"The Full Spectrum:" Games and LGBT issues

Over the past year or so, the issue of LGBT representation in videogames (or specifically, the lack thereof) has become a topic of interest in the gaming community, especially with game developer EA, who has been the most vocal of the game companies on this issue.  Indeed, EA is talking about making LGBT-based interactions available for players who wish to utilize them in future games.  This is a great step in combatting the issue of heteronormativity, which has an extraordinary presence in games.

EA's stance on this issue has been received critically by some gamers and organizations, and the backlash is to be expected.  Games are not often seen as mediums of social progress, which makes EA's recent announcements all the more interesting, yet unexpected.  Historically games have also been for the most part free of non-heterosexual interaction.

In 2012, EA participated in the "It Gets Better" project by uploading a video of employees talking about how their sexuality has impacted their lives.  As evidenced from many the comments on the video, heteronormativity is still a very relavent issue, especially among Internet users.

Just recently, EA announced what they are calling "Full Spectrum", which will be an open-panel and dialog discussion of:

• "The origin of homophobia in games;
• The development of authentic LGBT characters and scenarios;
• The difference between exclusive and inclusive language;
• Creating and promoting inclusive work environments for LGBT employees in the digital entertainment industry."

Despite many gamers not being fond of EA as a game company in general, we should applaud their efforts to raise awareness of the lack of LGBT representation in modern gaming.  Heteronormativity as a societal disease is itself also a symptom of heteronormative reenforcement in media, of which gaming is a very large component.  Thus, if we decrease the depiction of heteronormativity in media such as games, we can help decrease the prevalence of compulsory heterosexuality across all mediums of social interaction.

Click here to read more about EA's recent announcement.

For examples of just how strongly heteronormativity permeates gaming, both historically and in a modern context, check out Anita Sarkeesian's new Feminist Frequency video series: "Tropes vs Women in Video Games".