Microsoft Bans More "Gay" Names from XBox Live

In last Friday's tech column, I noted that Microsoft had banned a gamer from Xbox Live for using the gamer handle "theGAYERgamer", apparently because it has the word "gay" in it.

Today, Kotaku reports that the homosexual 'cleansing' continues. They've also banned "RichardGaywood", an Xbox Live player from the UK, who is actually using his real name.

Microsoft explained the ban on "theGAYERgamer" last week: "We recieved a complaint on the Gamertag and determined that it did indeed contain sexual innuendo. Now granted, there could be an argument that the text is not pejorative to homosexuality and should therefore be allowed. But there is no context to explain that. Gamertags are visible to everyone and it would be hard for me to defend to a parent of a young child who saw it that the name did not contain content of a sexual nature."

(via good as you)

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Does Gaming Turn You On? [tr]

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Ric Weiland, former Microsoft Employee, Leaves $65M LGBT Gift

The Seattle Times reported over the weekend on the $160 million bequest of early Microsoft employee Ric Weiland, who took his own life in June 2006 after suffering from depression. The Pride Foundation in Seattle, to which Weiland left $19, was directed to distribute another $46 million among various LGBT organizations:

"It has taken more than a year to sort out his estate, and the full scope of Weiland's giving is now starting to emerge. The first disbursements began last summer and will be completed sometime this year. For the Pride Foundation, which has an annual budget of $2.5 million and endowment of $3 million, Weiland's gift of more than $19 million will significantly expand its efforts throughout the Northwest. The money will support anti-discrimination campaigns and programs to help youths, develop future leaders and provide scholarships. 'It's a gigantic investment in our equal-rights movement,' said Zan McColloch-Lussier, the Pride Foundation's director of communications. 'It will be here long after our kids' kids are gone.' Weiland gave another $46 million to the Pride Foundation to distribute to 10 national organizations over eight years."

The full list of those benefiting from Weiland's estate, AFTER THE JUMP...

Receipients of Ric Weiland's Bequest

amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research
Children’s Hospital
Environmental Defense
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
In The Life
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)
Lakeside School
Lambda Legal
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF)
Nature Conservancy (WA State and National)
National Wildlife Federation
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
Pride Foundation
Project Inform
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
Sierra Club
Stanford University
United Way King County

Seattle man who helped launch Microsoft left $65M for gay rights [seattle times]

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News: Mr. Blackwell, Iran, Jesse Metcalfe, Wii, Dykes on Bikes

Iran claims video of aggressive action toward American ships is U.S. fabrication: "The US has released grainy footage, apparently showing small boats speeding near the American warships. In an audio recording, an Iranian radio operator appears to say 'I am coming at you; you will explode'. The Iranian parliamentary speaker has dismissed the affair as being part of a US propaganda campaign against Tehran."

NSA report confirms Vietnam "Gulf of Tonkin" episode never happened. (via americablog)

Mr. Blackwell releases annual worst-dressed list. The winner? "Forget the fashion spice - wearing a skirt would suffice! In one skinny-mini monstrosity after another, pouty posh can really wreck-em." See who else made it.

Out writer Josh Kilmer-Purcell starts "Phags for Phelps" site after striking up email correspondence with Shirley Phelps-Roper: "I've long believed that the more chances America gets to see blatantly ugly homophobia in action, the better it is for the GLBT community. To quote Supreme Court Justice Brandeis: 'Sunshine is the best disinfectant.' Half humorously, half seriously, (as in everything I do) I suggested in my recent OUT column that gays and lesbians start a 'Phags 4 Phelps Dephense Phund.' Fred Phelps, if you don't know who he is, is the patriarch of a one-family-band of hate called the 'Westboro Baptist Church.'..I honestly think that the more America sees this ugly hatred, the more they shy away from it. So I suggested starting the "Phags 4 Phelps Dephense Phund" to keep them away from bankruptcy and out on the streets where they belong."

Parkinson's Disease linked to exposure to common solvent.

Madonna, Guy tour the slums of Mumbai.

Youths arrested for alleged anti-gay attack on December 5 on the Washington Metro say they targeted victim because he was drunk, not because of his sexuality.

Queen Elizabeth loves Wii bowling: "A Palace source told The People: 'When she saw William playing a game after lunch at Sandringham she thought the Nintendo looked tremendous fun and begged to join in. She played a simple ten-pin bowling game and by all accounts was a natural. It was hilarious. William was in fits of laughter. He was enormously impressed at having such a cool gran. And although she is 81 the Queen's hand-eye co-ordination was as good as somebody half her age.'"

Jesse Metcalfe's Hollywood hair-cut.

Anti-gay Pastor Ken Hutcherson has reportedly initiated the Microsoft stock-buying scheme I posted about in November: "It's unclear what effect, if any, the initiative could have on the stock price. It would be difficult to influence company direction -- just to gain a 1 percent stake in Microsoft, about 31 million people would each have to spend $104 to buy three shares. Microsoft has about 9.36 billion outstanding shares, and its largest holder is Chairman Bill Gates, with 858 million shares, or 9 percent of the total. Capital Research and Management Co. follows with nearly 557 million shares, or 6 percent."

Scientists float new global warming weapon: super-hairy soya plants.

Court rules that "Dykes on Bikes" can keep their name.

Genre takes on the cheekbones of Michael Lucas: "I am very proud that Genre chose me to be on their cover, as national consumer magazines—even if they are gay—tend to shy away from putting members of the adult community front and center."

Wonkette has a chat with former Gawker editor Choire Sicha about the New Hampshire primaries and which Romneys might be worth molesting: "Josh. Josh is the hottest thing since bacon was invented."

Kentucky gay rights groups thumb noses at one another: "The general advisory council of the Kentucky Equality Federation has approved a resolution not to be aligned with the Kentucky Fairness Alliance. Jordan Palmer, president of the federation, released a copy of his group's resolution noting the break. It said the group 'has received many reports from federation management and affiliated organizations about difficulties in working with current leadership of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance and particularly its chief spokeswoman, Christina Gilgor.' It added, 'It is obvious that the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, through its current executive director, is alienating many members of the Kentucky Equality Federation and its affiliated organizations and thus becoming less of an effective force in lobbying and working for improvement of gay rights in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.'"

Simon Cowell sheds some of his moobs.

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Pastor Ken Hutcherson Back for Another Round with Microsoft?

You may remember back in 2005 when Microsoft quietly withdrew its support of Washington state anti-discrimination HB 1515, and was accused of doing so because of pressure from right-wing religious leader Reverend Ken Hutcherson.

Seattle paper The Stranger explained the bill at the time: "House Bill 1515 would protect gays and lesbians from discrimination in employment, housing, banking, insurance, and other matters by adding sexual orientation to a state law which already bars discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, and mental or physical handicap."

The controversy prompted both a letter from CEO Steve Ballmer, which Towleroad first published, in which Ballmer denied any pressure from Hutcherson in its withdrawal of support for the bill. Said Ballmer at the time: "There have been several news stories that imply that Microsoft changed its position on an anti-discrimination bill, HB 1515, because of pressure from a conservative religious group. I want to make it clear that that is not the case."

The memo prompted a letter from gay and lesbian employees at Microsoft demanding reinstatement of support and an investigation into the company's dealings with Hutcherson. Hutcherson offered details of the meeting that clearly implicated the corporation, but in the end Hutcherson never got his way.

You may also remember Hutcherson from recent claims that he made trips to Latvia as a "special envoy" of the U.S. State Department where he met with anti-gay leaders. He said the trips were sanctioned by the White House and that he had a letter proving it. Hutcherson did make the trips, but as far as I know never produced evidence of the U.S. government's letter.

Now, he appears to be back for another round, threatening executives at a shareholders meeting last week that he would be their "worst nightmare" if the company continues to support gay rights.

Hutcherson claims Microsoft is the first corporate target "in an escalation of the culture wars between evangelicals and corporate America" and is asking "millions of evangelical activists, as well as Orthodox Jewish and other allies, to buy up Microsoft shares and demand a return to traditional values."

Said Hutcherson to the UK's Telegraph: "There are 256 Fortune 500 companies alone pouring millions upon millions of dollars into pushing the homosexual agenda. I consider myself a warrior for Christ. Microsoft don't scare me. I got God with me. I told them that you need to work with me or we will put a firestorm on you like you have never seen in you life because I am your worst nightmare. I am a black man with a righteous cause with a whole host of powerful white people behind me...Microsoft stepped out of their four walls into my world so that gives me the right to step out of my world into their world. They tried to turn their policy into state policy, making their policy something I had to submit to. And my playbook [the bible] tells me you don't submit to sin...I don't care how big Microsoft is. They are nothing but a feather in the wind of God. America basically got started with a tea party and Goliath, if I'm not mistaken, got taken down by David, who believed in the same cause I believe in. I'm going to go after the new Goliath with one little rock called a share and I'm going to make them tremble before we get through."

Microsoft's general counsel Brad Smith reportedly told shareholders "it was up to [them] to continue their longstanding support of Microsoft's diversity policy, which includes an internal 'affinity employee group' called the Gay and Lesbian Employees At Microsoft (GLEAM)."

Hutcherson's past controversies have not proven that he has much power, but have shown that he can at least raise a big stink.

Pastor to take on Microsoft over gay rights [telegraph uk]
Notes from MSFT's annual shareholders meeting [seattle post-intelligencer]

Previously
Microsoft Secretly Withdraws Endorsement of Gay Rights Bill [tr]
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