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Look. Literally, look. That's all you have to do to understand. Look at video games, look at the culture of the industry, look at who it targets and who it outcasts. Look at what people like Samantha Allen go through on a daily basis just from trying to enjoy video games in a culture dominated by people who send her abuse and death threats just for speaking up about things that bother her on a PERSONAL level, not even something that's related to video games at all. Something that's broadcast to her and about her, but she's not allowed to give her opinion. Then, by responding to something directed toward her in a bigoted fashion in the expected way, she is being too sensitive. People like her are forced to look for things that are directed against them, because it's backward, unwelcoming, and often even dangerous.

Joel McHale's joke was throwaway like every other attempt at humor he made at night, and for most people it would be over and done with at that: not funny. But this isn't a usual dick joke that Spike usually spews out by the dozen, this is specifically targeting someone's identity. Which is kinda maybe an important part of their life. It is (ONCE AGAIN) equating trans* people's identities with their genitals. It is looking downward, searching for an easy target that's simple to mock and belittle, and striking. It's not parody, it's not satire, it's bullying. Am I making a big deal out of a joke? Yes. Is the joke a big deal to lots of people by its very nature? YES.

Like citylights said, Samantha Allen is a student, and writing for the borderhouse is good on a resumé but not much else. She's not making a living by writing opinion pieces about trans* issues on a blog. Anyone with a tumblr can do that. Making it about video games means she's even less in the spotlight. I work for the biggest gaymer event in the country, and it's not a secret we haven't been extremely financially flourishing, and it's part due to things like this. Companies won't talk to you because your identity is seen as not 'family-friendly'. But queer gamers exist and they have the right to speak up when the show supposed to be for gamers is so quick to marginalize a group of them that already deal with enough hate. This is not making a living at being offended.

It's not only gaming culture. What's the best & most recent example of a trans* person in a video game? This shit.

What happens when a trans person plays that game and says, hey this bothers me? This shit, which she has already been dealing with for over two years on Gamespot. (I met her this October and she is lovely)

There's your fucking game of the year.

I really cannot and will not ever understand how one could read an intensely personal and emotional piece like Samantha's that contained specific real life examples, and take from it that the author was looking to be offended or somehow profit from it. That is just such a dismissive mindset that pains me to see, because it's so common and easy. It's not original, it's not clever, it's not taking a high ground to anything. It's easy. And way too accepted a view by most people. Because they don't understand it.

Our society is so much quicker to call out "political correctness" that somehow offends them than they are to call out disrespect and discrimination to unprotected people.

tl;dr

@Charmy: So... I actually thought you were kidding. To me, citing a 668 word analysis about one awful joke somebody made as your summary of why a three hour long disaster of an awards show bombed was so over the top I couldn't help but think you were playing it for laughs.

Now that I know you're actually serious I really have nothing to say regarding it and do sincerely regret I said anything at all.

@citylights: I don't have anything against this Samatha person. Actually, when I read it at first I thought it was some dumb parody. Like, how could a person survive each day when they have such a severe emotional reaction to something so trivial.

Now that I know she's serious I do feel really, really bad for her.