Editor's note: I'm in the "how can this not be a win?" camp, but "these guys" make some excellent points and observations about this new policy change for Xbox Live. Very well-written and well-thought-out stuff! -Shoe

THREEVIEWS

One topic. Three opinions. One author. This time "we," Kevin John Frank, take on Microsoft's policy change which allows the inclusion of sexual preference descriptors in Gamertags and profiles. Kevin feels "choice is great." John says, "Nothing will really change." Frank warns, "It'll be bedlam!" 

"Microsoft loosens its restrictions on Xbox Live Gamertags and profiles allowing users to "more freely express their race, nationality, religion, and sexual orientation." Specifically, they now allow terms such as "lesbian," "gay," "bi," "transgender," and "straight" to be a part of a player's Gamertag or in their profile. The updated code of conduct, however, does warn against using "these terms or any other terms regarding relationship orientation to insult, harass, or any other pejorative use against other users."

"Under our previous policy, some of these expressions of self-identification were not allowed in Gamertags or profiles to prevent the use of these terms as insults or slurs. However, we have since heard feedback from our customers that while the spirit of this approach was genuine, it inadvertently excluded a part of our Xbox Live community."

But some (presumably straight) gamers don't feel it's warranted. Comments like "I don't advertise my straightness. Besides, Xbox Live is for gaming not dating" only serve to perpetuate ignorance and further entrench heteronormative ideals. Much of the commentary against this new policy reads like "They already get to ride the bus. Why do they want to sit up front with us?"

One big reason: choice. Let's say you are a secret gamer, a fact you choose to not publicly reveal at work because it is officially frowned-upon, actively policed, and could prevent you from rising in the company or even get you fired. You'd likely keep that shit pretty quiet.

Now, imagine for a moment that your workplace all of a sudden proposed a new policy which embraced this once secretive aspect of your personality, avowing to punish anybody who disrespected your love of gaming. You might find the courage to be more open with it in the future. All of a sudden, you don't have to relegate this secretive part of yourself to your basement or Internet forums. The choice is yours. 

You can now adorn your cubicle with gaming-related posters and swag. You might seek out other coworkers with a similar interest in gaming more openly at the water cooler. You realize that some colleagues may still despise gamers, but now there exists a legitimate environment where you are free to acknowledge and discuss gaming.

You might even wear a shirt once in a while proudly displaying your favorite game. Those that don't like it can still voice that opinion, too, but they can't be hateful about it, or they will bare the consequences. The ability to choose with authority is paramount.

Not a perfect analogy but I think it gives a basis for a heterosexual to understand why Microsoft's new terms of service is important. It is a granted privilege that doesn't necessarily impact the majority of gamers, but it does enhance the experience for many others.

Some gamers feel this updated TOS will lead to more hateful behavior and is therefore a bad move. There is a sentiment that gay gamers will be affixing an easy target on their avatar for bigots to snipe while in public lobbies.

True -- many kids (and some adults) do not care or realize what "gay" and "lesbian" really mean in the first place and use it as a swear or curse out of ignorance. For them, seeing a gamer with a "Gaymer4Life" Gamertag or a "Lesbian League Gaming!" profile post is an easy laugh or launch pad to mischief.

But those same little shits will invariably call you "fag" if you have a British accent, "nigger" if your avatar is black, or something equally outrageous and misguided given the chance. Microsoft realizes that enforcement is problematic, but by making their policies more open they err on the side of inclusivity.

Saying this change does more bad than good is like saying banning discrimination after Martin Luther King's speech was a bad idea because it would incite a riot and therefore be too hard to police. Inspiring change, no matter how minor, is a good thing, even if it is for kids that don't understand or care.

One day they might.

This relaxing of naming and profile restrictions will not change anything about the general online etiquette as seen on Xbox Live. The levels of douchebaggery on Live are not going up or down because of this announcement. The same jerks that were there prior have the same chance of being reported and banned for their wicked behavior now.

Out of 20 million Gamertags and profiles, well over half of them are cryptic, inane, or nonsensical. The addition of five permissible words doesn't help or hinder that. The information gleaned from a random players XBL account is usually quite forgettable. My eyes roll at 75% of the Gamertags I see. Now gamers that wish to proclaim their preference can make the equally suspect choice as "whiteboy34," "ubercoolguy," or "xXHat3R4d3Xx."

I see some gamers complaining that a badge of sexual preference is useless or inappropriate in the gaming arena. Most gamers will not rush to change their Gamertag or profile, but there are gamer-centric reasons to do this.

The utility of such a tag can be viewed in the same light as a clan tag. Are these preference "badges" really anymore distracting or offensive? If anything they should be just as easily overlooked. Reading through message board reactions on this topic you'd think you could catch "gay" by reading it in someone's Gamertag.

I don't care if you don't use Live to seek out like-minded people. Many others do. Profiles assist with that. If you haven't noticed, Microsoft has been slowly transitioning Xbox Live into a social-networking platform. Identifying sexual preference is a piece of that puzzle.

Where is the supposed harm? Oh yeah, the "fear" that the fires of asshatery will now burn hotter than ever. Well, even if Microsoft announced today that they have decided to "ban all gays" from their service, those flames would still be roaring.

Why does it bother people that much that gamers can include sexual orientation now? "I don't want to read it" is not a valid answer, but it seems to be the crux of it for many.

Use this newfound ability as you will, but just know that online social behavior still has a long way to go.

I've always wondered why people would want this. Online, I hesitate to give out any sort of information about myself. To parade something so personal, so openly -- especially when you consider the audience -- will only make you a target.

I'd imagine the next wave of complaints from GLAAD et al. is how Microsoft is not doing enough to ban people who use hate speech. I just hope everyone remembers that this was the ugliness Microsoft was trying to avoid in the first place. It was barely police-able when sexual preference was unknowable or inferred. Now it's going to be bedlam. 

Congrats, you're gay (or straight for that matter). Does it seriously improve the experience to be able to bandy that about your gamer profile? Gay rights are important, but unless you are trying to find a date on Xbox Live, why does stating sexual preference matter? If you enjoy talking to a person through Live and things get beyond gaming, be that friendship or love, you can surely take it from there.

It's just one more thing for moderators to look out for and judge whether or not "XxGayManPwn3dxX" is a symbol of pride or a bad gay joke when someone files the complaint. Because you know it will -- I'm sure that's how some of the "legitimate" tags were getting banned in the first place. This can only put more strain on an already over-taxed department. I just don't see the point of giving the first-person-shooter kids more reasons to call someone a "fag."

Getting a Gamertag restriction lifted on Live that wasn't an intentional infringement in the first place doesn't improve much of anything. It's not a shining beacon of hope for the general improvement of the service or society. It's just an additional reason to spend $10 on changing your Gamertag if you're that excited about it.

Apparently you can put a price on equality.

You've read "our" views. What is your perspective? Give "us" your feedback.

Kevin John Frank is a writer and gamer who also is gay, black, left-handed and an honorary Newfie. Contact him at quippster at gmail[dot]com or on Twitter @quipp.