I'm just wondering if anyone has witnessed or been the recipient of homophobia on this site.

I just posted a comment in a forum in response to the all too frequent and in my opinion totally incorrect and offensive use of "gay."   

I personally haven't, though there  has been the odd bit of sexism.

itry not to takeit to heart personally. lotsof the english language is used badlyand out of context. people say what they wish it really has no effect on me if they are 6000km away and not being delibratly offencive. sexism yes, thats general in chess, unfortynatly due to the imballancen gender numbers. but its ok, because there are more females that play then intersex or trans, so you arnt the minority really :-)

There have been a few displays of homophobia on this site. One member posted a topic about being gay and seeking other homosexuals to play chess with. There were four or five replies that attacked him and accused him of using the site to pick up tricks.

After months after establishing this group without any attacks, the group suddenly received three messages. Two of which were outright homophobic, which I deleted. The third one was an I don't understand or approve it, but I will support your rights.

I agree with the others that it isn't pervasive on this site but it does occur. As for the language issues. English has a tendency to overuse certain words. Gay has become one of those words. Type the word gay in the search function on youtube and see the multiple ways the term gay is used. It is funny how the word gay meant happy then became a derogatory term used to refer to homosexuals. Then the homosexuals adopted as a positive term to describe our community. Now it is being used negatively to describe anyone you don't like or that their actions are strange.

Kev

 

Thanks for your comment, gayknight. 

Since I spend my working life with teenagers in an institution where any homophobic remarks, such as the derogatory use of "gay," are prohibited and must be addressed if they occur, you can understand my reaction (I was not surprised, just disheartened.) at finding it on this site, which I had assumed/hoped attracted a more enlightened and mature clientel than a public high school.

Oh well, I will just bury my head under my bishops and pawns (or maybe I should say queens ;) ) and carry on with the game. 

Hi all, my name is Richard,

     I hope you dont mind me posting in your group forum, but i wanted to let you guys know!!

        Until sunday i was a member of a group on chess.com that were a very friendly and in my opinion the best group  within the site, however within the group notes some banter occured which became increasinly homophobic, in reply to a lady stating it was sad that straight men feared gays, the following reply was written, "we dont fear gays, we just have no respect for them"

   I  quit the group there and then as i have total respect!! as did four other members!

      keep that freedom flag flying

           all my love

            Richie!!

Thanks, Richie.  We could use more people like you.

Thanks Richard,

It is difficult to see the juvenile behavior or intolerance that can even occur in a group that leans to the "mature and enlightened" to quote Prarie. I have a forum on my page that refers to the juvenile behavior, and I usually get replies that just prove my point which I delete as soon as I can. Thanks for supporting us.

I did see a remark in a forum directed at a gay man by an apparently straight man saying something about showing him how to be a real man.  That was obnoxious.  On the other hand, there's a forum in Chess Mistresses set aside for any topics--politics, religion, whatever--that are normally prohibited in most parts of the site.  There I posted a lement about California's Prop 8 (I live in Ca and recently married my long-time partner) and I got nothing but wonderful comments about how bad the proposition is and congratulating me on my marriage.  So it's mixed, just like society is right now.

Sharon

I happen to be straight, but am very supportive of gay rights.  I have many gay friends and have had a couple gay roommates prior to getting married.  Homophobia along with racism, anti-semitism, and censorship have long been issues of concern for me.  These are societal ills that I will speak out against in hopes that I can assist its continued diminishment in my lifetime.......  My tears of joy in seeing an African American with a nontraditional name to boot, being elected as president of the US, is something I never really expected to see in my lifetime......  Yet it was tempered by tears of sadness at the outcome of Prop 8.  It seems like just as we are about to clear a hurdle of bigotry, a hand of ignorance pulls us back..... However, I remain optimistic when I see normal gay lifestyle (not stereotypes) portrayed in modern mainstream lterature, stage and film....  I do think we are closer than ever to getting over this hurdle of homophobia.....  it is sad that all these negative issues are usually promoted by religous zealots, that so hypocritically take from a liturgy of love, a way to practice a lifestyle of hate....  It remains a source of great frustration to witness fragments of these views from the radical right fringe of the various religions continue to permeate the conciousness of all of its followers.   Its prevalence is made blatently obvious when even among its most liberal members, there remains conflict or ambivilance on what constitutes treating others unjustly under the guise of religous beliefs.  Prop 8 remains but another example of such....   Just know that there are many of us straight people on chess.com as well as offline, who are honored to march along side you in the pursuit of the rights and dignity deserved by us all.  

Thank you for your eloquent words of support. Your thoughts, and the fact that you take the time to share them, are truly appreciated.

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Hi.  I don't post often in forums, so I don't know whether there are a lot of homophobic remarks out there (though based on what I've read in this thread, and my general experience with online forums, I'm sure it is).  My personal experience is more with one-on-one chats during games, which I enjoy doing when playing chess against a stranger, especially ones from different countries.  I love to travel, enjoy foreign languages, and so I try to strike up a chat as often as I can.

I don't start off by telling my opponent that I am gay, but when there's a natural opening, I do share this openly (for example, when the other player asks if I am married or have kids, or mentions something about his/her family life).  I have to say that MOST of the time, the response is either positive or at least non-judgemental.  A few times the response is negative (once, the person even resigned, saying they would rather lose than "play a fag"!), and I have to confess that I take a lot of joy in winning those games!  Once, I was even able to continue the chat and persuade the opponent (who lived in a remote area of Siberia) that gays were not all like the stereotypes he had heard about (I don't know if one chess game can change somebody's lifelong opinions, but maybe it can at least start!).

So I think there is a big difference between individual conversations and the "group mentality" comments posted on public forums.

Good post, mwalter. I like your approach, and your attitude.