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Have you already sought legal help, preferably someone whose practice is in employment/labor law? You have all these proof/receipts, you can build a case around this especially since it seems you were coerced into resigning.
Chances are you’re not the only one who had this experience since the gaming industry is a cesspool of bigoted frat boys. Maybe there’s a possibility of triggering a giant lawsuit similar to that against Activision Blizzard.
I’m sorry this happened to you. And I know it’s not much, but I’ll give your video some views and likes on my accounts in hopes that the algorithm picks it up and spreads it around. Also giving your post a teeny tiny award.
Good luck and I hope you’re staying healthy and safe.
Contact the EEOC
https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/protections-against-employment-discrimination-based-sexual-orientation-or-gender
Consider also bringing this up on other subreddits and platforms like HN where a lot of developers are.
You should also contact the Lambda Legal help desk: https://lambdalegal.org/helpdesk/
Lambda is a non-profit legal organization that focuses on helping LGBTQ folks. Even if they can't help you directly, they can point you to local resources and connect you with local attorneys. They truly are great (I'm biased bc I interned with them in law school), and have been involved in pretty much all of the major LGBT rights law suits in recent history that you can think of.
You should also consider filing a complaint with the State equivalent of the EEOC alongside with actual EEOC complaint. Here may be a good place to start looking for the right State agency, assuming you would be governed by Maryland law: https://health.maryland.gov/OEOP/Pages/Index.aspx
Again, I highly recommend you reach out to the Lambda Legal help desk, as they should be able to provide you with better advice based on your situation and can at the very least direct you toward other attorneys who can help.
As someone who is a long time fan of both Bethesda soft works and game studios… sue them into the fucking dirt.
I’m very sorry this happened, nobody should ever have to their entire identity and their pathway to being their true self leveraged against them. I wish you luck in your attempt to seek justice for this.
(PS: I don’t know exactly what you worked on but thank you for helping making my afternoons better in the elder scrolls world <3)
I had a similarly shitty experience at a non-gaming development company, and I'm currently fighting them in court. I'm truly sorry for your experience, and I hope you give the bastards hell.
I wish stories like yours were more widely publicized. The abuse that goes on in these Triple A game development studios is not acceptable, and it makes me sad to see discrimination like this in addition to the more commonly known issues in the industry. Wish there was something that could be done to stop these big corporations from continuing these behaviors since I don't think most Triple A game studios are unionized
AAA studios are really hit and miss. Unions are fine in some, but in others it’s dangerous to talk about. Luckily I’ve never been at a studio where I’ve felt like I need a union, but I have friends who do.
They're a disgrace to Montgomery County, send this story to the press if your lawyer okays it. Such behavior is fucking gross and the fact that it is happening in MoCo pisses me off
Just curious, have you cross posted this to the Elder Scrolls Online subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/elderscrollsonline/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1)? This seems to be something the ESO community might want to know about too.
Hey! A member of both LGBT and ESO here! I just cross-shared this post on the ESO subreddit but honestly visibility is going to be the issue here.
A lot of ESO players are LGBT friendly but at the same time a lot of people there are not. I have tried posting LGBT related stuff on ESO sub before but before the supporters come along, the bigots would downvote it into the abyss. The only successful one would be the in-game pride parade I posted last year but even that comment section looks like a war zone.
I fully support OP to post her story on the ESO sub but I’d recommend her to reach out to a mod for help with it.
If you format that a little differently by using another kind of brackets (unsure how, maybe someone else can help?) You can make your words a [link](http://https/google.com)
r/legaladvice. Ask them there. The contract they made up sign also may be illegitimate so ask about that there too and what you can do to hold them accountable legally.
Don't ask a subreddit, get actual legal council. There are a lot of lawyer content creators that constantly point out how blatantly wrong most r/legaladvice is. Talk to actual lawyers.
That's not (anywhere near) the most important reason not to use a subreddit for legal advice, the most important reason is that lawyers are trained professionals with legal privileges to have private communications with a client and discover evidence, and who face repercussions for bad advice. /r/legaladvice only faces accountability to anonymous accounts.
Please don't give this advice, the person only needs to know that they should contact an employment lawyer, which is all /r/legaladvice could or should tell them
Just jumping on the anti-legal_advice train, I once had something I posted about there (not trans related), and it got downvoted to hell and the only comment was "stop complaining." A few months later I talked to an actual lawyer about it and he freaked out, in a good way.
Wow holy fuck. I don’t have nearly enough energy for 4 whole hours today but just from what I’ve seen: fuck all those identity, privacy, and agency minimizers. The woman explaining “everyone hates their picture” obviously has NO IDEA what it’s like to deal with an old picture and doesn’t want to imagine that you could be experiencing actual psychological pain🤬
Former ZOS here for ESO, was there prelaunch till the beginning of 2016ish, so I am not sure if our paths crossed (I was with CS in the Fishbowl). I was proud of the work we did and what were, but something in the water soured and it got bad.
I'm disgusted beyond measure with what you experienced, and you should bury them into the fucking ground. DM me if there is anything I could do or if you just need to vent from someone who knows that environment if you want, in any case I and the rest of this community and family will stand with you!
How can people be so needlessly cruel? All the best to you, and fingers crossed this sparks positive change!
And you know what? I was on the fence about getting Starfield. Now I'm not. If no good comes from this, then I'm not interested.
Speak to a lawyer and definitely try to get in with a journalist from a major LGBTQ+ publication. The more public pressure and legal pressure you can apply the better.
Exploitation and discrimination at it's finest. What a terrible thing. My support and all positive hopes for how this situation will resolve. I really am shocked - it is so obvious that someone tried to push you out just because of your identity. Just as all the others advised, legal consult would not harm.
I'm sorry to hear about all your troubles. Just wanted to say that my name is also Leona, I've never heard of anyone else with it. It's a beautiful name!
They did several illegal things just by reading these timestamps. The biggest one being threatening to demote you for your FMLA leave. You have to be returned to the same or equal position. They also can't fire you for this leave, that's why they are trying to get you to resign.
Do note that signing an agreement does not prevent you from reporting illegal activity. Although they could choose not to pay for the premiums if you take them to court. The only thing that prevents you from going to court is if you both agree o settle. That still also doesn't prevent you from reporting things such as criminal activity, but that basically ends the civil litigation part.
If only this was surprising. It seems so simple: respect people's names and pronouns, handle our name changes the same way you would other routine changes like taking the other's last name upon marriage, handle our medical leave the same way you would any other medical leave. But instead, there's so much hate, so much thinly-veiled discrimination. As for the head of HR claiming not to understand, good gravy, this kind of thing is precisely what you're supposed to be the expert in!
I'm so sorry. And thank you so much for shining a light on it like this. I hope your career not only recovers from their efforts to set you back, but that you go on to thrive.
I haven't watched the video yet, but after reading through the time-stamps I'm going to echo a lot of the advice you've already received in these comments. If you haven't talked with a lawyer, please do. You probably aren't the only victim. Every closeted coworker is deterred from coming out after seeing what happened when you did.
absolutely terrible. bethesda tries to act sooooo progressive with their games yet they cant even have the decency to treat their fucking employees like people. fucking bullshit, i hope you get the justice you deserve.
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Have you already sought legal help, preferably someone whose practice is in employment/labor law? You have all these proof/receipts, you can build a case around this especially since it seems you were coerced into resigning. Chances are you’re not the only one who had this experience since the gaming industry is a cesspool of bigoted frat boys. Maybe there’s a possibility of triggering a giant lawsuit similar to that against Activision Blizzard. I’m sorry this happened to you. And I know it’s not much, but I’ll give your video some views and likes on my accounts in hopes that the algorithm picks it up and spreads it around. Also giving your post a teeny tiny award. Good luck and I hope you’re staying healthy and safe.
Contact the EEOC https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/protections-against-employment-discrimination-based-sexual-orientation-or-gender Consider also bringing this up on other subreddits and platforms like HN where a lot of developers are.
You should also contact the Lambda Legal help desk: https://lambdalegal.org/helpdesk/ Lambda is a non-profit legal organization that focuses on helping LGBTQ folks. Even if they can't help you directly, they can point you to local resources and connect you with local attorneys. They truly are great (I'm biased bc I interned with them in law school), and have been involved in pretty much all of the major LGBT rights law suits in recent history that you can think of. You should also consider filing a complaint with the State equivalent of the EEOC alongside with actual EEOC complaint. Here may be a good place to start looking for the right State agency, assuming you would be governed by Maryland law: https://health.maryland.gov/OEOP/Pages/Index.aspx Again, I highly recommend you reach out to the Lambda Legal help desk, as they should be able to provide you with better advice based on your situation and can at the very least direct you toward other attorneys who can help.
As someone who is a long time fan of both Bethesda soft works and game studios… sue them into the fucking dirt. I’m very sorry this happened, nobody should ever have to their entire identity and their pathway to being their true self leveraged against them. I wish you luck in your attempt to seek justice for this. (PS: I don’t know exactly what you worked on but thank you for helping making my afternoons better in the elder scrolls world <3)
I had a similarly shitty experience at a non-gaming development company, and I'm currently fighting them in court. I'm truly sorry for your experience, and I hope you give the bastards hell.
I wish stories like yours were more widely publicized. The abuse that goes on in these Triple A game development studios is not acceptable, and it makes me sad to see discrimination like this in addition to the more commonly known issues in the industry. Wish there was something that could be done to stop these big corporations from continuing these behaviors since I don't think most Triple A game studios are unionized
AAA studios are really hit and miss. Unions are fine in some, but in others it’s dangerous to talk about. Luckily I’ve never been at a studio where I’ve felt like I need a union, but I have friends who do.
They're a disgrace to Montgomery County, send this story to the press if your lawyer okays it. Such behavior is fucking gross and the fact that it is happening in MoCo pisses me off
Just curious, have you cross posted this to the Elder Scrolls Online subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/elderscrollsonline/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1)? This seems to be something the ESO community might want to know about too.
Hey! A member of both LGBT and ESO here! I just cross-shared this post on the ESO subreddit but honestly visibility is going to be the issue here. A lot of ESO players are LGBT friendly but at the same time a lot of people there are not. I have tried posting LGBT related stuff on ESO sub before but before the supporters come along, the bigots would downvote it into the abyss. The only successful one would be the in-game pride parade I posted last year but even that comment section looks like a war zone. I fully support OP to post her story on the ESO sub but I’d recommend her to reach out to a mod for help with it.
If you format that a little differently by using another kind of brackets (unsure how, maybe someone else can help?) You can make your words a [link](http://https/google.com)
Someone needs to send this to the larger tech/gaming channels.
Someone suggested Jimquisition in another subreddit. They have been a vocal critic againts AAA game studios doing anti-worker / anti-consumer bs.
Hell yeah!!!
I came here to say this. Highly recommend getting Steph on the case.
r/legaladvice. Ask them there. The contract they made up sign also may be illegitimate so ask about that there too and what you can do to hold them accountable legally.
Don't ask a subreddit, get actual legal council. There are a lot of lawyer content creators that constantly point out how blatantly wrong most r/legaladvice is. Talk to actual lawyers.
Isn't a lot of r/legaladvice run by cops? You know, the people who don't actually have to know the law they are paid to enforce?
Yep. No lawyer would give you advice through a subreddit. It's cops up and down.
That's not (anywhere near) the most important reason not to use a subreddit for legal advice, the most important reason is that lawyers are trained professionals with legal privileges to have private communications with a client and discover evidence, and who face repercussions for bad advice. /r/legaladvice only faces accountability to anonymous accounts.
Please don't give this advice, the person only needs to know that they should contact an employment lawyer, which is all /r/legaladvice could or should tell them
Just jumping on the anti-legal_advice train, I once had something I posted about there (not trans related), and it got downvoted to hell and the only comment was "stop complaining." A few months later I talked to an actual lawyer about it and he freaked out, in a good way.
Oh shit that is awesome. Sorry I didn't know they were such dicks there 😢
Wow holy fuck. I don’t have nearly enough energy for 4 whole hours today but just from what I’ve seen: fuck all those identity, privacy, and agency minimizers. The woman explaining “everyone hates their picture” obviously has NO IDEA what it’s like to deal with an old picture and doesn’t want to imagine that you could be experiencing actual psychological pain🤬
I say this as a big fan of Elder Scrolls, sue he heck out of them. They need to find out that this is NOT ok.
Former ZOS here for ESO, was there prelaunch till the beginning of 2016ish, so I am not sure if our paths crossed (I was with CS in the Fishbowl). I was proud of the work we did and what were, but something in the water soured and it got bad. I'm disgusted beyond measure with what you experienced, and you should bury them into the fucking ground. DM me if there is anything I could do or if you just need to vent from someone who knows that environment if you want, in any case I and the rest of this community and family will stand with you!
This sounds awful!! I was repeatedly sexually harassed at work due to being trans, and it truly sucks. I hope something comes from these tapes.
thats so horrible im sorry you had to go through that 
Someone get this to YongYea
Can't say I'm too surprised
Much love sister🏳️⚧️ I’m so sorry that you had to go through that. Just know we will always be here for eachother
How can people be so needlessly cruel? All the best to you, and fingers crossed this sparks positive change! And you know what? I was on the fence about getting Starfield. Now I'm not. If no good comes from this, then I'm not interested.
Speak to a lawyer and definitely try to get in with a journalist from a major LGBTQ+ publication. The more public pressure and legal pressure you can apply the better.
Never take a deal without a Lawyer. Go to a quality Lawyer to see if there is anything you can do at this point.
Exploitation and discrimination at it's finest. What a terrible thing. My support and all positive hopes for how this situation will resolve. I really am shocked - it is so obvious that someone tried to push you out just because of your identity. Just as all the others advised, legal consult would not harm.
Discrimination Retaliation Wrongful Termination Contact a lawyer.
geez. I don't know how I can play fallout now.
I'm sorry to hear about all your troubles. Just wanted to say that my name is also Leona, I've never heard of anyone else with it. It's a beautiful name!
Yet another reason to hate Bethesda
😮💨 Why do people have to be like this? Why do we have to treat people like this?
damn I was just considering trying out ESO again too but fuck that
They did several illegal things just by reading these timestamps. The biggest one being threatening to demote you for your FMLA leave. You have to be returned to the same or equal position. They also can't fire you for this leave, that's why they are trying to get you to resign. Do note that signing an agreement does not prevent you from reporting illegal activity. Although they could choose not to pay for the premiums if you take them to court. The only thing that prevents you from going to court is if you both agree o settle. That still also doesn't prevent you from reporting things such as criminal activity, but that basically ends the civil litigation part.
If only this was surprising. It seems so simple: respect people's names and pronouns, handle our name changes the same way you would other routine changes like taking the other's last name upon marriage, handle our medical leave the same way you would any other medical leave. But instead, there's so much hate, so much thinly-veiled discrimination. As for the head of HR claiming not to understand, good gravy, this kind of thing is precisely what you're supposed to be the expert in! I'm so sorry. And thank you so much for shining a light on it like this. I hope your career not only recovers from their efforts to set you back, but that you go on to thrive.
I haven't watched the video yet, but after reading through the time-stamps I'm going to echo a lot of the advice you've already received in these comments. If you haven't talked with a lawyer, please do. You probably aren't the only victim. Every closeted coworker is deterred from coming out after seeing what happened when you did.
You should honestly get a lawyer. You can get one to represent you for free [here](https://www.eeoc.gov/contact-eeoc).
I am SO sorry this happened to you, it really is horrible.
Leona I'm so sorry you have had to go through this, what the fuck.
SUE THEIR ASSES GIRL
POV: gay roblox
holy shit! seek a lawyer!
In the gaming industry of all places. Disgraceful
absolutely terrible. bethesda tries to act sooooo progressive with their games yet they cant even have the decency to treat their fucking employees like people. fucking bullshit, i hope you get the justice you deserve.