Just a simple Mass Effect fan trying to get some representation in the universe. 2187 because that's the year they'd all start their HEAs. Header image credit to @magic_robins Twitter: https://twitter.com/MShenko2187?s=09
Includes a petition, still open for signatures, that currently has over 1,300 signatures from LGBTQ+ fans and allies and comments from both named and anonymous signers explaining why this matters so much to them.
Tag Announcement
Includes a brief description of the goals of #MakeMELEInclusive. The goals have since been widened to include all of the following characters: Kaidan Alenko, Ashley Williams, Thane Krios, Tali’zorah vas Normandy, Jack, Miranda Lawson, and Jacob Taylor. The tag campaign itself is being headed by @mshenko2187, @magicrobins, and @dgcatanisiri as we have combined our efforts after the tag’s announcement was made.
Open Letter
Includes an open letter directed toward EA/BioWare and the Mass Effect leadership team written by the heads of the Make MELE Inclusive movement, with the aid of named and unnamed modders as well as petition signers that wished to stay anonymous.
Tech Write-Up
Includes details of the content currently present in Mass Effect Legendary Edition for each same-sex romance as informed to us by those from the modding community. Includes and explains a tier rating for each cut romance based on how much content is currently present in MELE’s files and thus how much extra work each romance would individually require.
Podcast Response
Includes a detailed response to a podcast interview given by Mac Walters, on EA/BioWare’s behalf, with Vic’s Basement on Electric Playground Network where the question of returning Kaidan’s romance with mShepard to Mass Effect 1 and 2 in Mass Effect Legendary Edition came up. Includes a dissection of Mac Walters’ answer and a detailed response by @mshenko2187 on behalf of Make MELE Inclusive.
To Take Part In The Campaign: Simply use #MakeMELEInclusive on Twitter, where the tag is being primarily used and focused on. For more information on the tag, you may search @mshenko2187, @magicrobins, or @dgcatanisiri tumblrs for “MakeMELEInclusive” or “make mele inclusive” to find out posts keeping the fandom here up to date.
You are also encouraged to sign the petition at the very top if you haven’t already.
Make MELE Inclusive does NOT under any circumstances support attacking or harassing developers or anyone on the MELE creative team. Our goal is to keep the tag as polite and professional as we can while also making our pain and frustration clear. We do not support or condone using our tag as an excuse to personally attack any developer or anyone from the MELE creative team.
Make MELE Inclusive is also only asking for bisexuality to be returned to characters that it was erased from. We do not support the idea of making gay characters like Steve Cortez and Samantha Traynor bi.
Many thanks to @magicrobins and @dgcatanisiri for their help with getting all of these posts done over the last few days. Y'all it has been a slog, but we got them ready for the first day of Pride.
Good on ya. Fixing yet another example of the Mass Effect team's inherently misogynistic FemShep writing that they did nothing to fix for MELE. But go on, fandom, about how making her the center of their marketing campaign was the most feminist thing they've ever done.
#next stop: the intersection of mediocrity and arrogance
My Top Posts in 2021
#5
A reminder to Mass Effect fans on #NationalComingOutDay:
Mass Effect has always been biased against M/M players & characters. Mac Walters and the studios' decision not to finish & include M/M romances in MELE upheld homophobia.
Clip at 31:30
You may be asking why we're accusing them of upholding homophobia when it seems like they've made so much progress.
A gay male Shepard was deliberately never an option because of "narrative choice," according to one of BioWare's founders. Bisexual FemShep was fine in ME 1+2; queer MShep was not. Boom. Anti-M/M homophobia.
This is the standard, the "original vision" that they upheld with MELE despite the presence of perfectly workable MShep/Kaidan dialogue and animations in the code. It only took modders two weeks to put it in.
Read more about that here in mine and @magicrobins Tech Write-Up.
Overall, they cut five same-sex romances mid-production and denied us the possibility of two others. We're still trying to hold them accountable for this blatant bullshit and pitiful excuses for once again treating their queer fans like we don't matter. The future of this franchise won't be better if we don't speak up now.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
114 notes • Posted 2021-10-11 22:39:11 GMT
#4
"Startlingly heteronormative" may be the single best description of the series I've ever read.
I can't help but view Mass Effect in a new light after all these years.
Great article from Jade King that just dropped on Twitter. Hits all the good points about how truly dated the first game is with how its same-sex romance was meant to appeal to straight male gamers.
"Romantic relationships between two men have often played second fiddle to lesbian relationships across all manner of media, because they are more susceptible to bigotry due to the fact that straight men can’t oogle them like they can two women, finding some form of pleasure despite claiming to morally disagree with it."
And the petition is still going strong! Up to 1130!!!
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
298 notes • Posted 2021-05-17 16:11:36 GMT
#3
Another fantastically crafted piece critical of BioWare/EA's treatment of gay male characters (and how, yes, we can still find some joy in the scraps even though the studios actually suck at queer rep because #My Shepard really was written to be a hetero blowhard).
318 notes • Posted 2021-06-19 19:35:23 GMT
#2
On today's episode of "BioWare Doesn't Respect M/M Players..."
The achievements/trophies list for the Legendary Edition has evidently leaked, and if you're hoping to be a completionist with an M/M Shepard you're out of luck.
This, of course, isn't surprising given the ongoing deliberate exlcusion of M/M romances in ME1+2, their complete disregard for M/M players on the whole, and their SOP of downplaying Kaidan Alenko as a valid character (whose name they can't even spell right - if he's mentioned at all).
We're still fighting for even nominal m/m representation in the first two games and better queer representation all around (#MLM and WLW solidarity). The best way you can help now is to sign this petition and then flood Mac Walters (Project Director) and Jay Ingram (BioWare Community Manager) on Twitter or tag them on another social media platform.
It's not mean or disrespectful to make your voices and displeasure known. Cutting these same-sex romances has always been a deliberate choice to uphold heterosexuality as the default, and we're not letting them slide with 2007/2010 standards in 2021.
So make noise about this. There's no rainbow without a storm.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
382 notes • Posted 2021-05-08 23:46:02 GMT
#1
A petition for BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
If you’re a fan of the Mass Effect series, please consider signing this petition and sharing this post on your pages!
We the authors - myself, @estalfaed-archived, and others - believe that BioWare, EA, and Mac Walters have squandered an opportunity with the Legendary Edition to fix the lack of same-sex romance options in ME1 and ME2. Fans have been calling for the studio to restore the existing material for Kaidan Alenko’s same-sex romance in the first two games for years. Then news broke in January that Jack and Jacob’s same-sex options were cut during development.
Responses and reasons from the studio for these exclusions have been lacking and contradictory at best.
In short, we are asking for:
A full, detailed explanation of the reasons why these characters’ same-sex dialogues and romances were originally planned on some level and had dialogue written and/or recorded, but were ultimately excluded from the games;
A formal apology from the studios for the deliberately exclusionary decisions made regarding all three characters, both in the original version and Legendary Edition;
A Legendary Edition post-release patch for an MShep-Kaidan romance using and filling in existing material so we can have one trilogy-spanning male same-sex romance;***
A frank and open assessment of the possibility of finishing the same-sex romances for Jack and Jacob and the potential for Legendary Edition patches;***
A detailed, public plan of concrete steps the studios and creative directors will take to ensure diverse, accurate, and comparable LGBTQIA+ representation in future ME projects.
***Yes, we’re specifically asking for post-release patches because this studio has a well-documented history of grinding down its employees and developers to meet their deadlines. We want to be both realistic with what can conceivably be accomplished and respectful of the pressure these developers are facing with a looming deadline during the pandemic.
"Startlingly heteronormative" may be the single best description of the series I've ever read.
I can't help but view Mass Effect in a new light after all these years.
Great article from Jade King that just dropped on Twitter. Hits all the good points about how truly dated the first game is with how its same-sex romance was meant to appeal to straight male gamers.
"Romantic relationships between two men have often played second fiddle to lesbian relationships across all manner of media, because they are more susceptible to bigotry due to the fact that straight men can’t oogle them like they can two women, finding some form of pleasure despite claiming to morally disagree with it."
And the petition is still going strong! Up to 1130!!!
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
Includes a petition, still open for signatures, that currently has over 1,300 signatures from LGBTQ+ fans and allies and comments from both named and anonymous signers explaining why this matters so much to them.
Tag Announcement
Includes a brief description of the goals of #MakeMELEInclusive. The goals have since been widened to include all of the following characters: Kaidan Alenko, Ashley Williams, Thane Krios, Tali’zorah vas Normandy, Jack, Miranda Lawson, and Jacob Taylor. The tag campaign itself is being headed by @mshenko2187, @magicrobins, and @dgcatanisiri as we have combined our efforts after the tag’s announcement was made.
Open Letter
Includes an open letter directed toward EA/BioWare and the Mass Effect leadership team written by the heads of the Make MELE Inclusive movement, with the aid of named and unnamed modders as well as petition signers that wished to stay anonymous.
Tech Write-Up
Includes details of the content currently present in Mass Effect Legendary Edition for each same-sex romance as informed to us by those from the modding community. Includes and explains a tier rating for each cut romance based on how much content is currently present in MELE’s files and thus how much extra work each romance would individually require.
Podcast Response
Includes a detailed response to a podcast interview given by Mac Walters, on EA/BioWare’s behalf, with Vic’s Basement on Electric Playground Network where the question of returning Kaidan’s romance with mShepard to Mass Effect 1 and 2 in Mass Effect Legendary Edition came up. Includes a dissection of Mac Walters’ answer and a detailed response by @mshenko2187 on behalf of Make MELE Inclusive.
To Take Part In The Campaign: Simply use #MakeMELEInclusive on Twitter, where the tag is being primarily used and focused on. For more information on the tag, you may search @mshenko2187, @magicrobins, or @dgcatanisiri tumblrs for “MakeMELEInclusive” or “make mele inclusive” to find out posts keeping the fandom here up to date.
You are also encouraged to sign the petition at the very top if you haven’t already.
Make MELE Inclusive does NOT under any circumstances support attacking or harassing developers or anyone on the MELE creative team. Our goal is to keep the tag as polite and professional as we can while also making our pain and frustration clear. We do not support or condone using our tag as an excuse to personally attack any developer or anyone from the MELE creative team.
Make MELE Inclusive is also only asking for bisexuality to be returned to characters that it was erased from. We do not support the idea of making gay characters like Steve Cortez and Samantha Traynor bi.
Many thanks to @magicrobins and @dgcatanisiri for their help with getting all of these posts done over the last few days. Y'all it has been a slog, but we got them ready for the first day of Pride.
An N7 Day reminder than whenever you praise BioWare for their diversity and inclusion 'and especially when they claim to love and promote those - it needs to be held in tension with the fact that Producer Crystal McCord hid Tweets and Project Lead Mac Walters blocked us for politely sharing our petition for better LGBTQ rep in MELE using existing material.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
An N7 Day reminder than whenever you praise BioWare for their diversity and inclusion 'and especially when they claim to love and promote those - it needs to be held in tension with the fact that Producer Crystal McCord hid Tweets and Project Lead Mac Walters blocked us for politely sharing our petition for better LGBTQ rep in MELE using existing material.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
An N7 Day reminder than whenever you praise BioWare for their diversity and inclusion 'and especially when they claim to love and promote those - it needs to be held in tension with the fact that Producer Crystal McCord hid Tweets and Project Lead Mac Walters blocked us for politely sharing our petition for better LGBTQ rep in MELE using existing material.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
An N7 Day reminder than whenever you praise BioWare for their diversity and inclusion 'and especially when they claim to love and promote those - it needs to be held in tension with the fact that Producer Crystal McCord hid Tweets and Project Lead Mac Walters blocked us for politely sharing our petition for better LGBTQ rep in MELE using existing material.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
An N7 Day reminder than whenever you praise BioWare for their diversity and inclusion 'and especially when they claim to love and promote those - it needs to be held in tension with the fact that Producer Crystal McCord hid Tweets and Project Lead Mac Walters blocked us for politely sharing our petition for better LGBTQ rep in MELE using existing material.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
An N7 Day reminder than whenever you praise BioWare for their diversity and inclusion 'and especially when they claim to love and promote those - it needs to be held in tension with the fact that Producer Crystal McCord hid Tweets and Project Lead Mac Walters blocked us for politely sharing our petition for better LGBTQ rep in MELE using existing material.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
A reminder to Mass Effect fans on #NationalComingOutDay:
Mass Effect has always been biased against M/M players & characters. Mac Walters and the studios' decision not to finish & include M/M romances in MELE upheld homophobia.
Clip at 31:30
You may be asking why we're accusing them of upholding homophobia when it seems like they've made so much progress.
A gay male Shepard was deliberately never an option because of "narrative choice," according to one of BioWare's founders. Bisexual FemShep was fine in ME 1+2; queer MShep was not. Boom. Anti-M/M homophobia.
This is the standard, the "original vision" that they upheld with MELE despite the presence of perfectly workable MShep/Kaidan dialogue and animations in the code. It only took modders two weeks to put it in.
Read more about that here in mine and @magicrobins Tech Write-Up.
Overall, they cut five same-sex romances mid-production and denied us the possibility of two others. We're still trying to hold them accountable for this blatant bullshit and pitiful excuses for once again treating their queer fans like we don't matter. The future of this franchise won't be better if we don't speak up now.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
An N7 Day reminder than whenever you praise BioWare for their diversity and inclusion 'and especially when they claim to love and promote those - it needs to be held in tension with the fact that Producer Crystal McCord hid Tweets and Project Lead Mac Walters blocked us for politely sharing our petition for better LGBTQ rep in MELE using existing material.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
An N7 Day reminder than whenever you praise BioWare for their diversity and inclusion 'and especially when they claim to love and promote those - it needs to be held in tension with the fact that Producer Crystal McCord hid Tweets and Project Lead Mac Walters blocked us for politely sharing our petition for better LGBTQ rep in MELE using existing material.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
An N7 Day reminder than whenever you praise BioWare for their diversity and inclusion 'and especially when they claim to love and promote those - it needs to be held in tension with the fact that Producer Crystal McCord hid Tweets and Project Lead Mac Walters blocked us for politely sharing our petition for better LGBTQ rep in MELE using existing material.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
An N7 Day reminder than whenever you praise BioWare for their diversity and inclusion - and especially when they claim to love and promote those - it needs to be held in tension with the fact that Producer Crystal McCord hid Tweets and Project Lead Mac Walters blocked us for politely sharing our petition for better LGBTQ rep in MELE using existing material.
A petition to BioWare and EA to restore same-sex romances in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
Includes a petition, still open for signatures, that currently has over 1,300 signatures from LGBTQ+ fans and allies and comments from both named and anonymous signers explaining why this matters so much to them.
Tag Announcement
Includes a brief description of the goals of #MakeMELEInclusive. The goals have since been widened to include all of the following characters: Kaidan Alenko, Ashley Williams, Thane Krios, Tali’zorah vas Normandy, Jack, Miranda Lawson, and Jacob Taylor. The tag campaign itself is being headed by @mshenko2187, @magicrobins, and @dgcatanisiri as we have combined our efforts after the tag’s announcement was made.
Open Letter
Includes an open letter directed toward EA/BioWare and the Mass Effect leadership team written by the heads of the Make MELE Inclusive movement, with the aid of named and unnamed modders as well as petition signers that wished to stay anonymous.
Tech Write-Up
Includes details of the content currently present in Mass Effect Legendary Edition for each same-sex romance as informed to us by those from the modding community. Includes and explains a tier rating for each cut romance based on how much content is currently present in MELE’s files and thus how much extra work each romance would individually require.
Podcast Response
Includes a detailed response to a podcast interview given by Mac Walters, on EA/BioWare’s behalf, with Vic’s Basement on Electric Playground Network where the question of returning Kaidan’s romance with mShepard to Mass Effect 1 and 2 in Mass Effect Legendary Edition came up. Includes a dissection of Mac Walters’ answer and a detailed response by @mshenko2187 on behalf of Make MELE Inclusive.
To Take Part In The Campaign: Simply use #MakeMELEInclusive on Twitter, where the tag is being primarily used and focused on. For more information on the tag, you may search @mshenko2187, @magicrobins, or @dgcatanisiri tumblrs for “MakeMELEInclusive” or “make mele inclusive” to find out posts keeping the fandom here up to date.
You are also encouraged to sign the petition at the very top if you haven’t already.
Make MELE Inclusive does NOT under any circumstances support attacking or harassing developers or anyone on the MELE creative team. Our goal is to keep the tag as polite and professional as we can while also making our pain and frustration clear. We do not support or condone using our tag as an excuse to personally attack any developer or anyone from the MELE creative team.
Make MELE Inclusive is also only asking for bisexuality to be returned to characters that it was erased from. We do not support the idea of making gay characters like Steve Cortez and Samantha Traynor bi.
Many thanks to @magicrobins and @dgcatanisiri for their help with getting all of these posts done over the last few days. Y'all it has been a slog, but we got them ready for the first day of Pride.
