In-Game Filters towards LGBTQIA+ language should be slackened

Hi there, I discussed this in this Reddit thread for a little bit. I'll narrow in the concept as best I can.

Word filtration in games is a useful feature, especially when you don't have access to Moderation Resources (or even potentially methods at this stage) within the game. That said, a word filter isn't a good thing to apply to Identity Terms.

For starters, including them in this system inherently correlates them to other 'unacceptable language' such as your classic words like typical swears but also other things like racial pejoratives and sex crimes. There is an argument that they'll be used against us, however....

People who want to cause harm using these words will simply create a workaround (e.g. "G@Y" instead of "Gay" or "QU33R" instead of "Queer". While one can make the argument that these workarounds are available to LGBTQIA+ people also the result is that each time they are used a concious step has to be taken in which you have to interact with the reality that your identity isn't considered acceptable to speak openly on.

The second factor here is also that people that genuinely want to cause harm (rather than simply being juvenile in a way that other, uncensored words would equally fulfill) are bound to use sentences that aren't bindable through the Censor Chat System. You'd need to restrict the vast majority of English to prevent concepts such as "You'll Never Be a Real Boy" or "I wish you lot were all dead" or other such sentences.

The system is also not balanced in which words are and aren't allowed, since words like "Lesbian", "Transgender", and "Bisexual" are all allowed through. These words should be allowed, mind - but thats because they also should all be. It's common for us to refer to our things with our own terms and to try and put a bit of ourselves into everything.

Part of how Queer Expression is through the inclusion of small mentions of what we are and what we like. For example, fan of Doctor Who might name their Lodestone "UNIT HQ" or something along those lines. As a Queer person playing with my girlfriend, trying to name our lodestone "Homosexual Homestead" was when we first caught onto this - much to our disappointment.

The would-be protective measures against cruelty or misuse of these words does not outweigh the impact of these words being withheld from people who use them as part of standard vernacular. It is normal for Queer people to use words like "Gay" and "Queer" on a semi-regular basis just in standard speak - it makes it harder to talk about our lives and about the people we love. It reminds us that we are still the other and that our expression is less important than it's misuse's case.

A proper safety system would be one that allows players to self-select their own mutes (whilst in early access) and one that allows proper reports and care (once late into/out of Early Access). Letting players select who to mute and when (and potentially recording players with high mute counts) would be a much more effective system.

Closing off, thank you for reading over this (whoever you are) - I recognize the worry, however as someone who has been a Queer Advocate for years it is important that queerness is allowed to be linguistically expressed. It is with the word "Queer" that we can talk about Proper, Full Queer History - not just LGBTQIA+ history. It is with Gay that we can shorthand our feelings distinct from our identities. There is a lot to the subtleties of Queer linguistics that can't be easily expressed without

Have a good day! See you in the Realms.