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Epileptic PSA: There are reports that animations and flashing lights in this game can cause seizures. Read this article for more information
Why is there controversy surrounding CD Projekt Red and Cyberpunk 2077?
CD Projekt Red has a history of transphobia. This is well documented at this point and not a matter of debate. Due to this context there is particular concern about transphobic or insensitive content in Cyberpunk 2077 itself, such as the decision to tie gender to voice in the character creator, and trans fetishization in illustrations in the game—and these are just examples from prerelease footage. Additionally, there have been concerns about racist imagery and stereotyping. This article goes into depth about some of these issues.
What incidents of transphobia have occurred surrounding the game and the company, and why are they hurtful?
This list will be updated over time as more examples come to light, especially as the game releases and more content is uncovered. If you wish to have something added to this list, please send me a DM and get my attention.
On August 20th 2018, the official Cyberpunk 2077 made a "Did you just assume their gender?!" tweet in response to another twitter user. This joke is transphobic in that it stereotypes transgender people as constantly being outraged. This stereotype is used to downplay real and valid concerns that transgender people have, and is considered extremely offensive. In response, the official account made an extremely generic apology. There was no acknowledgement of why the issue was offensive, acknowledgement of the groups that had been offended, or reassurance that this would not happen again.
On October 22nd, GOG.COM a subsidiary of CD Projket, used the #WontBeErased hashtag that was trending on Twitter, and made joke of it in order to advertise their own platform. This hashtag was in response to the Trump administration trying to redefine gender and erase the legal existence of transgender folks. While GOG did fire the person in question, said person later went on to join an alt-right website. You can read more about this incident here.
Cyberpunk 2077 itself is a dystopian first person RPG, which means there are advertisements within the game itself. One of the most controversial aspects of the game exists around the in-universe advertisement for a drink called Chromanticore. This advertisement depicts an offensive, fetishized woman, with glowing male genitalia in full view. To say there are multiple things wrong with this an understatement, but the biggest issue is that it makes a mockery of transgender folks, by portraying them as a spectacle, rather than as human beings.
Chromanticore has also been the source of controversy even outside of the game. In the official cosplay contest hosted by CDPR, one of the finalists was the highly fetishized woman from the advertisement, portrayed by a cisgender woman. Once again, this makes a mockery of transgender folks, and their fight to be respected as human beings. To make this scenario worse, the cisgender woman in question has straight up treated the woman in the advertisement as a joke. A more detailed post regarding the issues with the cosplay has been compiled here.
Another concern with the game is the character creator, which has made the decision to tie the voice used by the player character to the pronouns selected during creation. One of the most common forms of discrimination that transgender folks face are expectations and biases regarding their voices. Additionally, by tying voice and pronouns together, they have created an uncomfortable atmosphere for non-binary and gender-fluid people, as they can no longer create a character that accurately represents them.
Compounding the issue is the fact that the character creator lets you pick your genitalia. This allows for transphobes to create avatars that can be used to once again make a mocker of transgender people. To make matters worse, CDPR have openly made some terrible, transphobic "jokes" on their own Twitter account about this feature.
Why is ResetEra allowing an official thread for this game?
There has been a lot of discussion about whether there should even be an official thread for Cyberpunk 2077, and many points of view were considered for this decision. Ultimately, a thread like this can serve as a platform for minority concerns to be aired and discussed respectfully, and given appropriate attention. We’ve also heard from minority members, including some trans members, who have asked for a space where they can talk about the game without needing to worry about trolling and bigoted posting. We expect all posters in the thread to extend the consideration and empathy to give them that space. We will be moderating as strictly as necessary to make sure they do.
What can I do to help fight transphobia?
Transphobia exists in many aspects of our lives. From casual discrimination such as the continuous misuse of a person's preferred pronouns, to more serious ramifications such as housing being denied, legal rights being taken away, and being discriminated in the legal system. Every trans person either has experienced transphobia in their lives, or will experience transphobia at some point.
Moreover, transphobia is a systematic issue that is present in every level of our society. Politicians fight to take away our rights. Celebrities use coded language and religious justifications, if not outright hostility, in order to continue to deny our existence. Media continues to portray us as the butt of a joke, or acts like we're something to be fascinated by, rather than treated with respect.
Actions speak louder than words: Become active in your local politics, donate to transgender causes, stand up for these issues wherever they arise, and if you know transgender people in your life be there for them and support them.
Here are some pro-trans organizations around the world where you can make a donation and show your support
For those of you in the US, The Trevor Project is one of the leading LGBT organizations. They are dedicated to crisis intervention and suicide prevention for people who are in need of support, love, and care.
For those of you in the UK, Mermaids is dedicated to the support of transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse children, young adults, and their families. They have been around since 1995, and have been one of the most vocal voices speaking out against transphobia in the UK, including showing the dangers that transphobia imposes upon our youth.
If you would like to donate to CDPR's native country of Poland, you can find the Trans-Fuzja Foundation website here. The Trans-Fuzja Foundation has been around since 2008, and is dedicated to the support of transgender people in Poland in many aspects of life and society, including politics.
We are your friends. We are your family members. We're your coworkers. We're the people you meet on the street. We're the essential workers who keep society running in a pandemic. We're everywhere. We're not some sort of freak or joke, and we're not going away.
I want to give major thanks to Uzzy for lending her talent, time, and effort in putting together graphics and material for this official thread. Without her, this would not have been possible on such short notice. I would also like to give a shout out and thanks to Kyuuji for allowing me to use images and links from her own thread for this posts.
