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In today's society, "gay" is often used as a pejorative, losing all meaning and gaining a negative slant. ThinkB4YouSpeak is on a mission to change that, with a new campaign targeted to raise awareness throughout schools in America about anti-gay bias and reduce the use of ignorant, homophobic language.

The statistics may startle you; according to ThinkB4YouSpeak's website, "9 out of 10 LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) students report being harassed at school in the last year," with over one third being physically harmed. ThinkB4YouSpeak's campaign consists of three posters, replacing the unfortunately common phrase, "That's so gay" with a generalized remark on specific types of students: jocks, cheerleaders and gamers. It would seem the purpose of the campaign is to be hurtful, to showcase how hateful speech is often based on stereotypes.

Gamers are no strangers to hateful speech. Xbox Live user know of the well-documented hate mongering in online multiplayer titles like Halo, and while the majority of players across all platforms are smart enough to know hate speech is wrong (we hope!), it's never pleasant to see it rearing its ugly head.

[Via GamePolitics]

Those with clear recollections or inexplicable mastery of our terrible in-site search will recognize Toulouse as one of the voices heard in a recent debate regarding Xbox Live's GLBT policies. Unless you're under the impression that GLBT is a kind of sandwich, it may be worth your while to gain further details on the panel over at the GLAAD website.

From Current TV, we're happy to bring you that rarest of delights: Reporting on gaming from a non-gaming outlet that's reasoned, competent and (wonder of wonders) well-researched. The story of GayGamer is told by those who breathe life into the site, showing not only why they're an important part of gaming culture, but what drove them to stick together in the first place. You can find it right after the jump.

The only downside is that the section on homophobia makes the community look so bad; but honestly, it's only bashing those of us that deserve it. ... You know what? We're kicking homophobes out of "us." We're officially making them "them." Sorry guys. Leave your fake guitars with Shelia on the way out.

In the latest Sessler's Soapbox, a regular video diatribe by G4TV personality Adam Sessler, he expresses his severe distaste for the bigotry and homophobia found on Xbox Live. Having actually spent time at GDC discussing this very issue with Sessler and his wife -- she's a lovely and charming woman by the way -- let's just say that Sessler is actually quite restrained regarding his feelings on the issue in the video we've placed after the break.

Although we joke about it in the picture above, Catan is one of the rare Xbox Live games where civility can be found. However, we understand that trash-talking is part of the competitive Xbox Live experience, so might we suggest the Shakespearean Insult Generator for those compelled to disparage others. And parents, please control your children online.

We're pretty sure most Xbox Live users doing online matches are a bunch of freakin' time travelers. How do we know this? Because by listening to an average Xbox Live Halo 3 match we're magically transported back in time and listening to the vocabulary used at a 1950's locker room in an all-white boys school. The above video is a typical FOX news piece employing all the standard scare tactics on parents, but it does give a nice overview of multiplayer trash talk on Xbox Live.

After the break we have a video from GayGamer.net where one of their readers created a gamertag of "Gay Boy," went into Halo 3 online, and recorded the effect. The video is not safe for work because unlike the FOX news piece, there isn't a censor. And just to be clear, Xbox Live is a great service, but boy are there a lot of people using the anonymity of the internet and children without parents on there. Don't be surprised when the Halo 3 "mute button" is named the invention of the year in our '07 wrap-up posts.

Update: Xbox's Major Nelson (Larry Hryb) made a statement on the GayGamer video.

In our coverage of adult homebrew titles several months ago, we lamented the lack of projects that target or make an effort to include gay and lesbian gamers. Though there are a few releases that don't necessarily limit the player's gender or sexual orientation, they don't ever imply anything outside of a heterosexual hook-up. We've kept a close watch on the niche scene since, hoping to one day catch a hint of same-sex experimentation on the DS.

Instead, we've come across what we believe to be the first Nintendo DS game to openly embrace bigotry. Huntercool's RanAway 1.0 immediately states its agenda with its intro message: "Avoid the gay people! Hit stylus to continue ..." It's a simple avoidance game, no doubt one whose mechanics you're already familiar with through dozens of equally flat Flash diversions, so RanAway doesn't delay too long before yelling out, "Ready, Steady, Go!!!!" and dropping you into its first level.

After a series of hate speech incidents and forum postings to GayGamer.net, the site was taken offline by a set of denial of service attacks. Flynn DeMarco, the site's owner, said things started going wrong toward the end of last week until the site's host, GoDaddy.com, finally took the site offline until the attacks could be stopped. They are currently attempting to get back online and hope to be finished by Monday.

A couple minutes in an Xbox Live Halo multiplayer session should give anyone an idea of why safe havens like GayGamer.net exist (along with Gaymer.org and Gamers.Experimentations.org), but for someone to go out of their way to attack the site is extreme. In the year since its existence, the news site and forum has given voice to issues that were previously rarely discussed. We share in Kotaku's sentiment, where DeMarco is weekend editor, that "it's sad to see that even in the virtual worlds of gaming and game coverage people decide that the only way they can express themselves is by attacking others." GayGamer has sought to bring demographic inclusion into the industry and we hope to hear their voice back in the cacophony of these internets soon.

GayGamer.net's statement can be found after the break.

Update: The site is back online.