Killing Gay People Should Not be a Video Game

categories: International Gay Rights, LGBT and the Media, LGBT Tech News

Published July 17, 2009 @ 03:16PM PT

Hunter video game

Well, how's this for some Friday disturbia. A video game Web site in Georgia (the country, not the state) is hosting an online game where a hunter walks around a public park, trying to shoot and kill naked gay men who approach him. If the men get to the hunter before he can bloody their brains? He gets raped. Game over.

Nothing like a video game culture that reinforces disgusting stereotypes and plays on people's fears. And what's worse? According to Gay Armenia, one of the blogs that first broke the disturbing video game, the site is marketed to children and teenagers.

Wow. So children in Georgia (and really, anyone who can access the damn Internet) are seeing a hunter shoot gay people, or get anally raped if he fails to kill them. Actually, let me rephrase that...since this is a video game, anyone who wants can access the site, be the hunter, and shoot gay people.

Find this disgusting? Contact the site here and let them know this game, known in French as "Prend garde à tes fesses chasseur" should be taken down. The contact page is in French, but it's still worth registering a massive complaint. This type of "entertainment" should not be tolerated.

And speaking of, it's all the more important to address homophobia in the video game world. That's why it was so refreshing to see the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) host a panel last week with some of the leading virtual world creators in the world, addressing the role of homophobia in video games and online. As Justin Cole, one of the staff members at GLAAD who helped organize the panel, told Edge Publications:

After you bash someone online, when you walk out of the house it becomes a little bit easier to do that in real life.

That's exactly what this French game on a Georgian Web site does. It enables people to virtually act out violence toward LGBT people, and by default, enables them to commit just as serious acts of violence in the real world. The game should be removed from the Web site.

Share this Post

Comments (14)

Just sent an email to the company. There's no excuse for this. Good luck with this, and I hope they listen.

Posted by Romy Carver on 07/17/2009 @ 04:09PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Romy
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
This is absolutely intolerable! How dare you make a game out of this sort of thing? How would you like it, if the game was about shooting your children or family? Or hunting Georgians or Frenchmen? GBLT people are one of the great nations of the earth, not a toy or scapegoat for your amusement.

Listen, you neanderthal ninnies! Take this down and apologize before someone, of a like mind, decides to start hunting you....

Jaix Brooks

Prime Minister/Gay and Lesbian Commonwealth

Posted by jaix brooks on 07/17/2009 @ 05:57PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by jaix
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
It's unfortunate that there exists an online video game where the objective of that game is to further the player's quest for violence against LGBT people. The intolerance in that video game is unjustified, thus is worthless and should definitely be taken down. However, it's good that GLAAD held an event with the purpose of spreading tolerance towards the LGBT community in video games. The intolerant game is the worst of its kind when it comes to questionable video games.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 07/17/2009 @ 06:02PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 2 people like this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Edwin
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
Registered my complaint. This is horrific.

Posted by Jennifer B. on 07/17/2009 @ 06:28PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Jennifer
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
And just the other night I was reading about a game that allows you to simulate rape. I sent the following complaint in French... best I could do (my French isn't that good):

Je me permet de vous écrire sur le sujet du jeu qui s'appelle "Prend garde à tes fesses chasseur". Je trouve ce jeu intolérable ; c'est complètement insultant and haineux envers les gens homosexuels. De plus, ce type de jeu promeut la violence physique contre des personnes qui sont en réalité non-violents. Je vous demande de le retirer immédiatement.

Posted by Luella - on 07/17/2009 @ 11:05PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Luella
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
Ignorance at it's finest. *sigh* What is wrong with people?!

Posted by Jewel Leggett on 07/18/2009 @ 12:08AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
people being people. LOL The individual is smart... sometimes... ok not very often... but people... well they're just fucking stupid. Don't believe me just attend a fish flopping evangelical sermon. Now there is entertainment and proof of human stupidity.

Posted by Chris Marshall on 07/18/2009 @ 07:34AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- 2 people like this comment. Like
Reply to thread
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Jewel
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
Sent.

"Sujet: jeu anti-gai

Message: Je suis dégoûté par votre jeu vidéo de la fusillade hommes gais. S'il vous plaît l'enlever de votre site."

Posted by Greg Goldgof on 07/18/2009 @ 08:37AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 2 people like this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Greg
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
I sent a message in French, too. (Heheh. My years of French in school serve me well. :) God. That's pretty much one of the worst things I've ever heard of. D=

Posted by Michelle Bak on 07/19/2009 @ 08:03PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Michelle
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
I have sent a report hope they remove and how disgusting I have never seen any sort of game like that before and I bet you wouldn't find a game called "Shoot the straight people" they wouldn't make games like that.

:(

Posted by Corey Keeling on 07/20/2009 @ 07:27PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 2 people like this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Corey
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
Alright, before you guys rip me apart, let me say I am in no way saying that this game is totally acceptable.

But look at the other games around it-- "Zombie Hooker Nightmare"..."Beach Catfight"..."Jobs vs Gates"

I don't think any of these games were meant to be taken seriously, and you could probably find something objectional or less-than-savory in most of them. But they seem to just be stupid little games. Most little flash games on the internet are wildly offensive to at least somebody. Anyone ever see or play the Jesus VS Muhhamad showdown game?

Just saying that you should look at the context and judge whether or not your outrage is an overreaction.

Now, if it was a major game publisher pushing this type of game, that would be something far more concerning.

Posted by Sid Grabosky on 07/22/2009 @ 02:52PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- Like
Mr. grabosky...

Since you feel that way about it then I would imagine that you wouldnt have any problems with a game about bashing bible thumpers with their own bibles...Right ?

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/17/2009 @ 11:08AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Like
Reply to thread
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Sid
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
The game is about ten years old, I played it in high school. Terrible game, overall, even if you ignore the content. I don't endore homophobia at all, and if you want to protest this, by all means, do so. I think that this flash game is simply not worth giving attention to. It's something that is designed to appeal to juveniles... I think there are better battles out there to fight than some no-name flash game publisher.

Posted by William Rose on 07/23/2009 @ 08:02AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- Like
If the game is 10 years old and no good then why is it still around mr. rose ?

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/17/2009 @ 11:09AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Like
Reply to thread
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by William
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply

Add a Comment

For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

Comment

Check Spelling

Email me when there are new posts to this thread
Comment Policy

Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the ideas covered in the posts. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; that contain ad hominem attacks; or that are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion.

Author

Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.