Big budget games are usually not without controversy of some sort and Star Wars: The Old Republic is no exception. The Family Research Council (FRC), well known for their ultra-conservative viewpoints on content in games, movies, and television; have a new problem with the proposed same sex romances eventually making their way to TOR.
Hot man on Wookie action is as big a threat to the Republic as the Sith Empire according to the FRC
According to the small piece by the FRC, Tony Perkins implies that gay relationships represent the “dark side” and that the official forums consist of more than 300 pages of content – a lot of which are angry posts about the same gender romance options.
Now as much as the forums are filled with rage trolls, I do not see so many posts about same gender romance to facilitate “a lot” of 300. Furthermore, part of the quote seems to imply that these features are already in the game – which they are not. Finally, it has been made clear that when they are finally added, you will not be forcefully subjected to the content and that it will be your choice to engage in it.
Here is the transcript from the original recording should you deem it necessary to read:
“Rebel Fleet Surrenders to Gay Empire
In a new Star Wars game, the biggest threat to the empire may be homosexual activists! Hello, I’m Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. In a galaxy not so far far away, Star Wars gamers have already gone to the dark side. The new video game, Star Wars: The Old Republic, has added a special feature: gay relationships. Bioware, the company that developed the game, said it’s launching a same-sex romance component to satisfy some complaints. That surprised a lot of gamers, since Bioware had made it clear in 2009 that “gay” and “lesbian” don’t exist in the Star Wars universe. Since the announcement, homosexuals have been celebrating the news, but parents sure aren’t. On the game’s website, there are more than 300 pages of comments–a lot of them expressing anger that their kids will be exposed to this Star Warped way of thinking. You can join them by logging on and speaking up. It’s time to show companies who the Force is really with!”
You can view the original content here.
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I say we end this argument once and for all, by conducting an experiment.
Send all gay males onto a tropical Island. Give them an abundance of food, water and shelter. All the luxuries one could image! This Island must be isolated with no female contact. Do the same thing for the Women.
Leave the Islands and do not return for 150 years to see how the societies turned out.
Im willing to bet these Islands would be leading the worlds economys as well as forwarding the world in the arts and sciences. They both in 150 years would most likely be a place everyone whom did not live there would be envious. And if your trying to insinuate this would rid the world of gay/lesbians in 150 years, your sense of Biogolgy is as twisted as your sense of common human decency.
Ok. I’ll take the bait. You’re stupid, right? In 150 years they’ll all be dead because they can’t reproduce. A society of all men or all women cannot survive. Your logic is flawed.
Well technically they could discover immortality, but that’s a bit of a long shot.
LOL @ J.J.’s Mustache
Clearly my understanding of biology exceeds your delusional fantasies.
Conservatives are always going to hate something — years ago it was romance between members of different races and religions, now it’s between members of the same gender. You’d think that, in this game, they’d be more upset about romances between different species!
Ah yes, the privileged morons are trying to force their narrow minded prejudices on the rest of the planet again.
It’s a shame this stuff even gets printed, because publicity is something these idiots crave.
I’m confused as to which side you’re supporting.
idk if hes anti-gay or what…but i think its fairly obvious hes at least anti-FRC
He’s anti-FRC saying that they shouldn’t even post that article here I think.
What a massive douche. And it’s always the same, where misinformation lies so does idiocy.
Star Warped? I have news for Mr. Perkins, by conservative standards, Star Wars was “warped” from its very inception. Incest is perfectly fine to depict in Star Wars (see Luke & Leia, Episode IV) but homosexuality is taboo? Hmm. Interesting.
#1. The whole same sex ‘feedback’ on the forums is because the gamer population loves to watch 2 females going at it.
#2. The forum population largely wants this. I have seen very little negative forum feedback regarding the inclusion of same sex romance options.
#3. Obvious conservative douche is obviously a douche
I just checked my calendar – it says 2012.
Why is this still happening?
There is NO reason to NOT have same sex romance in game. If you don’t like it… THEN DON’T PICK THE SAME SEX OPTION!!! Its and OPTION, not a forced decision. I’ve seen threads about this on the Official Forums and all the people against it are just paranoid homophobes. I’m a straight male and couldn’t care less that there are options to pursue same sex romance. Bottom line, if you’re not into it then don’t choose gay/lesbian options.
But then that will mean all the closet homosexual conservatives will be at home on their computer and there won’t be any left in the airport bathrooms!
Firstly, out the gate, this Mr. Perkins has his fact incorrect. That’s generally a no no for someone trying to make a point.
Secondly, I myself am a Christian and I have huge issues with homosexual behavior as a number of specific references in the Bible point to it’s sinfulness. HOWEVER, man was given freewill and nothing exemplifies that more than the country in which BioWare is rooted: the United States. From that perspective, we have the freedom to choose things even which some may consider immoral. AND BioWare has made the romance options so that you CHOOSE to use the feature or not. The answer here is pretty simple. IF one chooses to not engage in romance, then they don’t have to see it. AND romance (other than a few innocent kisses) is really nothing more than off camera innuendo in this game anyway EVEN for those who choose to participate.
Mr. Perkins has got it all wrong, and I wrote to him on that website and told him that personally. Jesus taught to hate the SIN, but to love the SINNER. It’s sad that Christianity is plagued with people who don’t know the difference.
You’ll call me a heretic, but I have to point out that Bible was written by men, not by God. That said and for the record, I do believe in God.
This. Very nicely put.
You mean “this” as in Jamey I’m assuming? Rather than “this” as in Kabe totally killing the mood.
1. Bioware is a Canadian company.
2. I assume you also hate this game because people have super powers not from praying to your version of the almighty, but through their quasi-Buddhist Jedi religion.
3. There are no Christians in Star Wars.
4. If you don’t like it, don’t play the game. (Or just don’t play the same-sex scenes.)
Just sayin, there’s a reason the FRC is listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. I really wish people would stop giving a voice to bigotry.
You forgot to include the FRC Chair’s full title: he’s The Liar Tony Perkins. The Liar Tony Perkins should always be addressed as such because he makes his living lying about homosexuals in the media and through his organization. The Liar Tony Perkins is a contemptible human being, and Bioware should be proud that The Liar Tony Perkins has condemned their game.
Fan of Slacktivist?
Wow, I’m almost lost for words… I know this kind of thinking still exists, but to see it treated as serious comment is horrific.
Homophobia is as bad as racism in every way, and this kind of ranting should not be given exposure except for the purpose of ridiculing it.
Being a heterosexual male I don’t see why is this so much of a big deal. “Well, because maybe they only love each other to have sex and not produce children”. Really? Seriously? T’fk!
Are we somehow lacking of population and Heterosexual relationships? T’hell? Why can’t love exist like that as well, who does it hurt?
I don’t need to be part of it and it doesn’t hurt my life in any way. So I realy don’t see the big ‘issue’ here.
Good day:
While what one feels may not be a choice, the outcome of the feeling involves making choices.
Homosexuals have simply made their choice to follow their desires. The same is true for whenever anyone makes a choice to follow their desires.
Some of those choices yield good fruit, and other choices yield bad fruit. You reap what you sow.
My understanding is that SWTOR is meant to attract customers from the widest age ranges possible. SWTOR was purported to be friendly to the casual gamer.
The combined result of those two goals means a lot of parents and families will be playing the game.
Therefore, why do sexual themes have to play a part of the SWTOR let alone any MMO where children, parents, and others are involved who believe certain moral choices should be done in private?
Thank you.
Good Day Mr Abraham,
In case you have not noticed Star Wars: The Old republic is rated “T” for Teen due to “Blood and Gore, mild Language, SEXUAL themes and Violence” lots of the last one.
Children should not be playing this game.
You can play in this game as incredibly evil characters who do awful things to innocent people and be rewarded for your actions.. and you worry about the sexual content???
People need to get some perspective. And hey, keep your impressionable children away from this game.
Apparently none of these people have ever played the game or they would be screaming about the contents General chat instead of any ‘sexual’ content.
well said doodle.
Sexual themes are not a problem….
There’s so much violent content in this game which people actually could be offended by. I can’t believe that people can have a problem with, well, any of it…… it’s a game..?
What about the dark side options which often involve torture, murder – bordering genocide at times. That’s no problem for impressionable children? okay….(who shouldnt really be playing, at least not without parental supervision… )
Not to mention that the game is violent, most games are. It may contain content you do not approve of… if you’re not a fan of it then stay away by all means. Or hey… don’t choose to play that part of the game. It’s an active choice.
So much more to say, but i’ll spare you all.
Oh yeah, it’s a game… what’s the problem here?
T for Teens does not equal T for adults. How many teens, as a percentage of a whole, live completely on their own without support from their parents?
If you take the hole of all Star Wars movies and books published, where do you see homosexual activity?
If you take the same mass of published material, where do you see beyond innuendo scenes dealing with sexual intimacy? The closest that comes to it are books involving Jania Solo and Jagged Fel; and even there, leave enough out so that it is PG.
From my point of view, there’s no need to bring in homosexual choices into a game whose lore and history left such activities out.
To answer your second question:
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Goran_Beviin
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Medrit_Vasur
^Married Mandalorian couple.
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Juhani
Pretty sure there are a few more.
Good day:
Wiki articles by themselves cannot be trusted; therefore, please point to the books published on paper.
Thank you.
Tony is a TOOL……
And the best part is, God (or insert your prefered diety here) will judge us all at the end.
So Tony can continue to hate on ppl, in complete contridiction to his own teachings. Cause he will have fun trying to explain himself to the big man!
But I want to romance Khem!
You know, the idea of its keeping FRC-types far away from the game is just one more reason for BioWare to finish the update/content sooner rather than later.
Mebbe
This is just flippen sad. I really hope our next generation isn’t so full of this god damn hate i really do!
nature would find a way, it always does. look up parthenogenesis. its quite common in species where the males die off unexpectantly.