“Lesbian” in Blizzard’s Profanity Filter
I just learned that the word "lesbian" is in Blizzard's profanity filter on the World of Warcraft forums (in-game as well?). The code of conduct furthermore states that bypassing the filter (such as typing "L esbian" or "lesb1an") will result in a temporary ban from the forums, depending on severity.
So, why would this word be profane? It is a proper term, not vulgar. Blizzard Community Manager Tseric had this response:
The same reason any word might end up on a filter. It tends to be used pergoratively.
Please stop nit-picking and trying to call me out. I'm sick of locking posts.
If you want personal attention, request dialog with a GM.
I'm not sure what he's referring to there exactly, but "tends to be used perogatively" is not a very good reason. I looked up the word 'lesbian' at dictionary.com and it said to see the usage note for the word 'gay':
Usage Note: The word gay is now standard in its use to refer to people whose orientation is to the same sex, in large part because it is the term that most gay people prefer in referring to themselves. Gay is distinguished from homosexual primarily by the emphasis it places on the cultural and social aspects of homosexuality as opposed to sexual practice. Many writers reserve gay for males, but the word is also used to refer to both sexes; when the intended meaning is not clear in the context, the phrase gay and lesbian may be used. Gay is often considered objectionable when used as a noun to refer to particular individuals, as in There were two gays on the panel; here phrasing such as Two members of the panel were gay should be used instead. But there is no objection to the use of the noun in the plural to refer collectively either to gay men or to gay men and lesbians, so long as it is clear whether men alone or both men and women are being discussed.
I do not think Blizzard is intentionally shafting or mistreating lesbians, but I do think they a) are giving that appearance with decisions like this and b) are unintentionally shafting them. Putting the correct name of a group on a "profanity" filter sends the message (intended or not) that that group is a marginal, "less than" group. I ask Blizzard to reconsider this issue.
Thanks,
--Sirlin
December 15th, 2006 at 11:42 am
Who does the misuse of the word lesbian offend? Lesbians apparently.
Who does the censorship of the word offend? …Lesbians I would imagine.
December 15th, 2006 at 12:08 pm
The “trying to call me out” and following bits are probably referring to the incessant stream of posts on the forums of the form “, why is happening?” on pretty much every conceivable topic, if it’s anything like it was back when I played. Such posts are against the forum rules for some reason or another, so they’re generally locked.
This seems to be much the same thing as the whole gay-friendly guild recruitment issue that boiled up - a ban to attempt to curb the rampant derogatory use of the word, that ends up failing at the attempted purpose and just messes things up.
And the derogatory misuse of the word should be offensive (at some level) to pretty much everyone.
December 15th, 2006 at 9:26 pm
Hey Sirlin, call me a moron, but i didn’t find an email for contact, so I’m posting right here. I was listening to your interview on alpha.ism and sometime during that you’ve said something like: “hmm, are the 2 listeners of the radio still there?”
I just wanted to mention: I’m from Londrina, a city in Brazil and, well, I was listening.
December 15th, 2006 at 9:27 pm
By the way, if you want to check it out, we got a video on YouTube about a champioship that we’ve hosted this year and we’re planning to get it bigger and better, if the years and personal lives permitted it, this is the srk thread about it:
http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?p=3500107#post3500107
Thanks, I’m not Azis, I’m other organizer, gettin a reply would be great, thanks man, keep up the good work!
December 15th, 2006 at 11:05 pm
I think the word you guys were looking for is “pejoratively”.
December 16th, 2006 at 1:48 am
I play magic online, and lots of words are in the profanity filter on there. For a silly example, you can say “Hitler”, or “Fascism”, but not “Fascist”. Weirdness abound.
December 16th, 2006 at 7:34 pm
The word tampon is also filtered. This guy was “needing” on everything in sight and I asked if he “needed” on his gf’s panties/tampons/etc (to imply that he couldn’t actually use half the stuff), but tampons was filtered so my joke was TWICE as lame.
December 18th, 2006 at 9:32 am
love your articles, and i’m with you about this. I guess it’s unintentional, but anyway, it should be fixed by blizzard
December 20th, 2006 at 1:28 am
Can’t filters be optional?
December 20th, 2006 at 2:19 am
you guys should just start using the word “blizzard” as a swear word.
let’s see those blizzards ban THAT!
December 20th, 2006 at 2:46 pm
> you guys should just start using the word “blizzard” as a swear word.
> let’s see those blizzards ban THAT!
I don’t think they’d ban “blizzard” if you tried that; I think they’d just ban YOU. :D
December 24th, 2006 at 11:58 pm
Another term that is often filtered, but that is in reality the correct terminology for a group is the word JEW. Perhaps we should start filtering words like BLACK, WHITE, ASIAN, HISPANIC etc next.
December 26th, 2006 at 5:01 pm
I always find situations like this amusing. It just goes to show how impossible it is for such a massive group of players to be governed by one company. Pretty soon we are going to need a whole new branch of government to control the online economy and social system.
http://www.pointlesswasteoftime.com/games/wowworld.html
February 20th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
High! Pretty site you have here!
http://lesbianheaven.sbn.bz/ - the place where I live!
Thanks for your site! It’s realy great!
November 20th, 2007 at 6:31 am
If dyke isn’t filtered, that would be really funny. But I hate censorship in general, and i hope blizz gets whats coming to them.
November 26th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dike_%28construction%29 btw.
I don’t play drugs, so I’m not sure if there are any dykes in wow - I wouldn’t be surprised if there were.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:08 am
To Brog
“Dyke” Its a slang/derogatory term for a lesbian.
November 28th, 2007 at 10:33 am
I’m aware of this.
Not only is that not the primary meaning, the primary meaning is something that is very likely to come up in a game and really should not be censored.
“enemies spotted over by the !#$%!”
“the what?”
“the !@#&. dammit. the defensive dirt wall outside the vill.. oh forget it, they’ve breached the perimeter now anyway.”
November 30th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
I’m pretty sure “dike” is hardly used for anything other than a censor bypass for “dyke” and they can find words more in the vernacular.
“Wall,” maybe?
July 31st, 2008 at 8:54 pm
what i think is funny is that at the end ofthe article the author said “I do not think Blizzard is intentionally shafting or mistreating lesbians”.
haha. shafting lesbians.
this is why it’s in the filter.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:57 am
Lesbians can now legally get married in California. Is “lesbian” still considered “profanity” and a bannable offense on Blizzard forums and in-game?
August 1st, 2008 at 3:42 am
Isn’t their an option to turn off the profanity filter? And if there is a filter and the bad words are being covered, shouldn’t no one get offended? Thats blizz’s main problem. Even though bad words are filtered, your still punished for using them.
(P.S. Lesbian being considered profane is very shallow of them. Imo, the profanity filter shouldn’t exist.)
August 1st, 2008 at 3:47 am
Off topic Sirlin but, but why didn’t you go to MWC this year?