The Arkh Project: video games for LGBT/etc people and people of color

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25 January 2012 @ 12:04 pm

So there's this IndieGoGo campaign for The Arkh Project, intended to develop a video game appealing to and featuring queer (their word) people and people of color. Granting first that I have no right to an opinion on the matter because I am a cisgendered straight white person, I think this is a cool idea. They would specifically like to hire designers etc. who are themselves LGBTQQUIAAetc and/or people of color. Granting the same caveat, I think this is also a cool idea.

Someone has complained to IndieGoGo that intending to hire such designers etc. is illegal and discriminatory. IndieGoGo has asked the Arkh Project people to change that statement in their campaign until IGG can check with their lawyer.

Here's the IndieGoGo campaign page for The Arkh Project.

Here's the Tumblr post on the takedown.

If you support the goal the Arkh Project, I hope you will consider contributing and/or signal boosting.

7 comments | Leave a comment

7 comments —

( 7 comments — Leave a comment )

kengr on January 25th, 2012 06:46 pm (UTC)

IANAL, but I seriously doubt the complainant has a leg to stand on. If they did, things like the Michigan Women's Festival would have been shut down for not allowing men.

As I understand it, "majority" gropups/businesses can't declare that they won't hire minority people. Butr minority based groups are prefectly free to have a preference for members of the minority. Restricting it to members of the minority(ies) may be a tiny bit iffy, but I suspect it'd pass muster.

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browngirl on January 25th, 2012 06:59 pm (UTC)

Thank you for signal-boosting this!

Personally, I think you get to have an opinion on whatever you like, as long as you remember that there may be information you may not have due to who, when, and where you are. You personally are quite wise enough to remember that, and to not assume omniscience (or even worse, that you know more about what you are not than the people who are, by confusing ignorance with impartiality) so I trust you. :)

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janetmiles on January 25th, 2012 07:58 pm (UTC)

“He who knows not and knows not that he knows not is a fool—shun him. He who knows not and knows that he knows not is a child—teach him. He who knows and knows not that he knows is asleep—wake him. He who knows and knows that he knows is wise—follow him.”

I try to stay out of the fool category (although not necessarily the Foole category *grin*) and in the child category.

Note that I do *not* think this means anyone else is obligated to teach me! (Except for situations in which I have explicitly contracted to be taught.) It's my own responsibility to recognize and deal with my ignorance.

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kengr on January 25th, 2012 08:04 pm (UTC)

What's that quote from?

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janetmiles on January 25th, 2012 08:15 pm (UTC)

I first encountered it in the Maxwell House haggadah. I've not been able to find any attribution beyond "Persian proverb," but I've only looked online and haven't ever asked a reference librarian.

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bldrnrpdx on January 27th, 2012 03:38 am (UTC)

You encountered it in instant coffee literature?

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janetmiles on January 27th, 2012 01:23 pm (UTC)

Yes. According to Wikipedia, Maxwell House set out to market products to the American Jewish community, starting by getting a rabbinical ruling that coffee is a berry, rather than a bean, and is kosher for Passover. They also produced a haggadah in Hebrew and English, and offered it free with the purchase of Maxwell House products. It's the one my family used for Passover my entire childhood.

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