Inclusivity Statement
Last updated 7 February, 2026.
Gamer Dorks will always be an inclusive community. We want everyone to feel welcome, regardless of their race, gender identity, sexual orientation, abilities, or beliefs. As such, we do not allow discrimination in our community. This is non-negotiable. If you believe that it is wrong to be respectful to everyone, keep it to yourself, or leave.
But we understand that one’s upbringing may lead them to say something offensive without meaning it, and so we have compiled a list of ways to ensure that your language is inclusive and kind to all individuals. We have also included some links to useful pages that explain certain terms we use if any of this is confusing.
Why Inclusivity?
Inclusivity makes our community a brighter place. We get to learn more about the vibrancy of various cultures around the world and the uniqueness of the people who live in them. There are all sorts of people in the Gamer Dorks community, and we’re all open about where we come from and who we are.
All the best online communities are the ones where people are unafraid to be themselves. Join and find out for yourself!
Don't treat people as things.
Everyone, regardless of who they are, is a person like you. They have their own feelings, ideals, aspirations, and struggles. Remembering this is the first step to treating people with the dignity they deserve.
If you talk to someone as if they are a demographic you “disagree with”, or an ideology to be debated, then you forget their humanity and start to treat people as things. When you stereotype people, you treat them as things. Here are some examples of sentiments to avoid, as they are not only incorrect, but also dehumanizing.
- “I disagree with the gay lifestyle.” This implies that you get to decide whether queer people deserve to live as themselves. It is not your responsibility to decide whether a person is allowed to be themself.
- “Immigrants are violent criminals.” This stereotypes immigrants as a violent monolith, when in fact all immigrants are people, many of whom are nonviolent and just want a better life than what they got back home.
Additionally, the way you speak about certain people groups can seem dehumanizing. When talking about a group of people based on a demographic, ensure the demographic is an adjective, not a noun. For example:
- Do not say “the blacks;” instead say “black people” or “people of color.”
- Do not say “a cripple;” instead say “a disabled person.”
- Do not say “she is a trans;” instead say “she is transgender” or “she is a trans woman”
Mind your language.
If you find that your normal way of speaking is interpreted as offensive by the people around you, it may be time to audit the language you use. If people with specific backgrounds always find you offensive, the problem may be you, not them.
Sometimes, it’s your sense of humor. “It’s just a joke” is not an excuse. Discriminatory jokes are neither funny nor respectful, and can often hurt just as much as if you were serious.
Sometimes, you don’t double-check before referring to someone in third person. Most people have their preferred pronouns in the Discord profile, displayed just under or beside their username. Use their pronouns when it’s appropriate to use any pronoun. If you can’t find it on their profile, or you’re interacting somewhere that doesn’t include pronouns in the profile, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
And sometimes, the word you’re using is a slur. No matter who you are, you are not allowed to say any slurs in the Gamer Dorks community, even as an act of reappropriation (i.e. “reclaiming” the word), because it may still be offensive to other members of the community. There are also some commonly used slurs that some of you may not know are slurs in the first place. We have included a list below with explanations, view at your own risk.
Discriminatory slurs you may not know:
Never say any of these words in a Gamer Dorks community.
- “Retard” is an slur for people with intellectual disabilities. Additionally, the “-tard” suffix is equally offensive. Learn more.
- “Negro” is a slur for people of color, and is just as offensive as any of the other “N-words” in English and Portuguese. In Spanish, it simply refers to the color black. This word is not allowed in any Gamer Dorks community due to its offensive nature in English. Learn more.
- “Dyke” is considered a slur in the Gamer Dorks community even though it has been mainly reappropriated, because many people still consider it offensive to lesbian women. Learn more.
Notable mention: “Queer” is not considered a slur in the Gamer Dorks community as we have not found anyone who considers it offensive. It had already been reappropriated for many years before Gamer Dorks was founded. Additionally, many people are most comfortable describing themselves with this word.
Have an open mind.
If it doesn’t concern you, don’t be concerned about it. Someone’s identity might seem strange or unusual. You might not understand why they are the way that they are. It’s okay not to understand, it’s not okay to belittle or hate people for your lack of understanding.
Sometimes, a person may need to use certain accessibility tools to enjoy their hobbies or to get around in life. It is not your place to decide whether they should be “allowed to” have that hobby just because they don’t experience it the same way you do. It is not your place to decide whether someone “needs” their mobility device, just because sometimes they can walk without it. If an accessibility tool helps someone enjoy life, then let them have it. That’s between them and their doctor.
A person’s sexuality or gender identity may be totally alien to you. Maybe someone uses neopronouns, and you don’t understand why someone would want to use them. You do not need to understand or relate in order to respect them. If someone uses “fae/faer” pronouns, it’s because that is what makes them happy and comfortable.
Maybe a person’s religion seems illogical to you. You think that it is contradictory with itself or lived experience. However, you may not have the whole picture. To them, their religion may be comforting, it may guide their moral compass, it may give them hope when all seems hopeless. And to them, it may be completely in line with lived experience. You do not need to understand a person’s religion in order to respect them.
If you’re close with someone who you don’t fully understand, it may be a good time to have a conversation. As long as you’re kind, a conversation with someone about why they are the way that they are may be very enlightening.
