While April Fools’ is typically noteworthy for the lighthearted pranks and trickery, one forum has decided to take the day serious. /r/Games, a subreddit for gaming generally, decided to shut down the subreddit for a day to decry the prejudice and bigotry found in the online gaming community.
Reported by Kotaku, the moderators of the subreddit hope to point out the series of transgressions the gaming community has had towards marginalized and minority communities.
In their published statement, the moderators say, “by showing disdain or outright rejecting minority and marginalized communities, we become more insular. In this, we lose out on the chance to not only show compassion to these people, but also the chance to grow our own community and diversify the demographics of those involved.” In addition, the moderators put links to charities support LGBT+ individuals, people of color and women.
Online support for this move has been mixed, with some users applauding the subreddit for taking a stand while others seeing it politically. Either way, the moderators will be answering community questions this evening, so if you want to learn more, you can check that out later.
Regardless of how you view this move, the moderators hope that people take this issue seriously: “Whether it’s misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, racism or a host of other discriminatory practice, now is the time to stymie the flow of regressive ideas and prevent them from ever becoming the norm.”
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