Gay Rights In Video Games: A Brief History (PICTURE)

First Posted: 05-11-10 12:40 PM | Updated: 05-11-10 01:02 PM

Read More: Gay Rights, Gay Rights Gamers, Gay Rights Video Games, Video Games, Technology News

From Madatoms' Ben Siemon and David Hwang comes a tongue-in-cheek infographic presenting a brief "history" of gay rights in video games.

The timeline is part serious, part comic, and comes just two months after Xbox LIVE began allowing gamers to use terms like "gay,""straight," "lesbian," "bi," and "transgender" in their nicknames and profiles (this new policy is not included in the Madatoms chart, however).

See the infographic below, then check out some of the most controversial video games ever.

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rbryanh 0 minute ago (9:44 PM)

245 Fans

The down side of LGBTQ rights is the more we're accepted, the more our sexuality is just something else to buy. In a few years, we'll be indistinguishable from straights.

I know nostalgia is an awful vice, but I remember when I could have all the kinky interspecies human/elf gay sex I wanted for the price of a beer, using no more hardware than I was born with.

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rbryanh 5 minutes ago (9:40 PM)

245 Fans

ME: Hey... Do you wanna have kinky gay interspecies elf sex tonight?

HIM: How will that be different from last night?

ME: I'll wear boots, eye makeup, and a sword?

HIM: You don't have a sword.

ME: Wanna bet? I'll dissolve two xanax in a nice cabernet, and you can pretend it's a spell.

HIM: Ok. Just as long as I don't have to wear tights.

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EcnelisDoogod 2 hours ago (8:13 PM)

3 Fans

Valet Hustle an iPhone app.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc_kL_ZUbvA

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bluewolfca 2 hours ago (8:10 PM)

5 Fans

You forgot to mention SimCopter (1996) where kissing men were put into the code on the sly and the guy responsible got fired.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SimCopter#Controversy

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maxben 1 hour ago (8:31 PM)

11 Fans

No, its up there.

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bluewolfca 1 hour ago (8:33 PM)

5 Fans

Oh man, I skipped right over it! My eyes aren't doing to well this evening. ;) lol

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SebKus 3 hours ago (6:57 PM)

4 Fans

Persona 4 featured a questioning teen with a compelling storyline to follow. At one point the player get's to fight a camp, over-sexualized version of him. It was very therapeutic for both me and the character in question. In the same game there's a young woman who desperately wants to become a man, she ends up being nearly involved in a "body-alteration operation" with her repressed self.

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Joseph Guarino 3 hours ago (6:50 PM)

17 Fans

What about the time Cloud dressed up in drag to infiltrate the mob in FF7? That was awesome. Not to mention the final boss of FF9, Kuja...

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FantasticFourFan 3 hours ago (6:28 PM)

59 Fans

Wish I could marry my robot servant!

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darkwingnut 4 hours ago (5:32 PM)

4 Fans

Waiting on the HP story of the history of gay rights in Hip Hop

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mbaty 4 hours ago (6:09 PM)

40 Fans

Keep waiting.

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Cuthach 5 hours ago (5:14 PM)

7 Fans

The joke about Pong is immature and ruins what could have been a good look at the way homosexuality is portrayed in games.

Stop being "cute" and teach us something, d@mmit.

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Kiel 4 hours ago (6:06 PM)

9 Fans

Yeah, why would someone think that video games are for fun? Don't they know it's serious?!

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ticklemee 2 hours ago (7:40 PM)

2 Fans

For real. And what is with all these pictures on the front page? And all that color? This isn't entertainment it is news! And important!

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tselby 5 hours ago (4:58 PM)

10 Fans

The only reason I play The Sims 3 is to make everyone gay and then wait to see if God will destroy the town with fire and brimstone.

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Norwegiano 5 hours ago (5:03 PM)

31 Fans

Does he/she? Is that a serious option?

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Cuthach 5 hours ago (5:11 PM)

7 Fans

No, but that would be totally awesome expansion.

Sims 3: Simdom and Gomorrah

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oceanofconsciousness 5 hours ago (5:06 PM)

172 Fans

And instead he destroys the country with teabagging bigoted Christians.

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darkwingnut 4 hours ago (5:34 PM)

4 Fans

teabagging Christians? who is the bigot here?

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hypnotoad72 4 hours ago (5:32 PM)

261 Fans

Actually, Sodom and Gomorrah were ruined due to greed, selfishness, and a disdain for their own citizens, but nobody's perfect. I suggest you look up the real causes.

http://jrf.org/showdt&rid=285&pid=4

http://www.thesegladtidings.com/Sodom.html

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FantasticFourFan 3 hours ago (6:29 PM)

59 Fans

So in right wing land, gay sex is bad but sending your daughter out to get gang raped is okay with God.

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Norwegiano 5 hours ago (4:58 PM)

31 Fans

I, for one, am glad to see more and more acceptance in the gaming world for more fluidity in both gender and sexuality. It is about time. I mean, how often can we really get to a cutscene where some scantily clad impossible gravity-defying woman coming on to the player, who is normally a testosterone-laden Mr. Atlas with guns and cool shades?

Hellllllooooo....there are plenty of gay gamers (gaymers) out here, and no...we are not all nerds or trolls, or socially-challenged misfits who were stood up for prom. Fortunately, gaming is becoming much more of a socially acceptable activity for people of all ages aned genders, thanks to the recent inclusive hardware development like the Wii.

The more and more interractive that games become, the more universal they will ultimately have to be, especially if they wish to continue growth in the market. The gay gaming market is woefully untapped...again...HELLLOOOO!!!

Ooodles of disposable income, developers!

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mbaty 3 hours ago (6:27 PM)

40 Fans

Exactly!
For instance, Kratos is a studly straight man, but Gaytos could be his altar ego, the God of Whore. More sexy, less killy. Just as scantily clad and muscular, but twice as nimble.

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voyage2k 2 hours ago (7:36 PM)

2 Fans

Apparently you're not as funny as you think you are.

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Norwegiano 5 hours ago (4:45 PM)

31 Fans

When is someone going to program a video game where the object is to "out" as many Republicans as possible? I'd play it.

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Cuthach 5 hours ago (5:12 PM)

7 Fans

This man is BRILLIANT

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mbaty 4 hours ago (6:15 PM)

40 Fans

An Investigative journalism espionage game!
First mission: find anti-gay protestors. Follow them to the prostitutes. Take pictures.
Second mission: liberate a gay-to-straight camping ground complex, transport young adults to gay pride parade.
Special appearance by Ru Paul.

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FantasticFourFan 3 hours ago (6:30 PM)

59 Fans

I have a feeling if we just wait long enough, the real thing will happen!

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dapoes 6 hours ago (4:07 PM)

12 Fans

More gay rubbish from Aerola Huffpoop

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i-am-mouse 5 hours ago (4:19 PM)

17 Fans

"Gay rubbish?" LOL, whatsamatter, you jealous? Me, I'm looking forward to MORE gay games.

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DevonTexas 5 hours ago (4:22 PM)

59 Fans

more rubbish from dapos! LOL

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Norwegiano 5 hours ago (4:59 PM)

31 Fans

I've got some gay rubbish for you...right....down...here. Dining in or out?

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billshut 3 hours ago (7:15 PM)

28 Fans

That's not rubbish, it's called junk.

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FantasticFourFan 3 hours ago (6:31 PM)

59 Fans

You do know this is a liberal site, don't you? Why are cons always surpirsed to hear about gays on liberal websites?

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Alexander Case 6 hours ago (3:51 PM)

1 Fans

I'm slightly disappointed that you didn't mention the gay subplot involving the gay pirate Bertram from the "Temple of Elemental Evil" RPG from Atari (developed by Troika).

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LintLass 6 hours ago (3:34 PM)

24 Fans

"However, players *are* allowed to marry their robot servants."

(actual LOL. Really. :) )

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