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Banned for standing up to bullying. [Banned for trying to defend myself against sexism]

Miss Worthless·10/16/2016, 9:31:39 PM·5 votes·3,230 views

So i was just permanently banned. I'd done my best to keep myself back, but the last match i played i was instantly verbally assaulted the moment i loaded into the lobby. Thats right, before i even chose a champion or called my role.

A player on my team started harrassing me already then, making report calls, giving me derigatory nick names and telling me to do certain things with myself. All because of my gender.

By the end of the match, two people on my team and three people on the enemy team was spouting hate about women. Its hard for me to tell what exactly being female has to do with a game of league of legends, but they all came together and agreed on where women belong and started debating possible reasons as to why i, a woman, played as bad as i did.

Despite all me doing was giving it my best.

Five players. What would equal a total of a team. All harrassing me because of my gender, spouting sexist remark upon sexist remark. Why? Why does it have to matter that i'm a girl? Cant you just say i suck at the game like any other player? Cant you just go back to calling me out on my bronze playstyle? Or the fact i built rod of ages when i was playing top lane Elise? I'm sorry for playing a champion i enjoy. I'm sorry for losing my lane against that Riven main.

I'm not sorry for standing up to you when you all gang up to me because of my gender.

I'm not sorry for being kicked out of my favourite game because i defended myself against bullying.

I am sorry this game has turned in the direction it did. Why does it have to be this way? Why am i defined as a toxic player for trying to protect myself against bullying, after a player on my team openly broadcasts in german what he suggests i do regarding certain parts of his anatomy and my mouth?

Is this really the League you envision as a sport that will last for decades, Riot? A game where you lose the moment you take a stand to protect yourself? A world where we're all supposed to lower our heads and accept whatever the majority says about it? Am i really supposed to lower my arms and say "thank you" if someone hits me in the face?

Why has the game turned out this way? Why was the change to the punishment system for "toxic behaviour" put through in Season 5 to punish everyone in the game for voicing opinions and debating them?

Why do you make me feel like you agree with these sexist remarks? Like i dont belong in this game because of my gender?

Why does everyone gang up on me once one of you start?

Why does nobody listen when i say i'm sorry? When i ask for help?

Why am i alone?

I'm not asking for my ban to be removed. I'm trying to let people know what my experience of this game has turned into, over the years i've played it. I'm trying to make all the people here aware of what some of us suffer every single day, every single match, for nothing else than what we were born like. I'm trying to spread awareness that there are ways to verbally harrass, denote and destroy a person and still go unnoticed by the so-called punishment system that is supposed to protect us against these kinds of people.

League has branded me a toxic player.

But it was League that turned me into one.

EDIT: I am not innocent. With this permaban i got exactly what i deserved. My behaviour was not acceptable nor justified by the behaviour of my opponents. The reason with this post isnt to beg forgiveness or otherwise plead innocence - it is to point out a fatal flaw in the system that lets any other offenders in a game walk away, provided the players that report them are banned before said reports are treated.

In essence: I got what i deserved. They did not. All other players walked away with a clean slate as if their behaviour had never happened.

Think if a politician that murders a person in front of a family member, the family member attacks the politician for revenge, police shows up and breaks them up, taking the family member away while escorting the politicain to safety.

That is how this feels. After the behaviour of these people, they got to walk away without a single response to their own behaviour - curse words and sexism be damned.

91 Comments

Killerjays10/16/2016, 9:49:36 PM7 votes

At that point, muting them does wonders. Really... like if you don't see it you will not even be tempted to reply to it and therefore not get banned.

Best Kog NA10/16/2016, 9:37:04 PM6 votes

It's the internet. Nobody is going to be nice to one another

ModUlanopo10/16/2016, 10:22:23 PM6 votes

I'm not sorry for standing up to you when you all gang up to me because of my gender.

I will never tell you to not stand up for yourself in these situations - as long as you do so in a way that does not add to toxicity. As a person who regularly has to endure antisemitism, I understand it's not fair that we have to be the bigger people, but being bigger is how we win the long fight. "That is offensive and unacceptable. You need to stop" is far more effective than lowering yourself to their level and keeps you out of trouble to boot.

http://imgur.com/tP9Da7m

Nagoh Shan10/16/2016, 10:00:33 PM3 votes

Logs?

Also you have to have a history of toxicity to get perma-banned, as punishments go through escalation. You didn't just snap one game because you were goaded.

TyrekGoldenspear10/16/2016, 11:51:52 PM3 votes

OP, I am beyond disgusted by the behavior of these trolls. The fact that they feel that bullying people becuase of something they have no control over like their sex is fun and games is awful.

The internet is a harsh place I agree. Becuase of its free nature and anyone can have it, you will encounter the worst that humanity has to offer.

It is saddening that people like you get banned becuase you stand up for yourself, but I can bet that the trolls abuse the automated system to report you, and if your comments are in fact inflammatory, you will be banned/punished.

The system isn't perfect. But beyond reporting/muting and moving on, I want you to know that most people arent like that. There are players like me that play to have fun, but not in a way that hurts others. We want to laugh and have a good time but to also play seiously.

I want you to hear some words from a stranger on the internet.

You are a special and important human being. Not simply becuase you are a woman, but becuase you are a living and breathing and feeling creature with a soul that deserves respect.

I want you to know that what people say to you on the internet, is said becuase they hide behind a keyboard, seemingly free from responsibilty.

But here is another human behind a keyboard telling you that you are worth something. You deserve respect and admiration for your unique talents, skills, personality, everything.

Whenever somebody is being sexist to you, remember the words from people like me, so you can confidently shut them down with a mute and report, and pay them no further mind, becuase it is the words from people like me that truly matter. People that care.

People who think and speak like that don't even deserve the dignity of a response.

Paradise Proxy10/16/2016, 11:14:45 PM3 votes

maybe dont be a bully back lol

Yooba10/16/2016, 11:26:25 PM3 votes

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Electrya10/16/2016, 9:41:05 PM2 votes

I highly agree. Riot sexualizes female anatomy all in the game, which I find is a form of sexism. Is it necessary to make her cleavage that big? Or put her in some skimpy bra? Mostly all male characters are described with extreme power and armor. The only "revealing" man skin is Hearthseeker Varus. Vi has short hair and armor, and is almost automatically named a lesbian. I find this so unfair. I only play female champions because of this. I understand that very few percent of girls play this game, but sexism is still sexism. And this post is coming from a male. Akali