BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

[Shawn Zipay]

Get your /facepalm ready because this story certainly warrants one. A planned launch event and organized LAN celebrating the launch of Battlefield 3 by PowersGaming will not allow women to attend. You heard correctly, they are not allowing women to attend the event.

The FAQ for the event originally had the following statement:

"Nothing ruins a good LAN party like uncomfortable guests or lots of tension, both of which can result from mixing immature, misogynistic male-gamers with female counterparts. Though we’ve done our best to avoid these situations in years past, we’ve certainly had our share of problems. As a result, we no longer allow women to attend this event."

After the wording caught the attention of Reddit, the group released two additional statements to more gently state what they meant:

"This event is a 'gentlemen's retreat'; as such we do not allow women to attend."

This was quickly followed up with:

"We actively discourage gamers from being the kind of mysogynistic jackwagons seen in the Reddit post, and such behavior should not be tolerated. Frankly, we don't like that kind of player either. So far as this event goes, it is an special event designed specifically for male gamers. Further, it is meant as a getaway designed to help said male contingent become better men both for themselves and for those who love us."

It seems to me that the problem lies mainly with the event organizers and not entirely with the community. This is nothing more than an adult version of building a tree fort and hanging up a "No gurLs aLouD" sign on the door. Pathetic. Simply pathetic.

[jimykx]

hahahah, sausage party?!?!??

[CptainCrunch]

Re: BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

LOL, I think you're right Jimy.

PARTY AT LOCAL GAMESTOP!!! WOOOHOOO BYOBF3!!!!

Crunch

[K-16]

Re: BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

What an unexpected surprise, the forum thread has been deleted. Interesting how the confirmed players thread still links to it. I wonder how many women who didn't learn about the news earlier will attempt (and fail) to register to the event with the event information gone?

Sigh... Great, Battlefield 3 will be celebrated with a sausage fest like jimykx said.

[Lordsethonan]

Re: BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

I fail to see how this is "bad" for anybody.

My take on this: they had an incident involving misconduct by some male guy, provoked or not, drunk or not; by a female attendant; they are not going to openly state "some guy grabbed some gal boobies last event". Given how sue happy stuff is in the US, better safe than sorry.

Now personally, on top of that... The army is a big sausage party with phallic weapons shooting little penises into people regardless of gender; why is it wrong that some guys want a private event for themselves? Even throwing in gay jokes, if they want to jack off each other let them, it's their RIGHT to have a private event and it's better for everybody that they openly announce it as such, whatever flumsy reasons they give for it anyways.

I am against this making everything "gender equal"; inclusion is awesome, having a gaming girlfriend is more awesome, but SOME stuff has to be invitation only and sex reserved because quite frankly, I wouldn't want to be the doche that is ruining for everybody else with "hey guys can you please tone language down? Girl here".
SOME stuff has to be bro only, bros before hos and all that. SOME stuff. Like this one.

[Basil.]

Re: BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

sad in this day and time. I would go to a lan full of girls and be in my glory.

[Shawn Zipay]

Re: BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

I fail to see how this is "bad" for anybody.

My take on this: they had an incident involving misconduct by some male guy, provoked or not, drunk or not; by a female attendant; they are not going to openly state "some guy grabbed some gal boobies last event". Given how sue happy stuff is in the US, better safe than sorry.

Now personally, on top of that... The army is a big sausage party with phallic weapons shooting little penises into people regardless of gender; why is it wrong that some guys want a private event for themselves? Even throwing in gay jokes, if they want to jack off each other let them, it's their RIGHT to have a private event and it's better for everybody that they openly announce it as such, whatever flumsy reasons they give for it anyways.

I am against this making everything "gender equal"; inclusion is awesome, having a gaming girlfriend is more awesome, but SOME stuff has to be invitation only and sex reserved because quite frankly, I wouldn't want to be the doche that is ruining for everybody else with "hey guys can you please tone language down? Girl here".
SOME stuff has to be bro only, bros before hos and all that. SOME stuff. Like this one.

You might have had a point, if it weren't for the fact that the Army allows women in to the services and have allowed it since what, the late 1700's, and moreso lately in combative roles. You completely and totally negated any argument you might have had by drawing up that horrible and wrong comparison.

These guys are taking the shitty cop out response to any incident that might've taken place. Instead of having a zero tolerance for any kind of socially unacceptable behavior from the person or persons doing this stupid crap, they go this pathetic route.

[CptainCrunch]

Re: BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

I can understand having a private event and maybe thats the part I dont get; Is this event a private club thing? I dont mean "guys only" but is this like a community or clan doing this and they have had to tell their female members "no" or is this a "Every guy sign up and show up." event?

If its the first, then I understand and whatever. If its the second, its not private and your excluding.

Crunch

[jimykx]

Re: BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

I fail to see how this is "bad" for anybody.

My take on this: they had an incident involving misconduct by some male guy, provoked or not, drunk or not; by a female attendant; they are not going to openly state "some guy grabbed some gal boobies last event". Given how sue happy stuff is in the US, better safe than sorry.

Now personally, on top of that... The army is a big sausage party with phallic weapons shooting little penises into people regardless of gender; why is it wrong that some guys want a private event for themselves? Even throwing in gay jokes, if they want to jack off each other let them, it's their RIGHT to have a private event and it's better for everybody that they openly announce it as such, whatever flumsy reasons they give for it anyways.

I am against this making everything "gender equal"; inclusion is awesome, having a gaming girlfriend is more awesome, but SOME stuff has to be invitation only and sex reserved because quite frankly, I wouldn't want to be the doche that is ruining for everybody else with "hey guys can you please tone language down? Girl here".
SOME stuff has to be bro only, bros before hos and all that. SOME stuff. Like this one.

I'm sorry, but that's no bro party, that's a garden hose fest.

Ok, now jokes aside, i'm pretty sure that girls that go into a party of battlefield 3 have a very big probability to be hardcore gamers and i'm more than sure that hardcore gaming females are vaccinated against cursing and beeing harrassed over the internet, so if they sign up to such an event they probably know what they are getting into. If problems/issues happened in the past, then i'm 100% sure those where due to someone not beeing happy with something or someone, and their problem is with those specific people and not with girls in general, i do not believe that girls would go into those events to cause mess. Probably guys were even the ones starting the arguments... So if they have a problem, they have to remove/ban from the events the names of the people who cause mess.But, as crunch said, if they really are some sort of clan and are doing this thing private for male people, then i guess they have the right, but if it's something public, in my opinion to create these divisions and to have this mentality its total nonsence

[Anarchy1]

Re: BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

Good, women would be confused with the complexity of the game. They should stick to CoD.

[K-16]

Re: BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

Actually jimykx, I believe Lordsethonan is right to assume the implication was about sexual harassment cases in past events (as opposed to verbal abuse, where I doubt women are clueless to what a gaming environment consists of). What I don't understand is why there isn't enough security to prevent such cases, as other LAN events have. This is where Zips' point comes into play, and where we need to read between the lines.

Is this event a private club thing? I dont mean "guys only" but is this like a community or clan doing this and they have had to tell their female members "no" or is this a "Every guy sign up and show up." event?

I can see where you're confused. The website does make many strong implications that it runs on a very tight-knit community (the website is blog/forum based where all members are more or less acquainted with the staff, the seating arrangement is overly specific by name, etc.). However, the registration page doesn't seem to require any special membership to sign up (meaning I could sign up if I wanted to), and the website's advertising shows intent to compete against other (public) LAN events. It may actually be leaning more towards the former (community/clan), but it doesn't seem to imply the women barred from participating are from PowersGaming. If it was to protect the female members from sexual harassment, I suppose they could do that instead of hiring additional security or having a girls-only event to balance it out (which none are indicated in their future scheduled events). Still feels politically incorrect though.

I would feel better about this event if it's not a public one with exclusions (good labelling by the way), because unlike blacklists banning offenders, this makes no sense.

[Kylee!]

Re: BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

I'm not even sure what to say about this... except that's probably the wrong way to deal with whatever their problem is.

[Rambo]

Nice PR,ban 50% of the potentual customers(prob around 10%really)But i was suprised at the amount of girls bf2 had and franky i found it sexy a girl would play,even letting them get me down once or twice.A bunch of 12 year olds still have that high pitched squell about them lol

[Lordsethonan]

Re: BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

You might have had a point, if it weren't for the fact that the Army allows women in to the services and have allowed it since what, the late 1700's, and moreso lately in combative roles. You completely and totally negated any argument you might have had by drawing up that horrible and wrong comparison.

These guys are taking the shitty cop out response to any incident that might've taken place. Instead of having a zero tolerance for any kind of socially unacceptable behavior from the person or persons doing this stupid crap, they go this pathetic route.

Do all armies do it? Is it only the US army? What are the reasons to allow women in combative roles and just how combative are these roles? We are not talking Israeli army here, where both genders are truly equal and you have fighter jet female pilots and no one bats an eye; but then again, they are the exception to the rule just as the WWII female Aces wich were there BECAUSE THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH MEN AROUND TO DO IT, not because of politically correctness.
And even then, you could make an argument about how jet fighter pilot is a less risky job than grounder pounder in the frontlines.

The thin gis there is no real reason to make this a facepalm or touchy subject. Conversely, then we must push for women to invite men to their baby shower parties and toppleware sales and all that stuff.

In my not so humble opinion, it works both ways. I am against the double standard. If a woman beats her husband, jail that bish. There is no need to defend them on some stuff tough, like this one.

The management claims they have had issues in the past when dealing with both genders showing up? they feel it being male only is more conducive of a better environment for everybody involved? It's their prerrogative to ensure their attendants have the best time possible. If this is not the case; then the next event they would have to open the event for everybody who registers or something; maybe the incident will repeat itself once one of the suspected factors is out of the system. Don't judge without knowing the full picture.

I'll give you a quick example. One guy goes with her girlfriend, and the girlfriend is harassed by another member and it comes down to fistycuffs. What if it's not just fistycuffs and weapons come into play? What about not really having facilities for women? What about there not really being an attendance on the female population that warrant an slot for them? I'm just saying, that yes, maybe their story is dumb, but there can be a number of factors that we don't know without being there for previous events; they are trying to deal with it, they are constrained by PC bull and have to come up with an excuse.

Or maybe they just don't want women there that day.

This is not voting or the right to a career; it's a LAN PARTY FOR CHRIST SAKE. I think we as males are entitled to still have our little sausage parties when we damn feel like it without having to give excuses as to why. you don't have a weenie? you don't get inside, simple as that.

[CptainCrunch]

Re: BF3 Launch Party and LAN Event in Texas Bans Women

Thats true on the lan party thing, but as men, cant we be strong enough to accept a woman playing beside us without pinching the buns?

Crunch