Hello and response to the new rules about da homosexuality thing

[Janel]

First of y'all is a pokemin site. So I don't know why even talkin bout it. Is LGBT community even relevant 2 Pokemon. When I come 2 dis site I'm looking for Pokemon not som LGBT forum. And I think da main reason ppl where complaing bout it is becaze it was on da main page! When I see that im thinking DAT somebody on da staff got butthurt or somethin like DAT. Since y'all talkin out discrimination and "striving for equality" how come I didn't see nothin bout no sexism or racsim or stuff like DAT on da main page since y'all "striving for equality". I think y'all IZ doing 2 much and need to know ur place. Dis IZ a Pokemon fan site not some controversy politics site. I mean y'all putting up dere has little 2 no impact on da world. I think with situation like that u should keep ur mouth shut becuz not everybody agrees with DAT. Basically what I'm getting it IZ y'all just need 2 stick 2 Pokemon and data it.

Thank you

 

[Musashi]

Since y'all talkin out discrimination and "striving for equality" how come I didn't see nothin bout no sexism or racsim or stuff like DAT on da main page since y'all "striving for equality".

That was mentioned too.

 

[$aturn¥oshi]

LGBT is relevant to this forum because we have LGBT members and feel we don't need to ostracize them. Pokémon may be the main topic (and it's not the only, i.e. Outside the Box) but we welcome users of all types.

 

[dig]

First of y'all is a pokemin site. So I don't know why even talkin bout it. Is LGBT community even relevant 2 Pokemon. When I come 2 dis site I'm looking for Pokemon not som LGBT forum. And I think da main reason ppl where complaing bout it is becaze it was on da main page! When I see that im thinking DAT somebody on da staff got butthurt or somethin like DAT. Since y'all talkin out discrimination and "striving for equality" how come I didn't see nothin bout no sexism or racsim or stuff like DAT on da main page since y'all "striving for equality". I think y'all IZ doing 2 much and need to know ur place. Dis IZ a Pokemon fan site not some controversy politics site. I mean y'all putting up dere has little 2 no impact on da world. I think with situation like that u should keep ur mouth shut becuz not everybody agrees with DAT. Basically what I'm getting it IZ y'all just need 2 stick 2 Pokemon and data it.

Thank you

Dat shit cray.

Do people actually use the word 'dat' in daily conversation? And you surely can't think 'is' is spelled 'iz'. Now then, I can only comprehend about 80% of your post, but regardless, it seems you are saying the forum shouldn't have rules about respecting LGBT because some people disagree with the legality or morality of homosexuality. Frankly, if you're uncomfortable with gays then just leave, you aren't welcome here.

Perhaps join some forum about improving your English skills.

 

[Midorikawa]

The forums are a site for more than just pokemon. Pokemon just happens to be what it's mainly for. People of many interests can join here and talk about multiple things non-pokemon related which is why it's such a great site.

 

[Joshawott]

I know that this thread has been closed, but I feel like this needs to be said - as a staff member, an equality champion and more importantly, a community member.

Moving aside from any comments about your spelling and grammar, because I am a sensible person. Before I start, I just want to make it clear that I am a straight, white male. That doesn't make me any better than anyone else, but I thought I might as well say it just to show that I'm fairly impartial to the subject in this respect.

Now, I want to make it clear that homosexuality is relevant to Bulbagarden, its forums and related websites. Yes, we are a community centred around the "Pokémon" franchise - but it is the fact that we are a community that makes it relevant. It doesn't matter whether your community is based around a village or town, a sports team, a video game or a pass time - it is still a community of people, each with their own thoughts, feelings, personalities, similarities and differences. In every community, there are people who might be blonde, brunette or red-headed, there are people who might have blue, green or hazel eyes, there are people who might have pale, pink, brown or black skin and there are people who might be heterosexual, pansexual, homosexual or asexual. However, none of those differences are anything people have any control over and none of them change who they are as a person.

I agree with you that it should not be something that has to be posted on a Pokémon forum, but for a completely different than yours. Whether someone agrees with it or not is completely irrelevant and the fact that you think that it's an issue that should be swept under the carpet just because some people are still backwards and bigoted about this kind of thing is actually deeply offensive. I personally don't agree with eating Halal meat for example, but I have a friend who is a Muslim so he has to eat it - I respect his opinions regarding it and he respects mine. My older brother is a vegetarian due to his own beliefs, but I eat meat. We have a mutual respect for the other person's beliefs and more importantly, the right for them to be who they are. It shouldn't have to be mentioned because equality should be the default belief; it shouldn't be something we have to enforce. Unfortunately though, we still have to because this world is still wrong on so many different aspects and this is one of them - even today people are still being persecuted for their sexuality; this can range from some mild teasing all the way up to being killed for it.

For many, online forums are a refuge from their day to day lives; their safe haven from the situations they have to put up with every day. That much is true for just about everyone, however, for people who might face persecution in their day to day lives, this is even more important. A community should be a place where people can come together and talk with others without fear that they will face judgement or persecution because of who they are and what they cannot control. That was one of the reasons why the announcement was made - to tell people who are LGBT or even questioning whether they are or not that they are welcome here, but it's also a reminder to those who might think about judging, abusing or harassing someone for who they are that we will not stand for it, that you either have to accept people for who they are, or bugger off somewhere else.

This is also not a matter of political ideology; the notion that the discussion of homosexuality being a political one is utter nonsense. This is a community issue. This is a human issue.