Timeline of LGBT Issues In Videogames
I know it's not officially Gay Pride month (which is June, just FYI), but that doesn't mean that we can't start getting into the spirit of things in May, especially with the wide rainbow array of flowers blooming this month. Apparently the folks over at MadAtoms felt the same way, since artist David Hwang and writer Ben Siemon decided to make a nifty little timeline for us, shown above, about gay issues in videogames since the dawn of Pong. You can click on the image for a larger and more readable view of the timeline.
I have to admit, while it definitely is not a definitive list, they definitely touch on a number of the more key issues that we have seen pop up in videogames for the past few decades. Birdo being transgender has always been a favorite one of mine, even if the US arm of Nintendo has tried to sweep it under the rug in the past. The Sims also probably get a few more panels than it needs, since it did take three major iterations of the game to finally get marriage as an option, but then again maybe the game is just an excellent reflection on the actual long and drawn out process of getting similar rights in the US.
Overall, I'm happy to see the progress we have made in the gaming world, and we'd like to think that this site and you reader's are helping in that evolution. So take some time to bask in the knowledge of your gay gaming roots, and celebrate the victories that we have made this far, and with those positive feelings, go out into this ever-changing world and do your part to make sure that all gamers have a better and more equal tomorrow.
A History Of Gay Rights In Video Games [MadAtoms]
PixelPoet
Posted to Hot Stuff, Miscellany, Video Games on 11 May 2010
· Comments (12)
Other stuff like this: birdo, fable, gay pride, gay rights, lgbt, madatom, sims, timeline, videogames
The timeline forgets to mention that same-sex Sims couples could not "Play in Bed" in The Sims, and weren't given the option to "WooHoo" until The Sims 2.
I vaguely recall a gay character/incident (?) in Final Fantasy... 3? I can't remember.
And while I'm at it, what about Proudmoore staging the first Gay Pride parade online?
Um Zacqary, I distinctly remember my gay sims having sex in the first Sims game.
Oh and DeadRobot, there was a woman dressed as a male pirate in I think the fourth FF. Maybe that's what you're thinking about.
Now Bahamut Lagoon (translated roms available), that had an actual gay character.
And Persona 2 IS (recently had a fanmade translation made available) had a potential canon gay relationship.
I guess this is the American only timeline of LGBT issues in games.
Well, to be fair, it's a timeline of LGBT issues, not just LGBT appearances or characters in games. "Issues" seeming to mean either political issues or the the game involved some form of controversy.
The Proudmore parade could probably be included, though technically that was a community organized event and not something that was programmed into the game, so I can understand why it wouldn't be.
The main things missing from the timeline that I noticed are no mention of Poison from Final Fight and the absence of Birdo's appearance in Captain Rainbow.
Actually, the female pirate dressed as a man was Faris in Final Fantasy V.
There was also Flea from Chrono Trigger, who was male dressed as a woman, even in the US version.
you forgot to mention the gay pirate in the Temple of Elemental Evil D&D PC game. You could marry and live happily ever after.
In Jade Empire, you could not only have F/F romance (PC/Silk Fox), but you could have M/M romance (PC/Sky) and a threesome. That was rather progressive for the day it came out in.
Hahaha! Men playing with each others' joysticks! Ow, my sides! I've never heard such a clever... wait a sec. PONG didn't use joysticks. And that's one of those Jakks TV thingies from about a decade ago.
What a shame. That joke about joysticks would have been super funny otherwise.
Pong was also far from the first video game ever made, but oh well.
Shame it didn't mention Fable II, with the option to be a male or female and have totally gay relationships (and one side-quest which incouraged you to help a farmer's gay son find a man).
why doesn't anyone remember cloud dressing as a girl in FFVII in the slums of midgar?!?!