# Gamergate
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [September 5, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596 "2014-09-05T17:43:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 43
### Author:  [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/842 "2014-10-15T20:14:48Z")
> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> Sure. Too bad we had to wait until we could tie it to misogyny before we got a hundred articles and a billion Tweets about it. But by all means, I agree that addressing it is a worthy goal.
In Quinn’s case the igniting factor was a butthurt ex-boyfriend whining about her sexual partners. While the results are the same (assholes making threats) that’s quite a different cause than removing a multi-player feature from Spunkgargleweewee #5
Enough of this faux pseudo-intellectual neutrality already. I’m getting sick of it.
---
### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/843 "2014-10-15T20:15:57Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> …yeah, keep on whining you big baby.
You’re a credit to your cause. 😛
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### Author:  [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/844 "2014-10-15T20:17:26Z")
> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> You’re a credit to your cause. 😛
…and what cause do you stand for?
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### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/845 "2014-10-15T20:17:37Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#):
>
> Enough of this faux pseudo-intellectual neutrality already. I’m getting sick of it.
Oh look, another “You’re in our camp 100% or you’re a misogynist monster”.
I’m sorry you’re “sick” of people not posting lockstep. Maybe you’d have better luck in a Jezebel comment section?
---
### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/846 "2014-10-15T20:19:18Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> …and what cause do you stand for?
In this? None, really. I read it because I like playing games and so I tend to read stuff about games and associated topics. I mean, I’ll readily agree that death threats (or other harassment) are never called for but I wouldn’t consider that sort of obvious stance a “cause”.
I realize though that because I’m not just typing “Misogyny!! RRWARR!!” this means I’m really an “apologist” and there’s nothing I’m likely to say to convince you otherwise.
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### Author:  [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/847 "2014-10-15T20:21:18Z")
> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> Oh look, another “You’re in our camp 100% or you’re a misogynist monster”.
>
> I’m sorry you’re “sick” of people not posting lockstep. Maybe you’d have better luck in a Jezebel comment section?
…no, we are just tired of your fake “I’m not taking sides, but here are some more gamergate talking points!” So we are calling you out on your schtick. Just stop pretending already.
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/848 "2014-10-15T20:23:03Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> …yeah, keep on whining you big baby. If you really think that “the other side” is worth defending, stop being passive aggressive about it and just come out and defend them.
I will.
Your ilk is the same sort who paints all Muslims as terrorists.
Are there some creeps among gamers? OF COURSE there are! There are millions/billions of them!
Is issuing threats ok? No! OF COURSE NOT!
But can you paint “gamers” as a bunch of misogynists? OF COURSE NOT!
Stop being passive aggressive and tell us what you really think of “gamers”.
---
### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/849 "2014-10-15T20:26:52Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> But can you paint “gamers” as a bunch of misogynists? OF COURSE NOT!
>
> Stop being passive aggressive and tell us what you really think of “gamers”.
And there you expose your straw man perspective.
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### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/850 "2014-10-15T20:27:21Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> …no, we are just tired of your fake “I’m not taking sides, but here are some more gamergate talking points!” So we are calling you out on your schtick.
Seriously? Answering someone’s “Is this level of crazy new?” question by pointing out a lengthy history of threats against developers is a “Gamergate talking point”?
Well, okay then.
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### Author:  [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/851 "2014-10-15T20:27:55Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> I will.
>
> Your ilk is the same sort who paints all Muslims as terrorists.
…no we objectively are not.
> [@](#):
>
> Are there some creeps among gamers? OF COURSE there are! There are millions/billions of them!
>
> Is issuing threats ok? No! OF COURSE NOT!
>
> But can you paint “gamers” as a bunch of misogynists? OF COURSE NOT!
Lame gamergate talking points. I know who you are as a poster. You surely can do better than this.
> [@](#):
>
> Stop being passive aggressive and tell us what you really think of “gamers”.
Where exactly am I being passive aggressive? I’m actually being aggressive. Nothing passive about what I posted at all.
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/852 "2014-10-15T20:31:16Z")
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> And there you expose your straw man perspective.
???
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### Author:  [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/853 "2014-10-15T20:32:27Z")
> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> Oh look, another “You’re in our camp 100% or you’re a misogynist monster”.
> ?
Oh look, another person pretending to be neutral by heaping scorn on one side while handwaving the misdeeds of the other.
I don’t demand anything, but I do get sick of the pretend ‘I’m being the fair one’ nonsense.
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### Author:  [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/854 "2014-10-15T20:34:20Z")
> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> Seriously? Answering someone’s “Is this level of crazy new?” question by pointing out a lengthy history of threats against developers is a “Gamergate talking point”?
>
> Well, okay then.
…this level of crazy is new. Yes, there have been threats against developers in the past. But we are looking at a whole new level of crazy. You’ve had people who work in the industry in this very thread tell you how much things have escalated. Your cite showed how bad things were just a few years ago. They are much much worse right now.
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/855 "2014-10-15T20:38:59Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> Where exactly am I being passive aggressive? I’m actually being aggressive. Nothing passive about what I posted at all.
You are labeling gamers without actually putting yourself on the line. A lot of innuendo and hand waving.
I have staked my claim. To be clear:
1. Misogyny, the word itself, is misused and overused massively.
2. Gamers are too large a group to make any kind of blanket statement about.
3. Explicit threats to women as regards Gamergate/gamers is wholly blown out of proportion.
This does not, for me, excuse any bad actors and certainly there are some yet neither has the case been made for women being victimized in the large sense by the gaming community. The gamer community is not a monolithic hive mind that gets on the same page with this stuff.
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### Author:  [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/856 "2014-10-15T20:43:16Z")
I kept hearing about this “gamer gate” bullshit so I read up on it today. I am embarrassed for these basement-dwelling mouth breathers who actually are part of this. That’s all, carry on.
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### Author:  [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/857 "2014-10-15T20:47:13Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> You are labeling gamers without actually putting yourself on the line. A lot of innuendo and hand waving.
…where did I label gamers?
> [@](#):
>
> I have staked my claim. To be clear:
>
> 1. Misogyny, the word itself, is misused and overused massively.
Care to give some examples?
> [@](#):
>
> 1. Gamers are too large a group to make any kind of blanket statement about.
Many of the articles that talk about “gamers” give very specific definitions of what gamers they were talking about. Which ones do you disapprove of?
> [@](#):
>
> 1. Explicit threats to women as regards Gamergate/gamers is wholly blown out of proportion.
Where the fuck do you get this impression from?
> [@](#):
>
> This does not, for me, excuse any bad actors and certainly there are some yet neither has the case been made for women being victimized in the large sense by the gaming community. The gamer community is not a monolithic hive mind that gets on the same page with this stuff.
I’m part of the gaming community. So is Sarkeesian, Quinn and Wu. Of course we are not a freaking hive mind. You seem to be missing the point.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/858 "2014-10-15T21:06:54Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> But can you paint “gamers” as a bunch of misogynists? OF COURSE NOT!
>
> Stop being passive aggressive and tell us what you really think of “gamers”.
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> And there you expose your straw man perspective.
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> ???
You’re genuinely confused? Tell me, what do you mean when you say “gamers”?
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/859 "2014-10-15T21:30:16Z")
> [@Kimstu](#):
>
> I don’t know what Sarkeesian’s exact reasons were for the cancellation, but bear in mind that [the terrorist in question was openly threatening the audience and community as a whole:](http://www.standard.net/Police/2014/10/14/Utah-State-University-student-threatens-act-of-terror-if-feminist.html)
> This guy is clearly threatening a general attack on women on campus, not just Sarkeesian herself or attendees at her talk. If Sarkeesian did choose to give her talk with extra security precautions for the venue and some nutbag did carry out the threat of shooting up some less protected location, that would be a catastrophic tragedy and I’m sure that many people would hold her partly responsible for it.
Which is why I said to provide people with the information and give them a choice to not go. (If money is involved, offer refunds) And provide an online telecast so people who want to hear her speak still can, even if they choose not to attend. Do anything and everything besides actually canceling.
She can make herself safe, by broadcasting from a safe location, and she can give others an opportunity to choose how safe they want to be, giving them also a chance to watch from a safe location.
I mean, I hate even doing any of that, because it will give the trolls some satisfaction. But I understand the need to be better safe than sorry. But I also think she should do everything she can not to do what they demanded that she do.
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### Author:  [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/860 "2014-10-15T21:37:12Z")
> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> Sure. Too bad we had to wait until we could tie it to misogyny before we got a hundred articles and a billion Tweets about it. But by all means, I agree that addressing it is a worthy goal.
Seems to me like a lot of people don’t think it’s a worthy goal, because “it’s only the internet”.
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> I will.
>
> Your ilk is the same sort who paints all Muslims as terrorists.
>
> Are there some creeps among gamers? OF COURSE there are! There are millions/billions of them!
>
> Is issuing threats ok? No! OF COURSE NOT!
>
> But can you paint “gamers” as a bunch of misogynists? OF COURSE NOT!
>
> Stop being passive aggressive and tell us what you really think of “gamers”.
From my experience, there is a much higher % of creeps and misogynists amongst gamers, than terrorists amongst Muslims. It’s not some fringe issue.
I think a lot of female gamers put up with a lot of bullshit because we just want to play, and if we want to play, we have to accept the environment that exists. I have mixed feelings about people like Sarkeesian and Quinn, because if they just shut up, they wouldn’t get harassed as nearly as much as they do. But why should they have to keep quiet about sexism in games, why should any of us have to put up with it.
It’s true that women aren’t the only ones who get harrassed, and a lot of guys aren’t bothered by behaviour that women find objectionable. By that I mean guys call each other ‘dickhead’ and no one takes offense, but if someone called me a ‘bitch’ I would take it as an insult. Or guys poke fun at each other’s sex lives but if a guy did that to me, it would be offensive. I think that’s one of the reasons some men don’t want women in their games. They don’t know how to talk to them, or don’t want to have to make the effort.
(I don’t really know where I am going with this, so I’m just gonna stop here.)
---
### Author:  [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamergate/697596/861 "2014-10-15T21:46:25Z")
It’s a talk at a college, not a presidential visit. The security measures that would help may not be possible, and local law enforcement has clearly shown they aren’t interested in helping. This is a real person, and not a particularly public figure. It’s her right not to risk being shot by a looney. I’d do the same thing. She’s a YouTube commentator, not Gandhi.
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