Palette Swap
Member
You're absolutely right, it doesn't give anyone the right to act like an animal because of it. However, it's still a reality that when you make a post like that, it's not that surprising that you will get people acting like that because they found it offensive or incendiary.
That kind of crap - like Leigh's article for example? That wouldn't have made it past the editor in any respectable publication. And I mean, in actual print. I wonder how this whole thing would have played out had she not decided to get up on her pedestal and choose it was her time to enlighten us all.
Still, it's pretty singular that what, half a dozen inflammatory editorials would lead to a 2 week-long relentless shitstorm like that.
As someone who didn't care much for the tone of said columns, I can't imagine staying mad for this long. If you disagree with a particular publication's tone, stop reading it and move on. I've done that with tons of papers and magazines. Making demands on that specific front is absolutely useless in my view as they have no obligation to not call everyone a stinking asshole if they wish too. That's editorializing and is very distinct IMO from any ethics discussion, that is absolutely legitimate as long as it doesn't revolves around who a specific dev sleeps with.
And having a few inflammatory articles certainly doesn't excuse the very real harrasment campaigns that have been happening with very real casualties. Who happen to be women. Again, I'm all for the broad ethics discussion that's been brewing for years now but anyone still participating in the GG movement are giving cover to assholes actively harassing people the way the movement was designed to. I can't fathom how the ethics discussion that's been waiting for so long would take precedence over stopping the harrasment.
The initial nepotism allegations about Zoe x Kotaku had no real basis and were all about slut shaming. So honestly, I'd question the good faith of anyone who still views this particular point as relevant.As I said before, gamergate is not about harassing women and minorities, it's a reaction to the allegations of nepotism that came out in the initial Zoepost,
Talking about how she fucked a guy who mentionned her game among dozens in an article isn't a conversation about nepotism. It's all about discussing who she fucked.