Putting The Gay In Game?

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Are games waning behind the times in regards to how they portray homosexual characters and relationships, and what are some, if any, games that have done it right?  These were some of the thoughts that came to columnist Brad Hilderbrand's mind after he had played a particular mission in Fable 2.

While playing he had "happened across a random farm in the countryside." and, "Like most regions in Fable, the kindly proprietor of the farm had a task for me, one which I took on with much relish." This particular farmer had a different dilemma than most NPCs, not your typical RPG task, "You see, the farmer was concerned about his son, a strapping young man who had yet to find that special lady with whom he would carry on the family name. Our friend of the earth asked me to go into the city and find a proper date for his boy, a gal who could make the surprisingly eligible bachelor happy. I took on the task, but figured it would be wise to chat with the young man first, as this all seemed a bit odd."

What followed was something quite different, not only in that it was an unexpected twist but also in the way it unfolded, "Sure enough, when I mentioned the task to the farmer's son he immediately got nervous and began to stumble and stammer. This boy had a secret, and I was beginning to understand exactly what it was. I decided to head off into town and woo a villager for this lovelorn soul, and I did exactly that, and he was a fine gentleman indeed. That's right, though the random NPC in the side quest never said the words out loud, the boy was gay, and he had been trapped living a lie for a long, long time.  After finding the date and returning to the farm, I witnessed what was a rather tender moment between father and son, as the boy opened up to his dad about his hidden feelings and his father reacted first with genuine shock, then acceptance and understanding."

Hilderbrand further remarked, "While it may be the sort of outing homosexual individuals hope for when they finally decide to break the news, things rarely work out so calmly. All in all, it was a surprisingly touching moment for a game which up to that point had allowed me to wantonly kill villagers; loot and pillage till my pockets were overflowing and generally be all sorts of a *******. I had never expected Fable to teach me a lesson in matters of human sexuality, and it got me thinking."

This quest had really grabbed him, forcing some serious contemplation, "Had I ever seen the issue of homosexuality handled so delicately in a game before? My mind raced for examples of past gay characters, and the figures I settled on didn't exactly paint a flattering picture."

Historically games have done a bang up job in portraying the overly effeminate and flamboyant stereotypes, characters like, "Makoto from the JRPG Enchanted Arms ...Mr. Silver and Mr. Gold from God Hand, ...Roxy and Poison from Final Fight" all of which "portray gay characters in a negative and stereotypical light" he says.

Hilderbrand feels there are specific historical reasons behind such stereotypes, he explains, "Since nearly the beginning of gaming gay characters have been utilized, though they almost always fell under the categories of villain or comic foil. These early characters were often cross-dressing, effeminate individuals whose inclusion as comic relief helped them circumvent Nintendo and Sega's censorship codes, which were modeled off the early Hollywood production codes which banned 'sexual perversion.' Also, the late 80s and early 90s marked the height of the AIDS scare ??This vilification of the entire group seeped into gaming as well, as the lifestyle was decried as 'evil' by many in the mainstream community."

Of course this wasn't the only portrayal; there was a time, a "golden age" where gay characters were treated with a bit more tact and thoughtfulness.  From the mid nineties through the millennium, "There were still plenty of the old stereotyped characters to go around, but games like Indigo Prophecy: The Longest Journey and Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 all featured openly gay or bisexual characters and gave them more to do than prance about in women's clothing speaking with a lisp and getting into slap fights. 2001 was also the year the original Fable was released, giving players the opportunity to date and marry same-sex partners if they so chose. For many, this was the first time in gaming where they could actually control their own romantic destiny rather than being led toward a simple and inevitable conclusion with one specific character..."

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