effort to include gay / minority figures / scenarios etc in games as they have no affiliation / relationship with those issues and perspectives.

In a way I suppose the only way for gay people and minorities to see products that contain anything relating to themselves is for products to be created and marketed solely for their consumption, rather than finding anything they can relate to filtering into general, mass market products.


This convention is a reflection of that.

I agree with a lot of this if we're talking just business and cold numbers.

That said, if conventions like this raise awareness across the industry that this crowd exists - even if it is niche - it might lead to more content being produced that, if not specifically caters to them, at least doesn't actively alienate them. Which is something this industry (and a lot of other media industries) might be guilty of sometimes when pursuing certain demographics.

After re-reading this, I jumped the gun a little. I was more in line with agreeing with this post here....

That would have probably been a better tangent to start this conversation off from me.

I see what you mean, but your choice of analogies was poor. No harm done.

To that point, if we look at the official wording...

"a space where all gamers and queer geeks can come together in a welcoming and safe space."

I think the key words in the sentence are welcoming and safe, implying that some of them do not feel welcomed or safe in other situations, at other conventions. I think this initiative has been born out of that sort of feeling.

 

[freenudemacusers]

Whatever will I do now that there is a convention that isn't targeting my needs or wants.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

I can't say I have except for any interactions I may have had on here with people.

If I am way off the mark in relation to anything I may have said I apologise.

I can only speak for myself and my gamer friends, but what we'd like is more frequent, and more importantly better/non-stereotypical representation in games and the industry. However, we also realize that for in order for that to happen, people have to actually take interest in and get into the industry, which is another important facet of having cons like these.

But don't worry man, nothing you said was out of line

 

[kittens]

I've been hearing nothing but good things about Gaymerx on Twitter. Sounds like it was awesome. The more conferences pushing diversity, inclusiveness, and queerness in games the better.

 

[Platy]

Most transgender people are straight and they probably would feel more welcome at this gaymerx than any e3/pax/whatever =P

Even famous transgender people like Kayo gets hate and transphobic coments in "straight male" places, let alone a non famous

And I really really wish Anthropy wasn't the go-to patron saint of the transgender gaming community. I find her to be such a terrible representative, and think it does the community more harm than good to have her be the one trans gamer people are most likely to know.

What is the problem with her ?

 

[KmA]

There is a staggeringly large amount of ignorance in this thread.

 

[Coolness]

Wish I had gone. Sounded like fun!

 

[MrGame&Watch]

Hey guys, we need to be more inclusive. Let every group have a convention so they feel safe in our community!

 

[Incitemaybe]

I'm glad there's a thread for this here! Definitely wish I could've made it.

Edit: though the ignorance rampant in the thread is nauseating.

 

[Grakl]

Hey guys, we need to be more inclusive. Let every group have a convention so they feel safe in our community!

Not sure if the comment is sarcastic or not, heh.

 

[TechnicPuppet]

I'm not gay myself but sounds like a blast.

 

[Kai Dracon]

I think the key words in the sentence are welcoming and safe, implying that some of them do not feel welcomed or safe in other situations, at other conventions. I think this initiative has been borne out of that sort of feeling.

As a gay guy, I personally find the term "gaymer" to be inelegant.

But I can certainly see why gay people who play games want to connect with one another, online and offline, using a pre-defined set of ground rules that would allow people to feel comfortable. With the default expectation of being treated like a human being should anyone get a hint of their sexual orientation.

Much of the core gaming community comprised of young males is honestly pretty toxic and lowbrow. Goes triplicate for competitive gaming online, where nerds get to live out their fantasies of being jocks and tough guys.

 

[Foffy]

I don't understand why gamers that happen to be gay would want to go to this. Why not just hold a video gamer convention?

To see Pandora Boxx, ya dummie.

 

[kittens]

Hey guys, we need to be more inclusive. Let every group have a convention so they feel safe in our community!

I'm going to assume this is sincere and give you a virtual high five. Though the word "let" feels kinda patronizing here.

 

[TedNindo]

I'm no homophobe. I have some gay friends. But for a group that wants to be treated as equals they sure seem to like making exclusively gay events for some reason. If any majority did something like this we wouldn't hear the end of it.

 

[Stumpokapow]

I'm no homophobe. I have some gay friends. But for a group that wants to be treated as equals they sure seem to like making exclusively gay events for some reason.

did you time travel to, like, 2001?

 

[Grakl]

I'm no homophobe. I have some gay friends. But for a group that wants to be treated as equals they sure seem to like making exclusively gay events for some reason.

Oh my god this comment is amazing.

Let me make a comment like "I'm not racist. I have some black friends. But... (insert something racist)."

This isn't a gay exclusive event. Having a safe space to meet other like-minded gay gamers is useful for many reasons, one of which is to enjoy yourself, which is what conventions are for. Believe it or not, discrimination is a thing, and it's possible to get away from it for a bit. Having a safe and welcome space is useful, and this convention achieved that.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

I'm no homophobe. I have some gay friends. But for a group that wants to be treated as equals they sure seem to like making exclusively gay events for some reason. If any majority did something like this we wouldn't hear the end of it.

How quaintly ancient!

 

[TedNindo]

did you time travel to, like, 2001?

No I started thinking about this a few weeks ago when I heard they were having some kind of gay Olympics in my city for whatever reason.
An alternative to one of the most open and peaceful events where everyone is considered equal seemed strange to me.

 

[lenovox1]

I'm no homophobe. I have some gay friends. But for a group that wants to be treated as equals they sure seem to like making exclusively gay events for some reason. If any majority did something like this we wouldn't hear the end of it.

The reason being that LGBT people desire to hangout with other LGBT people of likeminded interest. It's very simple.

 

[Haunted]

I'm no homophobe. I have some gay friends. But for a group that wants to be treated as equals they sure seem to like making exclusively gay events for some reason.

It's not exclusive.

 

[perineumlick]

This thread is gonna be awesome!

 

[Wilsongt]

I say good on them for hosting something like this and I hope it continues to grow. Before long, maybe they'll get male booth babes in skimpy clothing instead of just females in skimpy clothing.

 

[Kintaro]

I don't think conventions have to be one or the other. It's not like every E3 is "not PAX." It's just a video game convention with a different focus/theme. The focus/theme just happens to be related to sexuality. Don't see any problems there.

Sounds good to me.

I blame my confusion on lack of sleep. I apologize sincerely if I offended anyone.

 

[Grakl]

No I started thinking about this a few weeks ago when I heard they were having some kind of gay Olympics in my city for whatever reason.
An alternative to one of the most open and peaceful events where everyone is considered equal seemed strange to me.

Do you pay no attention to what's happening in Russia?

edit: Cyan got it.

 

[ghst]

Link to the "Still Alive" singalong mentioned by thearticle..

you're probably never going to witness that again, howabout not watching it through a 5" LCD screen?

 

[JWong]

I haven't heard of any anti-homosexual issues in video game conventions, so I'm not sure why this is warranted.

Was there any news on such a thing?

 

[TedNindo]

Do you pay no attention to what's happening in Russia?

This was planned before the whole Russia problem. And this is a summer Olympic like event.

 

[Lime]

I'm sad to read some of the responses in this thread. Have some of you people ever heard of the concept of 'safe spaces'?

And do you really think it would be unfair for a minority who constantly engages in marginalizing contexts in everyday life to have just one particular event that's solely catering at the minority itself, and not just yet another "let's casually use the word faggot in competitive hypermasculine settings" gaming convention?

It's almost like white/heterosexual/men asking for even more privileges.

Anyway, I'm glad the event was a success and I hope everyone involved felt optimistic and good about the future outlook of things.

 

[twobear]

I think you oughta take a look at the panel list this year.

They had a GayGamer thing the year I went too.

 

[Sblargh]

Sounds cool. I wish I could go, even if I'm not gay.
As for why the convention exist, it's kind of like why gay bars exist (and why I go to them even tho, again, I'm straight); it's a place where you can feel safe (both physically as well as safe from random harassment and provokation and people giving you weird looks and moms going all "do you really need to exist as a human being in front of my kids?") while having simple fun.

It's a place to have a fun time while being sure that, at the very least, the people there won't be homophobes; so we know we have at least that in common.

 

[Haunted]

This was planned before the whole Russia problem. And this is a summer Olympic like event.

Seems like great foresight from the organisers, then.

 

[Marda]

The reason being that LGBT people desire to hangout with other LGBT people of likeminded interest. It's very simple.

This.

No big deal, looks like it was fun, and I'm sure many had a blast. Would have loved to have gone myself, despite being straight.