Starfield Pronoun Options Controversy

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Overview

Starfield Pronoun Options Controversy is a gaming controversy stemming from various streamers, YouTubers and social media users protesting against Bethesda's 2023 space-themed RPG Starfield. In early September 2023 just before release, YouTuber HeelVsBabyface posted a video raging against the option to choose your character's pronouns in the game, while streamer Dr DisRespect commented on the head of publishing for Bethesda having pronouns in their social media bio. YouTuber NinaInfinity also notably complained about the option given to choose one's pronouns, saying that they considered returning their game.

Background

Starfield is a first-person role-playing game that is set in outer space. The RPG, which was developed and published by Bethesda, was released to the public on September 6th, 2023. However, players who preordered the game could start playing it on September 1st via early access. The game notably allows players to customize their characters, during which they can choose between the pronouns he/him, she/her and they/them (example clip seen below).

On September 3rd, 2023, YouTuber HeelvsBabyface hosted a stream in which he ranted about the option to choose one's pronouns in Starfield. The earliest known reupload of the clip was posted by X^[1] user @danvasc2 on September 3rd, 2023, where it gathered over 10,000 likes in three days (seen below).

Western Gayming Industry, with the mighty @heelvsbabyface.#Starfield pic.twitter.com/J6yHjE0gfp

— Dan Vasc (@danvasc2) September 3, 2023

On September 3rd, X^[4] user @ppPepoComfy posted a clip of streamer Dr. DisRespect looking up the head of publishing at Bethesda and saying, "Now it's all starting to make sense," after seeing pronouns in their X bio.

In the clip, Dr DisRespect went on to say that Starfield purportedly denied him the opportunity to promote the game due "past controversies" (such as his defense of Nickmercs during his Call of Duty Skin Removal Controversy two months prior).^[5] @ppPepoComfy's upload gathered over 39,000 likes in three days (seen below).

Dr. Disrespect was rejected a Starfield sponsorship deal due to his recent transphobia, and he got triggered on stream because the head of Bethesda publishing has pronouns in his bioThese guys wouldn't survive MW2 lobbies if pronouns trigger them pic.twitter.com/mg1cu5XeH2

— thaena 🌸 (@ppPepoComfy) September 2, 2023

Developments

On September 3rd, 2023, Dr DisRespect quoted^[6] the aforementioned clip of him complaining about Starfield, saying that his words were "being taken out of context" and that "politics should stay out of video games," gathering over 56,000 likes in three days (seen below).

Some of these poor young people are just depressed. No life experience and completely misdirected by the internet.Look at my words being taken out of context here. Their insecurities are obvious.Politics should stay out of the video game industry entirely along with people… https://t.co/sjGeHEntsT

— Dr Disrespect (@DrDisrespect) September 3, 2023

On September 2nd, YouTuber and X^[8] user @Nina7Infinity made a post that read, "I almost refunded my game when #Starfield asked me for pronouns. / I still might.. I'm annoyed about it." She then made a follow-up post saying that she did refund her game due to a variety of reasons, gathering over 4,000 and 1,000 likes on each post, respectively, in roughly three days (seen below).

On September 5th, 2023, YouTuber HeelvsBabyface posted a response to his clip going viral titled, "Man 'Cancelled' For Having Opinion on Internet!!" The upload gathered over 180,000 views in a day.^[7]

Online Reactions

On September 3rd, 2023, the video of HeelvsBabyface was reposted by X^[2] user @TheActMan_YT with the caption, "Gorilla-shaped man on the verge of crying because Starfield lets you pick pronouns at the start of the game and then it's never brought up again. / Somebody please shoot this guy with a bear tranquilizer, he's going to attack someone." The post gathered over 50,000 likes in three days (seen below, left).

The video was also reposted by X user @hasanthehun^[3] with the caption, "this weird british guy losing his mind over selecting pronouns in starfield is the perfect demonstration for why we must bring back lobotomies," gathering over 65,000 likes in three days (seen below, right).

On September 6th, X user @FrankJavCee posted a remix of @HeelvsBabyface's rant, gathering over 1,000 likes in a day (seen below).

you've heard of penis musicnow get ready forpronouns music pic.twitter.com/lxHAEVHYeg

— FrankJavCee (@FrankJavCee) September 5, 2023

On September 5th, X^[11] user @hayasaka_aryan reposted a Reddit^[12] post about how the pronoun option in Starfield may not affect how people refer to you, gathering over 5,000 likes in a day (seen below, left). On September 6th, X^[9] user @hunter_hhhh reposted a post originally made by YouTuber SomeOrdinaryGamers, ^[10] gathering over 87,000 likes in a day (seen below, right).