Explicitly name transphobic and homophobic behaviour as unacceptable

[Gus the Crocodile]

I'd like to suggest Valve update the Rules & Guidelines page to be more explicit about declaring such behaviour against the rules, alongside racism. Transphobic comments, especially, are far too common in this community.

Actually using the words is an improvement over just leaving everything to to the vague 'and discrimination' catch-all clause. It makes a positive statement about Valve's values (assuming Valve does actually believe their community should be safe for LGBT folk?). It sends a message to forum users who may think that things not named are not against the rules, or worse, that the refusal to name certain things represents unspoken dog-whistle tolerance of them. And it gives Valve a standard to hold themselves accountable to, shrinking that wiggle-room from moderation decisions.

[B l u e b e r r y P o p t a r t]

The rules and guidelines are clear on what you can not do (the rest should be common sense) the problem is that hardly anyone reads them but they still have to be followed so report them and move on.

[Count_Dandyman]

There is no need to specifically name any group or type of discrimination when the rules clearly state they apply to all of them.

[The End]

The rules are fine as is, people just need to read and understand them, see that is the real problem.

[Radene]

Report and move on - moderators WILL act on transphobic/homophobic comments, since they fall well within the "Don't be a rude ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ rule" without it being explicitly spelled out.

I mean, I would not be against specifying it in another line, but the rule, at least implicitly, already exists and is enforced.

[🜂∴🜏 Cassie]

Insulting other users is already prohibited by the discussions rules.

And users can get warned or banned for disrespectful posts.

Valve does not need to virtue signal just to win brownie points with a political movement.

[Gus the Crocodile]

Originally posted by Sylfr:

Insulting other users is already prohibited by the discussions rules.

The posts in question need not be 'insulting other users'. Cultivating harmful attitudes about people beyond Steam is bad too.

Originally posted by Sylfr:

And users can get warned or banned for disrespectful posts.

Can, yes, if a moderator decides said behaviour qualifies as being against the rules. I would like to remove that doubt.

Originally posted by Sylfr:

Valve does not need to virtue signal just to win brownie points with a political movement.

I guess that's a good thing none of my reasons involved "this would get Valve brownie points" then.

[Cathulhu]

Do not do any of the following:

Flame or insult other members

Do not post any content on Steam containing the following:

Threats of violence or harassment, even as a joke
Racism, discrimination
Abusive language, including swearing

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=4045-USHJ-3810

So, it's already clearly covered by those rather simple rules. I don't see why you want to add something redundant.

[🜂∴🜏 Cassie]

Originally posted by Gus the Crocodile:

Originally posted by Sylfr:

Valve does not need to virtue signal just to win brownie points with a political movement.

I guess that's a good thing none of my reasons involved "this would get Valve brownie points" then.

Originally posted by Gus the Crocodile:

It makes a positive statement about Valve's values

Perhaps you should reread your original post, then.

[Crazy Tiger]

So you want to name LGBT explicitly. Are other forms of discrimination suddenly less hip/popular, that they shouldn't be named?

[Gus the Crocodile]

Originally posted by Sylfr:

Perhaps you should reread your original post, then.

Yes, the post where I said nothing about brownie points? I've read it, thanks.

As it happens, I mean positive more like "proactive" there than simply "good". Stating that transphobic posts are against the rules has merit in exactly the same way that stating that racist posts are against the rules does.

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:

So you want to name LGBT explicitly. Are other forms of discrimination suddenly less hip/popular, that they shouldn't be named?

I didn't say anything about other forms of discrimination.

[Crazy Tiger]

Originally posted by Gus the Crocodile:

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:

So you want to name LGBT explicitly. Are other forms of discrimination suddenly less hip/popular, that they shouldn't be named?

I didn't say anything about other forms of discrimination.

I know. Why should LGBT be named specifically and other forms of discrimination not?

[Chesmu]

Mentioning the group names in guidlines will make a comfortable state for people to abuse the reporting system, only because someone didin't feel the way you do or think the way you did. For example, if someone doesn't like the groups you mentioned, and says that they doesn't like it whithout any insults, (it's just their opinion) then people would label that user's opinion as a phobia and rule breaking.

By this request you are simply trying to enforce some ideas and groups to be liked by people. You can't enforce specific feelings or ideas to become favorites or off limits of people. Simply respect others opinions and the way they are, and don't try to enforce your opinions and the way you are. Problem solved!

[Gus the Crocodile]

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:

I know. Why should LGBT be named specifically and other forms of discrimination not?

I have no idea, I have made no such suggestion. In fact I specifically referenced another form of discrimination that is already named - I certainly didn't recommend removing it.

Originally posted by 🐉 Chesmu ☠:

By this request you are simply trying to enforce some ideas and groups to be liked by people.

I'm not asking anyone to like anything, I'm asking them to rein in harmful behaviour. The same way the rule against racism isn't asking Steam users to like everyone else in the world, just to not make racist posts. It's not a difficult request.

[Chesmu]

Originally posted by Gus the Crocodile:

I'm not asking anyone to like anything, I'm asking them to rein in harmful behaviour. The same way the rule against racism isn't asking Steam users to like everyone else in the world, just to not make racist posts. It's not a difficult request.

Racism is something known because of limited race varieties; phobia, in other hand is so wide that can apply to almost anything. If I say I don't like blue color in my pants, it can be labeled as bluephobia!

That is why it's difficult to write such unexplained term about also another complex subjects (Trans/ ♥♥♥♥) together, in a guideline. It doesn't clarify itself and therefore users will be presurred whenever talking about such objects, since they can be easily labeled as ♥♥♥♥/transphobic.

[Chesmu]

That is why Steam already mentioned not to "Insult" others. That will do the job. If someone doesn't like something or has different opinion or feeling, they are welcome to, as long as they don't insult/ fight you. If they did, report them.