Can you tell us a bit about your Warframe clan and its focus on LGBTQIA+ inclusivity and friendliness? What drew you to Warframe as the platform for fostering an LGBTQIA+ friendly community, especially within Aurum Sanctuary?

• (Alexion) I’ve been playing Warframe for a little over 10 years and what drew me to bring the community to Warframe was that Digital Extremes put in effort in making an inclusive atmosphere in the game via characters & warframes.
• (Blindeagle12) The environment of Digital Extremes is one that promotes friendly and open communities. 
• (robotickz) I originally joined warframe purely for the gameplay and to have an mmo to play. One of the major reasons I stayed was due to the first Pride event I saw. I really appreciate the overt support DE puts out.

How did your Warframe clan come into existence, and what were the initial goals or aspirations behind its formation? In what ways does Warframe’s gameplay and community structure lend themselves to creating a welcoming environment for LGBTQIA+ players?
(2 part question, Alexion answered the first part as the only remaining founding member, the last half everyone else answered)

• (Alexion) Our clan was formed when our gaming community moved to Warframe back in August of 2018, being inclusive prior to that. And regarding gameplay & community structure, in my opinion, it’s primarily how they handle community interaction and events, such as Pride Month.
• (Stygie) The way the developers have crafted the mechanics and how the community engages each other has made the community one of the least toxic communities.
• (Usushe) Due to how DE handles community interaction, it’s been surprisingly welcoming, especially compared to previous communities I’ve been a part of.
• (robotickz) Warframe’s PVE nature was something I always hoped for in a game. I’ve put in quite a bit of time into PVP shooters and other competitive games but part of the innate nature of player vs player is conflict. Warframe not only has a PVE base game, but it encourages people to participate and help each other.
• (Ov3rthr0n3) I think [because] Warframe is co-op, you are mechanically inclined to form community, and bond with other Tenno, which makes it easier to find friendly and welcoming pockets of friends and allies.

What inspired you to create or lead a LGBTQIA+ friendly clan in Warframe? How do you feel Warframe’s diverse cast of characters and expansive lore contribute to the inclusivity of your LGBTQIA+ focused clan?

• (Alexion) Aurum Sanctuary Gaming Community started under a few different names in the past, in different games. We’ve always been inclusive since day 1, mainly because I wanted to create a “home” for coop gamers. I’ve been around allies and members of the LGBTQIA+ community for most of my life, so it only made sense when I took the leap all those years ago, and when I brought the community to Warframe. The characters and lore are wonderful. Characters such as Ticker, Varzia and Loid are a great way for players to feel heard and represented in the story.

How do you ensure that your clan remains a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ players? Have you noticed any unique aspects of Warframe that make it particularly conducive to building LGBTQIA+ inclusive clans and communities?

• (Alexion) For the first question, it’s about boundaries and respect. I try my best to set a standard and try to carve out a good home for everyone that chooses love.
• (robotickz) I can answer the second part in that customization has made me meet an incredible amount of trans people. Having eye-bleeding neon pride colors on your spaceship helps to broadcast to other queer players
• (Blindeagle12) Naming weapons and customization is great, it’s easy to find allies due to glyphs, warframe & weapon customization.

What activities or events does your clan typically engage in within the Warframe universe? How does Warframe’s cooperative gameplay and emphasis on teamwork align with the values of your LGBTQIA+ friendly community?

• (Alexion) We host various events, both for general members of the community and Warframe Members, all via discord. From sharing memes and goofy videos to captura contests and noggle hunts inside the dojo.
• (Blindeagle12) We promote inclusive and open-minded events that anyone can join, with very little barrier for entry. 
• (robotickz) I know one event Alexion has hosted, captura contests, lead to me learning how to use captura. I received a lot of help in learning the mechanics and I got some good advice to help scenes match up with my neon pride-colored warframes.
• (Ov3rthr0n3) Part of what keeps me coming back to Warframe is helping new players, and seeing that so many others in the clan do the same is awesome

How do you recruit new members to your clan, and what qualities or characteristics do you look for in potential recruits? Have you encountered any specific features or mechanics within Warframe that have helped facilitate connections and understanding among LGBTQIA+ players?

• (Alexion) We recruit via in game recruit chat and a post on reddit. All of which I have structured in a way to be a “vibe check” of sorts. A lot of work went into word choice and such to make it to that point. For the second part of the question, I feel as though members would have a better time answering.
• (robotickz) I will say I pretty much joined just because the clan recruitment specifically mentioned “not caring if you don’t use meta”
• (DrDecapitation) I went looking for a clan because of the items that require you to be part of a clan to acquire. Without that I would have postponed looking for a clan. I stayed because this clan was all around friendly. I think locking some (but not too many) in game items behind clan membership encourages people to start a search for community.
• (TheRivenStar) when they said “LGBTQ inclusive” they meant it.  It’s hard to find clans that are fully accepting of the trans community, and it’s refreshing how inclusionary this one is

Have you faced any challenges in maintaining LGBTQIA+ inclusivity within your clan? If so, how have you addressed them? How do you handle disagreements or conflicts within the clan, and what measures are in place to maintain harmony among members?

• (Alexion) We’ve faced a lot of challenges over the years. Mostly in the form of intolerant people joining the community under the guise of “I don’t care, therefore it doesn’t matter”. These situations were dealt with quickly to prevent any problems.
  In terms of disagreements, it’s very case-by-case, so it’s hard to give a direct response. I try to be empathetic and understanding to make sure I’m not making the situation worse, but with most of my interactions being via text, it can be difficult.

Can you share any memorable experiences or success stories that highlight the impact of LGBTQIA+ representation and acceptance within your clan? What opportunities do you see for Warframe and its community to further promote LGBTQIA+ inclusivity and acceptance in the future?

• (Alexion) I feel as though member responses would have better value here, so I’ll let them speak for themselves.
• (Ov3rthr0n3) I was recruited [because] one of your members had the same rainbow Hildryn glyph and we mutually complimented each other on our “good taste” and recognized each other as allies/members of the LGBTQ+ community. My old clan was dead and looking into Aurum Sanctuary passed the vibe check with flying colors.
• (robotickz) I remember about a week ago I had a dream with an image of a trans flag with the caption “guandao;” a weapon in the game. Usushe made me the image and it just stands out as a charming moment for me.
• (MrsSilverAndro) I mean it’s a small thing but the pride reacts on the annual pride news has always been really nice
• (TheRivenStar) I was outed as trans at work, and this community had my back and helped me to feel better about my week, and not so alone.  This community is one of the most wholesome and kind communities I’ve been a part of.

From your perspective, how important is it for gaming communities like Warframe to actively promote LGBTQIA+ inclusivity? Do you have any advice or suggestions for other Warframe clan leaders looking to create a thriving and inclusive community within the game?

• (Alexion) It’s extremely important to create an inclusive community if you want the community to grow and prosper. From the perspective of a community lead, I’d say listening to your community is most important in the process. Even the little things; take note and keep it in mind at the very least.
• (Blindeagle12) Just show love. I wish it was not more complicated than that, but just show love.
• (robotickz) I’ve always appreciated when companies or games would put out explicit pride support. Warframe took a step further by acting on that support with a celebration and several free items for players! Likewise, I’d say that just outright saying you’re supportive can be a big boost; even better if you can show that support in some way.
• (Stygie) It is not only integral, but necessary in a game like Warframe. The story goes to great lengths to show us reconnecting to fellow Tenno and rediscovering family and stuff. I know the first time I heard “This is What You Are” I felt so connected to the whole story and seeing others have the same feeling made me feel connected. It just makes sense. As for the community, clan leaders need to be intolerant of intolerance. You can’t let things slide for hate festers very quickly. Show kindness and care.
• (TheRivenStar) Give space to everyone.  We all are deserving of respect in the community, regardless of what letter of LGBTQIA we fall under. We All Lift Together.
• (Ov3rthr0n3) I think it’s incredibly important for companies to actively promote and support LGBTQ+ players, characters, and stories. Especially with the culture at large and the gaming community can be prejudiced towards the Queer community. Stand up to bullies. The paradox of intolerance isn’t a paradox if you consider that a bigot breaks a social contract and is thus no longer entitled to the tolerance society gives.

How do you balance creating a LGBTQIA+ friendly space while also ensuring that the clan remains inclusive and welcoming to players of all backgrounds and identities? How does Warframe’s ongoing development and updates influence the activities and engagement levels within your LGBTQIA+ friendly clan?

• (Alexion) Regarding the first question, it’s all about respecting people and their choices. So long as you’re not actively prohibiting someone from having fun or accessing something without proper reason, you’re fine. Only be intolerant of the intolerant. Quite a paradox on paper.
• (robotickz) One thing that I think really helps foster a sense of inclusivity in new players is having explicitly queer active members. I know I definitely felt more inclined to be more active after seeing pronoun tags and pride flags on clanmates’ accounts.
• (Stygie) If you are to make an inclusive community, you have to be open to teaching people.
• (TheRivenStar) You ensure that everyone is a kind and respectful person. You have to vibe check people for how they treat others within the LGBTQIA community. Tolerance is a two way street and the moment someone is intolerant and makes community members uncomfortable, it should be dealt with.
• (Ov3rthr0n3) Foster new tenno. If you are kind to the new players, they are so much more likely to pay that kindness forward in the future, and less likely to be toxic to their fellow players. Teach them to be forgiving to themselves and others and accepting of themselves and others.

In what ways do you collaborate with other LGBTQIA+ friendly clans or communities within Warframe or gaming in general? Do you believe Warframe’s emphasis on player customization and expression allows for greater representation and visibility of LGBTQIA+ identities within the game?

• (Alexion) As for the first part of the question, we’ve tried to collaborate and communicate with clans that claimed to be LGBTQIA+ friendly or allies in the past and it’s been problematic. So we’ve not tried since. I’m open to trying again, but with the Gaming Community growing so large, it becomes more difficult as time goes on.

• (TheRivenStar) YES, the customization is amazing.  Everyone gets to know what they’re getting when they see my trans pride landing craft in the loading screens, and my trans pride colors in my signas.  I’ve had mostly positive interactions from it as well.  You can be a beacon to other LGBTQIA players to let them know they can be open safely.
• (Ov3rthr0n3) The customization is absolutely a big factor. Allowing players a free space to self-express and explore is an amazing avenue of discovery.
• (Usushe) I can make my weapons gay and get no flak for it

Any final thoughts?

• (Alexion) A lot of us are wanting to offer input regarding the questions/interview structure; I feel like some of these numbered questions were 2 parts and very different in some cases, so I think breaking some of them up would have been a good choice.
• (robotickz) A lot of these questions seem like 2 different questions merged together. I appreciate the way the questions encourage thinking of answers, but the quantity of them kind of makes each one difficult to answer in different ways.
• (Usushe) The questions felt vague to me. I could not come up with a good answer for them, if any answers at all.
• (Blindeagle12) Trans rights! F[***] Joanne and f[***] her secret hotel room in Diagon Alley! It’s way too nice for a person like her.

[I’ll be updating the interview questions based on the feedback here. Thanks so much for participating!]