RSSSingapore gets game ratings system after 'lesbian' affair
By Tim Conneally | Published November 16, 2007, 2:30 PM
Singapore's video game market has been given a temporary ratings system after the Bioware Xbox 360 game Mass Effect came under scrutiny for "lesbian activity."
While a permanent classification system will not be in place until January, the Board of Film Censors said in a statement that highly-anticipated games will be selectively given ratings so that the public may better understand why such a system is beneficial. The game, slated for release on November 20, was widely reported yesterday to have been banned, but today it has been given a rating of "M18," the film board's equivalent of an "R" rating.
The scene in question takes place between a female player character and an Asari, a species that supposedly lacks male/female sex differentiation.
Mass Effect is among several games that have been put before Singaporean censors for questionable content. God of War II and The Darkness were both blacklisted for nudity and excessive profanity, respectively. But this most recent game was not controversial for excessive sex or violence, rather it was simply because the sexual content featured is between members of the same sex...or at least characters voiced by humans of the same sex. Or rather, between a blue humanoid and a purple humanoid who both wear bikinis, though that may not be saying much.
| The touching...in a manner of speaking...sharing of thoughts and feelings between two consenting creatures, albeit one of them blue and the other purple...and both of them speaking like a nightmare on the set of "Star Trek: Voyager" (season four, no less), from the controversial game (in Singapore), Mass Effect. You will not be able to maintain your emotions for very long as you witness the truth, the honesty, the prosthetic bliss. [Scene may not be suitable for adults.] |
Singapore's outlook on homosexuality is conservative to say the least. Last year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made the remarks: "If you say 'I'm gay, therefore entitled to get married,' well, that's a very contentious subject. Or even 'I'm entitled to have a parade and flaunt my gayness...' gay pride. Well, you can do that in Sydney, London, in San Francisco, But I'm not sure I want to do that in Singapore, I think it will be offensive to a large number of Singaporeans."
This statement summarizes the conservative views of the Prime Minister and his party, and censorship in the city-state is a strong reflection of those beliefs. In fact, K. Bhavani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts has said, "Our people are still largely conservative. Hence, the Government needs to balance between providing greater space for free expression and the values upheld by the majority."
These beliefs, however, transcend the rules surrounding the media. According to section 337 of the Singapore Penal Code, "carnal intercourse against the order of nature," is deemed a criminal offense with a penalty ranging in severity from ten years' imprisonment with or without a fine all the way up to life imprisonment.
It is no wonder the game raised concerns, since even the suggestion of sexuality between people of different shades of blue seems to be dangerous.
I appreciate the "to say the least" afterthought, but why must conservatism be used as a euphemism for bigotry?
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lesbianism?? talk about suggestive BS!! does the blue female have a snatch?? I didn't see any carpet munching going on between the ficticious creatures..
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Fear Effect did lesbians better.
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Oh ffs, are people still getting their panties in a wad over someone else's sexual preferences?
Sad.
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I couldn't care less what you do. Just don't go displaying your sexuality to my kids and expect people to be happy about it...
For the record, this has since been reversed. Congratulations Gay and lesbian movement has won a victory. Its now generally acceptable to corrupt kids at an even younger age to your lifestyle and ultimately loss of genetic extensibility due to devolution into single sex amoebas..
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"I couldn't care less what you do. Just don't go displaying your sexuality to my kids and expect people to be happy about it..."
- Frankly I don't believe you.
I suspect you would be only too happy to have your kids exposed to my kind of sexuality (hetrosexual).
I suspect you're only too happy to see children 'indoctrinated' so long as it is in a manner in which you prefer.
Unfortunately for this approach I think we know by now that sexuality just doesn't work that way.
Sadly if one (or more) of your kids grows up & turns out to be gay you'll no doubt attribute that to them being "corrupted" by gay 'influences'.
TBH your own attitudes seem far more suspect to me than this ludicrous nonsense about what may or may not be (briefly) inferred in a video game (cos it's hardly as if it's explicit gay sex anyways now is it?).
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Homosexuality is not a "born-with" trait.
So it had to be learned somewhere.
Latz, SB
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"Homosexuality is not a "born-with" trait.
So it had to be learned somewhere."
- B*llocks.
Don't be so silly.
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Silly?
That is a good argument.
Wow...you won!
Great debate, i say a fact, you do a personal poke at me.
In the end, the fact still stands.
Latz, SB
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that's hot.
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Whahahahahaha Good for them. Lets rate all these video game M please. Especially if there is ANY online factor to it. Cause the people playing these games are nothing short of potty mouth little bast@rds. There is not one xbox or PS game that is online that does not have active swearing and sexual innuendo in it. Defiantly not a place for impressionable teens that are bad enough already at a younger and younger ages. Is it any wonder that our youth of this generation is the most degenerate ever? Little more then pack wolves in most cases.
As to the lesbian tripe. Not surprised. the gay and lesbian communities want their degenerate behavior accepted by the masses. Whats next Messing with your kids? Opps too late. Guess thats the point of these messages in entertainment that is suppose to be for the kiddies... yea right...
Look I don't care if someone is gay or lesbo. Its none of my business but don't expect people to be happy about your Outing yourself openly to our kids and telling them you have to accept us cause your parents are ignorant of true sexuality... Whatever. If your gay your gay, whatever, Keep to your own and stay out of my face with it, and we will not have a problem... But get in my face, and start telling MY kids that they are gay when they are too young to even know WTH they are, Your going to be persecuted and judged in ways YOU do not like.
That does not make us raciest, That makes us responsible Parents that want Our children to accept good moral values. Something that is severely lacking in todays society.
Strutting down the street in Buttless chaps proclaiming their sexuality or lack there of to people that it should be of none of their business either way is not a model for a good society. Corrupting images in childrens games isn't either.
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honestly agreed with most.
gay pride parade is a ****ing joke. you're gay we get it now get it out of my face.
i don't care that people are gay or straight and i don't want to care or know for that matter.
as far as it being censored: their country their choice and not american's right or duty to belittle their choices.
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"Scene may not be suitable for adults"
WTF?
And to Drumcat: It was a cultural reference to Titanic which was shagging. You know how it works in Singapore; they're a bit sensitive over there.
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They should have a Blue Pride Parade and get it over with ...
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Invade them!
Give them freedom, they'll thank us later ;)
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Did they have any oil?
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Wow... umm... I'm not even sure that was suggestive. It was a hand...
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