Gay Tony is a good step for gays in games

Globe and Mail writes:

To put it simply, Tony is the sort of gay character we've been itching to see in a mainstream game. He's brash and a bit rude, but can be suave and likeable when he wants to. He's also powerful (at least at the start of the game), well-dressed, and not overly possessed of stereotypically effeminate mannerisms. His homosexuality is simply a facet of his character, not the focus.

To be sure, he has plenty of flaws, including a bad drug habit, a tendency to blame Luis for things that aren't his fault, and a propensity for criminal behavior, but this is almost to be expected. Virtually every character in the Grand Theft Auto universe is a villain to one degree or another; it would be irregular if Tony wasn't.

And, significantly, he's treated as an equal by other characters. They interact and do business with him as they would anyone else. There are a few who treat him boorishly and call him a "fag," but these are dimwitted lowlifes-such as a couple of thugs from Luis' past-the opinions of which players are not meant to respect.

All of this makes Tony kind of special. By my reckoning he's the first realistically gay character to be made the subject of such a high profile game. He may not be a role model, but nor is he a stereotype that we need roll our eyes over.

As anyone who has ever spent any amount of time playing games online knows, there is clearly a vocal minority of gay-bashing players out there who could do with seeing a homosexual character who has earned the respect of a tough guy like Luis Lopez. It's doubtful that Gay Tony will change the minds of these bigoted players all on his own, but he represents the biggest step yet in that direction in the world of mainstream games.