GamerGate, Misogyny, and Why it's Relevant to General DUers

[TygrBright]

12. Actually, I haven't seen that many posts on the topic here at DU.

The topic is on my radar, naturally, and I do follow threads on WHM (I love David Futrelle!) and subscribe to FemFreq and various other blogs. But I haven't really seen that much discussion of it here.

I wouldn't expect to, though. This is a political forum, and while the topics here do range widely, misogyny in the gaming community isn't really on a mainstream radar yet. But it's getting there as people realize the size of the whole gaming community-- that is, all of us who regularly play and appreciate, not just the gamerbros who are whimpering about "losing THEIR" treehouse.

For the neo-Libertarians and borderline Libertarians, the issue of "free speech" has always been a stalking horse for that famous Bill of Rights amendment: "The Right To Be An Asshole."

What they don't get is that while yes, we as a community want to protect and encourage freedom of speech, we as a community also have to create and enforce cultural norms that allow the fullest possible participation of everyone in the economic, social, and political life of the nation.

What is more restrictive, diligently sanctioning (OUTSIDE the legal system) speech that degrades the community environment? Or, ultimately, having to implement ever-more-draconian legal restrictions of many types to deal with the environment of hate, privilege, bullying, exclusion, and othering that finally results from suppressing that sanctioning?

I know which one I'd pick.

firmly,
Bright