GamePro, GameStar and MeinMMO shine in rainbow colors. We explain here why this is the case and what the PRIDE Month means to us.
Hate, intolerance, and violence have no place on our websites, in our lives, or in society. These are principles that we uphold and advocate for all year round.
The PRIDE Month has a very special significance for us, which is why we once again want to not only color our logos this year but also talk again about the importance of PRIDE values for us and our communities – and what we do to stand up for them. Not just in June, but at any time.
On June 28, 2024, we will commemorate the Stonewall Riots for the 55th time. Sparked by Marsha P. Johnson, this date is considered the international kickoff of the civil rights LGBTQAI+ movement, which fights for equal rights worldwide and annually reminds us of the continuous pursuit of equality for all – regardless of skin color, ethnicity, origin, national origin, social class, political opinion, religion, sexuality, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental abilities, marital status, or any other legally protected constellations. You can learn more about Pride Month here.
Why we color our logos
The message of PRIDE for diversity, openness, and respect based on tolerance is more important in 2024 than ever. Although we in Germany have been able to celebrate successes this year, like the self-determination law passed in April 2024, the rights of the LGBTQAI+ community continue to be under pressure worldwide, as a current map of attacks against the rights of queer individuals shows for this year alone.
In a study conducted this year by the charitable organization The Trevor Project, which advocates for mental health and suicide prevention for LGBTQAI+ youth, 90 % of over 18,000 surveyed young people stated that their mental health was negatively affected by the current political situation. 39 % said they had seriously considered taking their own lives.
Not only for these reasons do we at Webedia Gaming want to emphasize again that we reject not only discrimination and racism in all forms but also the active or passive exclusion or disadvantage of fellow human beings.
By raising the rainbow flag on our sites, we not only show solidarity and part of the PRIDE movement, but we also clearly state that values such as tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion are not up for discussion for us. We do not demonstrate tolerance towards intolerance. Hate speech has no place with us. It has never been different, and it will never change, and those who do not see it that way are not welcome at Webedia Germany or on our platforms.
As in previous years, we will also use the so-called Progress Pride Flag in 2024. It was designed in 2018 by Daniel Quasar to be even more inclusive than the previous rainbow flag and to better represent the diversity of the movement and our society. In addition to the traditional rainbow colors, it includes stripes in brown and black as well as in white, pink, and light blue. The latter symbolize the trans and non-binary community, while the former represent people of color. The black stripe also represents all those who suffer from HIV/AIDS and the stigma of the disease or have lost their lives because of it.
How we strive for more tolerance every day
Coloring our logos in rainbow colors or making a statement with articles like this is just one part of what we do to advocate for more tolerance.
On our websites, we also continuously bring content on topics such as diversity, accessibility, and mental health – both within themed weeks and in our daily reporting on video games, tech, and hardware, and of course those who create and enjoy them.
With disclaimers about controversial individuals, incidents, or companies, we also try to provide context in addition to dedicated news, columns, reports, podcasts, or streams on these issues. It is particularly important to us not only to inform those specifically seeking out this content but also to sustainably and long-term reach those who may be visiting one of our sites for the first time and had no previous contact with it.
But behind the scenes, many people are also working hard to make our websites, channels, and platforms a better and more welcoming place for all gamers.
The often exhausting work of our community management and our social media managers, as well as moderators, is often invisible from the outside, but that is precisely why it is so important and noteworthy. Many of the things they deal with daily, most of you never get to see.
Without them, it would not be possible to offer things like a forum or comment sections to discuss our favorite games or the most exciting news in the gaming world. Their tireless and hard work to make our communities a better place plays an essential role in our efforts to advocate for more tolerance and acceptance in gaming.
Another aspect that is equally important to us is what happens behind the scenes at Webedia itself. Here too, we are continuously working on our values and on creating an even better, more inclusive work environment for all employees.
Whether through special (mental) health offerings, workshops, and working groups, or a diversity committee specifically addressing issues related to diversity and inclusion within Webedia. Not everything we do is intended for the public or our readers, but that does not make these things any less important.
A thank you to our communities
Last but not least, we also want to take this opportunity to say thank you. Thank you for standing with us against racism, intolerance, and hate. You have often proven this in the comments in the past, and you can be as proud of it as we are! Keep it up and do not let yourself be deterred by individual troublemakers.
Of course, not everything runs smoothly for us either, and there will always be comments that you and we do not want to read on GamePro, GameStar, GameStar Tech, and MeinMMO or on our social media platforms or YouTube. We will address this together with our community management and our team of moderators, but we also rely on your support.
Because fighting against racism, hate, and verbal violence and striving for a better world can only work in one way: together.
