Now that FF16 will feature LGBT+ characters, can we get some rep in FF14 too?

[JohncarterIx]

what you do in your place is your bussiness i dont want to know about it i come to play a game drama free

[Starshower]

This is Ryne and Gaia erasure

[SXTC]

https://twitter.com/RinoTheBouncer/s...49883418689536

#FinalFantasy XVI Updates

- Features LGBT+ characters
- The game is localized in Arabic
- May affect its release in the region
- Square Enix won’t censor LGBT+ content in the Middle East or any region

So will FF14 also see LGBT+ characters in the next expansion? There's no excuse left for not having any major LGBT+ characters in the MSQ now that Square Enix has signaled it's willing to not censor any content in the Middle East.

What do you mean with LGBT+ characters? The ability to wear female gear as male?

Otherwise that phrase confuses the hell out of me since games aren't meant to aim for sexual orientation at all. Games should always be neutral and politics free so they don't make anyone feel uncomfortable or annoyed.

I know many people who are fed up with politics being in their face 24/7 so its a potential game killer if you add too much of that into a game.

[Aword3213]

What do you mean with LGBT+ characters? The ability to wear female gear as male?

Otherwise that phrase confuses the hell out of me since games aren't meant to aim for sexual orientation at all. Games should always be neutral and politics free so they don't make anyone feel uncomfortable or annoyed.

I know many people who are fed up with politics being in their face 24/7 so its a potential game killer if you add too much of that into a game.

I'm okay with a good and meaningful character who happens to be LGBT.

I'm not okay with a character who serves no purpose in story screaming I'm LGBT.

[Kazhar]

I'm okay with a good and meaningful character who happens to be LGBT.

I'm not okay with a character who serves no purpose in story screaming I'm LGBT.

Honest question, why do you care? (Not you in particular, but this is a very common sentiment in those threads) Who does it hurt if when you create very obvious token characters? I'd argue it's still better than no representation at all. Better than scaring big companies of even trying because it's never good enough.
Is there be a good kind of LGBT+ character and a wrong kind? People who are very openly LGBT+ exist in real life, why should they be excluded?

The risk with having ONLY "characters who happen to be LGBT+" is that it could result in a straight-coded cast in all but name. Fred is still basically your average guy but there's a tiny bio who says he's actually gay (and the audience clapped! Great representation! So progressive). This isn't how it works. Like it or not, LGBT+ people lead different lifes (usually not as much kid focused as straight people, having to deal with coming out etc..) and can have different interests and difference should be that celebrated, not erased. Even among the LGBT+ community there's an overly conformist sentiment of wanting to please and being seen as "normal' by those outside and I kinda take issue with it.

But it's probably too much of a hot take for a video game forum.

[Anvaire]

I think representation is good, them being LGBT wouldn't need to be a big thing, just a reference so i don't understand why people are opposed to it. Its just representation.
But i do get the concern that it would be a tick box exercize. The thing is, representation done right isnt a massive lazer focus on it, but rather a mention in passing. it doesnt need to be a big thing for the represntation to be present, but it does need to be done in a right way.
There already is some reference and rep in the game, Im pretty sure theres a gay couple in ARR who were involved in the wander's palace questline and a handful of opaque references to individual preferance.
Ultimately if there were to be any, it need to be done right. Which i think SQEX would do.


As for "Why does it need to be a thing?"

Representation is important because it shows that people who are not Heterosexual / white do exist and are valid.
Good representation within a narritive will enhance the narritive. But the biggest gain is for young LGBT people. For them the representation matters because it lends to idea that "they" are normal. That they are valid and that they have a place.
Young LGBT people struggle a lot with "fitting" in and being themselves. Represenaaion can go a long way to help with this. IF and only IF it is done right. And seeing it in the fandoms they like, the worlds they enjoy, gives it impact. It never needs to be front and center, but inclusion of characters that are LGBT, have disabilities or are from a minority group dos have impact. But again, it has to be done right, and can't be a tickbox exercize.

An example of it done right is Thancred and Y'shtola. Both have in world disabilities that are actively mentioned but do not form a massive focus - y'shtolas Bindness vs Thancreds inability to manipulate aether. There is an argument to be made that Y'shtolas way of seeing means she isnt quite blind representation - but i think its serves the same function as a blind person using Braille, a stick or a guide dog. Ultimtely, its a confirmed disabiity that has support mechisims to mitigate and shows that y'shtola and Thancred both provide a massive contribution, the disability isnt sidelined, but nor is it who they are. Yoshtola isnt the "blind Scion" she is the scion who happens to blind.

[Axxion]

lol these thread tags

[Aword3213]

The risk with having ONLY "characters who happen to be LGBT+" is that it could result in a straight-coded cast in all but name. Fred is still basically your average guy but there's a tiny bio who says he's actually gay (and the audience clapped! Great representation! So progressive). This isn't how it works. Like it or not, LGBT+ people lead different lifes (usually not as much kid focused as straight people, having to deal with coming out etc..) and can have different interests and difference should be that celebrated, not erased. Even among the LGBT+ community there's an overly conformist sentiment of wanting to please and being seen as "normal' by those outside and I kinda take issue with it.

But it's probably too much of a hot take for a video game forum.

The majority of charaters in game don't have any indication of them being straight.

Stop assuming their gender and sexuality. It's bigotry, hateful, discriminatory, and very offensive.

[Kazhar]

The majority of charaters in game don't have any indication of them being straight.

Stop assuming their gender and sexuality. It's bigotry, hateful, discriminatory, and very offensive.

Great job assuming a point I never made and immediatly resorting to the most tired of strawmen. You probably didn't read a single line I wrote.

I put into question the common wisdom that "being LGBT shouldn't be their entire characters" and you went full defense mode "omg he must think people are bigots something something -oh wait I have a great joke DID YOU ASSUME GENDER". I never once even implied bigotry.

What a waste of time that was to even try to actually discuss things in good faith here.

[Aword3213]

Great job assuming a point I never made and immediatly resorting to the most tired of strawmen.

You don't live the life in game charaters live. You don't know they're LGBT or not, but you assumed they aren't. That's people why ask for represention. They are first to be discriminatory by assuming every charater is straight therefore no LGBT representation. Hence the bigotry.

To celebrate LGBT, one must start by not assuming anyone's gender and sexuality.