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Why doesn't Riot ban people who have anti-disabled behavior?

NaotoKanji·4/16/2017, 5:59:52 PM·10 votes·1,207 views

Hello. Let me preface this post by saying I'm autistic and have many friends who are disabled that also play LoL. My girlfriend is also autistic, and another friend I play with has cerebral palsy. This game is hard for all of us to play because there's many steps involved in gameplay, as well as the frenetic pacing. Still, we persist because we enjoy LoL a lot when the environment is positive.

The amount of toxic behavior specifically targeting disabled people in LoL is a massive problem. I can't count how many times people make Down Syndrome 'jokes' in chat, or use autistic as if it's some kind of insult (it's not, and you're an awful person if you think this way). This behavior is pretty disgusting, immature, and honestly very discouraging and offensive, and part of the reason why I don't play LoL much anymore. Whenever I call out people for their behavior in-game, I'm usually ganged up on by my supposed team because they just don't understand why it isn't cool to mock disabled folks. I get that I can simply mute everyone at the start of the match, but I have met some nice people while playing League and I'd like to continue to meet more people I get along with. Plus, I shouldn't have to mute anyone to have an enjoyable experience playing the game.

I've reported people numerous times for their negative comments towards disabled people and nothing has come of it. Riot is usually on top of handing out infractions for misogyny and racism, but seem to be lacking in this regard.

In my opinion, Riot should be far more aggressive in weeding out anti-disability rhetoric from their community.

Thanks for listening.

17 Comments

dakota saturn4/16/2017, 6:02:28 PM4 votes

It's like how people are shifting from calling things 'gay' or 'retarded', into 'autistic' and 'cancer'. You can't really say 'dude that's so gay' in public anymore or you'll probably get nasty looks or confronted. But nobody really cares about calling things cancer or austistic.

It's moving from one offensive phrase to another, and in due time, these will be phased out too.

https://s22.postimg.org/84rekvcch/bgti_Rmt.jpg

Around999People4/16/2017, 7:37:31 PM3 votes

I have the same train of through. I am physically disabled myself, and it gets under my skin when people make fun of disabled people. It's honestly similar to racism. Insulting someone for being disabled is like insulting a black person for their skin color. Neither side can change it. And if you call someone black because they're bad at the game that's racist and likely to get you a ban, so why not have the same rules here?

The King Discord4/16/2017, 9:07:53 PM2 votes

im autistic when people use that as insult i send detailed reports and they get punished 9/10

nerak234/17/2017, 1:59:13 AM2 votes

Should people be removed from work places because someone deemed their speech hurtful?

Yes ! 100% I owned my own Pizza shop and Yes I would Fire that person on the spot!

The World would be a better place if people speak up for what they believe.

I believe NO One like to be insulted and if you do then say so....

NaotoKanji , I wish you the best !

Lolyicon4/17/2017, 2:18:28 PM2 votes

Let me preface my this comment by saying I'm autistic aswell.

I use "Autsist" as flame all the time. It just describes someone who failes to to do a basic human task (like hitting at least one fcking skillshot in the whole game) very well. That is how language works, currently its autism and cancer, I'm sure Aids will have its highs aswell.

Just think about, "Are you blind" is exactly on the same level as "are you autistic/ do you have downsyndrom"? we are just so used to hear the first thing.

slippykitten4/17/2017, 12:35:54 AM2 votes

We are moving ever closer to a totalitarian society of tyranny. Some people suck, but that's how the world works. You cannot expect to be vindicated every time you get your feelings hurt, because that demands that someone else punishes someone every time they do something deemed unkind.

It's crazy to think the world should work that way. Should people be removed from media entertainment because someone found them offensive? Should people be removed from work places because someone deemed their speech hurtful? Should corporations, governments, and authorities dictate the words and ideas of other people?

The answer is no. To promote such a thing is asking to be oppressed, in one form or another. If today, companies and governments punish people because you find them offensive, what stops them from punishing you later because they find your religion offensive?

The problem isn't that people aren't punished for saying mean things. I'm sorry, you simply cannot stop people from saying mean things, it's a ridiculous notion. The problem is that we have come to the place that we expect to be able to go through life without being offended. You simply cannot. Your expectation that you should be able to play online games with millions of other people without ever being offended is insane. The only way this could possibly happen is total and complete control over speech and thought, which once again, is a crazy thing to desire.

Is it good for people to use autistic as an insult? not really, but neither is retarded, gay, or racial slurs. There will always be a way to insult people, and it will always be offensive, because that's kinda the point. Those people will eventually reap what they sow, and you will grow into a better person for having endured hardness. But Orwellian control is never the answer.

nerak234/16/2017, 7:24:52 PM2 votes

Some People can not only be rude intentionally but assholes to !

Baron0BeefDip4/24/2017, 1:04:50 AM1 votes

Yes. I definitely agree. I'm also autistic myself. I don't really know why people use it as an insult. Some of the most intelligent and important people in history are now believed to have likely had been on the autism spectrum. I'm fairly thick skinned, so usually I just mute the player and proceed to destroy them in game(if they're on the enemy team. Luckily I usually have cool teammates). Still, I really, really don't appreciate that this is becoming a thing. I should also probably say that autism is a disorder , not a disability.