Overwatch Pro Suspended For Saying Gay Rival Would Enjoy Sucking A 'Fat ****'

[Azgraal]

If you're offended by this you would loathe to experience the golden days of CS 1.6...

[Charge me Doctor]

He isn't, technically.

As far as trash talking is concerned, though, people say all sorts of dumb stuff online. As a guy who is into other guys I would literally just laugh it off - though I wouldn't make a big deal about my sexuality in the first place. One of the reasons I actively avoid associating with the LGBT community, though, is due to how common witch hunts are. I'm willing to bet most of the people complaining about this have said stuff that is just as toxic themselves at some point. Heck, the first I heard about this was from someone on tumblr ranting and claiming that 'straight people are cancer'.

The punishment isn't unwarranted - but the self righteous crusades and over-exaggerations are really silly. The guy said something dumb, was punished accordingly and ended up apologising.

All that aside, though, I've yet to see a thread from the OP that doesn't involve trying to stir up outrage related to gay individuals. That's a bit strange.

i don't believe that his trashtalk "target" being gay has any relevance here, just imagine SC2 championship, Innovation loses to Flash, grabs mic and says that he can go and suck a dick to millions of people on live stream and public? Its just something that shouldn't happen at all at these sorts of events, they have contracts in place and this sort of behavior is not acceptable in competitive scene.

I just wonder where the fuck the competitive spirit go?

[Mirishka]

Ignorant people will say ignorant things.

[ro9ue]

Welp Overwatch League is off to a great start...

[Charge me Doctor]

As a gay person, I don't think that kind of toxicity goes away just by kicking someone out, and he wouldn't learn from it. Being suspended and fined is enough to get the point across that it's not acceptable and won't be tolerated. Harsher measures can be taken if there's a repeat occurrence.

But unfortunately, the only way to get that kind of behavior to change for good requires education on why it's not something that should be said out loud, and that's much more of a commitment.

It's not about teaching this player something, it's about protecting blizzards overwatch tournament. You know, they have rules, and it's very public event that is promoted in battle.net, kids are watching it (it's not some random 18+ stream on twitch at this point, players who are promoted by blizzard for these sort of events should understand now that they are akin to blizzard employees).

And talking shit to your opponents in competitive sports is just childish and overall bad. I have no sympathy for this guy

[Geschan]

i don't believe that his trashtalk "target" being gay has any relevance here, just imagine SC2 championship, Innovation loses to Flash, grabs mic and says that he can go and suck a dick to millions of people on live stream and public? Its just something that shouldn't happen at all at these sorts of events, they have contracts in place and this sort of behavior is not acceptable in competitive scene.

I just wonder where the fuck the competitive spirit go?

Since both players are from the US at least to my understanding it does play a role.
Thanks to hate crime laws the perception of anything "bad" (crimes, speech, etc) against the members of the LGBTQ community instantly gets "bad+", if even the notion of some form of hate is present. "To go suck a dick" most definitly has that. Thanks to that Blizzard and his team are forced to act swiftly and decisively otherwise they would be blasted by the tumbler/twitter crowd. Which would be a PR nightmare. And if they didn't do anything, it could even have legal consequences for his team and Blizzard. (Not a lawyer, so take my ramblings with a grain of salt)
Did xQc actually mean to attack Muma for being gay? Most likely not.
But in some deranged minds it could be perceived that way and that is the problem.

[Onikaroshi]

would he be suspended and/or fined if he said that to a straight guy?

if yes, fine.

if no , it's bullshit.

people say dumb shit when they're upset, it's human nature to find a "weakspot" in trashtalks, but that's kinda the point of trashtalks, isnt it? that they bear no weight really.

Nope, and it definitely wouldn't have made the news. What he said is quite common in the US and never really taken maliciously unless its like this... It's silly really, and people are more "offended" then the guy it was aimed at.

[Baltasar]

Its the gays fault why aids is spreading.

[Tharkkun]

It's quite hypocritical, the whole thing. xQc knew he shouldn't have said it as he said, he knows he did wrong, he accepted his punishment. HOWEVER, the fact is, and what makes it hypocritical is if he had said the same thing about a straight guy there would have been no punishment. The insult was going to end at "suck a fat cock" until you can LITERALLY see the remembrance come across his face that Muma is gay, the "but he would like it" comes across as stumbling realization.

Did he deserve the punishment? Sure, but its not the witch hunt that has followed.

In this time:

An owner threw a mild threat at him.
At least one other pro in OWL has told someone to "kill themselves"
Other "toxic" comments from OWL players.

Where are the punishments for this stuff? What about something coming down about Shanghai forcing their players to practice 15 hrs a day? OWL is turning into a joke and Blizz is letting it.

If a professional sports player said that in an interview or on their own twitter they would probably be suspended just the same. It's vulgar and if Blizzard doesn't want that kind of language coming from the mouths of people representing their league it's their choice to make.

What's said behind closed doors among friends is different then for the entire world to see. Especially now that they are in the public eye.

[Onikaroshi]

If a professional sports player said that in an interview or on their own twitter they would probably be suspended just the same. It's vulgar and if Blizzard doesn't want that kind of language coming from the mouths of people representing their league it's their choice to make.

What's said behind closed doors among friends is different then for the entire world to see. Especially now that they are in the public eye.

It's not really considered that vulgar, but whatever on that really. What about suspensions for these OWL players that are out telling people to KYS? Why is an owner getting involved?

The whole thing stinks of a witch hunt because xQc is an easy one to be that patsy.

[Morally Grey Storm]

And you can't insult gays because...?

[TriHard]

Kinda like Trihard, huh?

TriHard is an emote, not a term.

[Krigaren]

It's not about teaching this player something, it's about protecting blizzards overwatch tournament. You know, they have rules, and it's very public event that is promoted in battle.net, kids are watching it (it's not some random 18+ stream on twitch at this point, players who are promoted by blizzard for these sort of events should understand now that they are akin to blizzard employees).

And talking shit to your opponents in competitive sports is just childish and overall bad. I have no sympathy for this guy

I agree with most of what you're saying, and I have no sympathy for the guy either in terms of the punishment he's being handed. But I'm also not a huge fan of one mistake being what ends people's careers. Everyone's entitled to fuck up once and learn from it, and if he doesn't then he should be shown the door without remorse.

Besides, giving someone the opportunity to redeem themselves but still being a shithead for a second time makes for a better lesson to those kids who are watching, and helps with the optics of not placing the backlash on Blizzard for being "SJW and too PC" but rather on the person who was given a second chance but refused to change his ways.

- - - Updated - - -

And you can't insult gays because...?

It has nothing to do with insulting Muma because he's gay, and everything to do with utilizing Muma's sexual orientation as a derogatory slam in order to denigrate him.

It's the difference between insulting someone by calling them an asshole, and using racial idioms or ethic slurs against them.

[Gandrake]

You want my thoughts on the matter?



I like Overwatch but it's community is terrible.

[BananaHandsB]

Wanna play with the pros, gotta learn to act like a professional. You represent an organization when you play professionally for them, and they won't tolerate 1 bratty crybaby using homophobic slurs tarnishing their brand. That's just business. Grow up or get out.

[Sykol]

Wanna play with the pros, gotta learn to act like a professional. You represent an organization when you play professionally for them, and they won't tolerate 1 bratty crybaby using homophobic slurs tarnishing their brand. That's just business.

I'd think the crybaby would be the one that couldn't handle one off-color remark, but then again I shouldn't expect thick skin from this generation.

[-aiko-]

I'd think the crybaby would be the one that couldn't handle one off-color remark, but then again I shouldn't expect thick skin from this generation.

And who would that be? The article clearly stated that the other player brushed the comment off and didn't make a big deal out of it personally. This was the decision of the team.

[Morally Grey Storm]

It has nothing to do with insulting Muma because he's gay, and everything to do with utilizing Muma's sexual orientation as a derogatory slam in order to denigrate him.

It's the difference between insulting someone by calling them an asshole, and using racial idioms or ethic slurs against them.

Not excusing the insult, but insulting a gay should not be treated any different than insulting any other person.
Gays are normal persons and should be treated as such.
Muma apparently took it like a man, and xQc acted indignantly. There is that to it.

[Gandrake]

Wanna play with the pros, gotta learn to act like a professional. You represent an organization when you play professionally for them, and they won't tolerate 1 bratty crybaby using homophobic slurs tarnishing their brand.

you know what? why don't you go eat a pussy?

I mean, you would like that

oh shit plz ban gandrake for being heterophobic!! oh wait heterophobia isn't a thing

[Sykol]

And who would that be? The article clearly stated that the other player brushed the comment off and didn't make a big deal out of it personally. This was the decision of the team.

Then that would be the team, or anyone who made a big deal about it. If you were saying all gays should be killed, that's one thing, but making a joking insult about someone is an entirely other matter.