Former Black Girl Gamers (BGG) member
via Gothix
A former Black Girl Gamers (BGG) member, Gothix, claims BGG does not truly care about diversity and that she was pushed out for having diverging views rather than being racist.
Ideological views
Gothix
Gothix said BGG weeded out those without the “right” ideological views. “The 100% Minority operated claim, the SEALED job board, and the lack of a hiring policy,” one X user wrote.
Black Girl Gamers
Gothix
“Right now, Black Girl Gamers, the SBI-style game and movie consulting group, has issued new legal threats including a Cease and Desist,” they added. “Meanwhile, they have mobilized their 10,000+ members to harass and call critics ‘racists’ in an attempt to deflect from the allegations.”
Allegations
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“Contrary to the allegations in the article, Black Girl Gamers has contracted freelancers of all races, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and ethnic backgrounds,” BGG wrote.
Full of crap
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“As [a] former Black Girl Gamers member, I can confidently say these people are full of crap,” Gothix stated.
Kicked out
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“They do NOT care about diversity. They promptly kicked me out for being ‘anti-black’ AKA, not making an idol out of my skin color and refusing to hate white people.”
Harassed
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“I was harassed for MONTHS after the fact, and received an onslaught of vitriol from many of their BLACK members. You know how BGG responded? They blocked me and literally scrubbed my existence off of their platforms,” she added.
Worship their skin
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“This is the problem … when people make skin color into an idol,” she said. “They worship their skin color and they think that that’s their identity, and then they have to make up all these weird rules and regulations about what it means to be black.”
Very small
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“It was very small compared to the entity that it is now,” she said. “So we would have collaborations — like, I would stream on their Twitch page, we would do interviews with each other, we would do Discord calls, and that was pretty much the extent of my involvement.”
Diversity
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“Unless it’s diversity of thought, I don’t see the point of promoting diversity,” Gothix said.
Threatening lawsuits
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BGG is now threatening lawsuits against those reporting on its allegedly discriminatory hiring practices. However, Square Enix’s commercial failure of Forspoken, which BGG consulted on, shows diversity efforts did not add value.
Promoting diversity
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DEI initiatives encompass a broad spectrum of strategies and policies aimed at promoting diversity, ensuring equity, and fostering inclusive environments within workplaces, educational institutions, and communities. These initiatives strive to address historical disparities, discrimination, and underrepresentation based on factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and other dimensions of identity.
Critiques
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Critiques: Some critics question the efficacy of DEI initiatives, expressing concerns about tokenism, performative actions, and the failure to address deeper structural inequalities.
Pushback
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Pushback: DEI initiatives have encountered resistance from individuals and groups who perceive them as reverse discrimination or an imposition on freedom of speech and expression.
Challenges
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Challenges: The resistance to DEI efforts has raised questions about the balance between promoting inclusivity and respecting differing viewpoints.
Complexity
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Complexity: Implementing effective DEI initiatives involves navigating complex organizational dynamics, cultural shifts, and the need for genuine commitment from leadership.
Measurement
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Measurement: The measurement of success and the impact of DEI initiatives have also been subject to debate, with questions about the most meaningful metrics and benchmarks.
DEI initiatives
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Open and transparent communication about the objectives, strategies, and impact of DEI initiatives is essential in addressing misconceptions and fostering understanding.
Inclusive solutions
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Encouraging diverse perspectives and engaging in constructive dialogue allows for the consideration of varied viewpoints and the co-creation of inclusive solutions.
Evolving
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Regular evaluation and adaptation of DEI initiatives based on feedback and evolving best practices are imperative for ensuring their relevance and impact. Promoting education and awareness about the rationale and goals of DEI initiatives can help dispel misunderstandings and build a shared understanding of their importance.
