‘Pokémon’ gives transphobic judge a lifetime ban

wegotthiscovered.com:

A certified judge has been banned from participating in any official Pokémon event due to “transphobic behavior” towards a group of trans players in an official event that happened last weekend.

PokéBeach reported that multiple players filed complaints through Pokémon’s official support system after the judge in question allegedly verbally harassed a group of trans players during and outside the Vancouver Regionals. According to players, the Texan judge approached them and asked for feedback on how judges in these events could be inclusive. But then the conversation began to sour as the judge commented on the players’ appearances and began to talk over them.

“[He] started out positive asking us how Pokemon judges could do better [to be] more inclusive. I do think the original discussion was coming from a place of sincerity.

“But it quickly devolved. The judge “told each of the trans women in our group how he could tell they were ‘born a boy,’ for reasons such as ‘you have a boyish build’ or ‘you have a manly face’. He didn’t listen to our [views] and instead chose to talk over us.”

Players also reported that the same judge in question followed them to a private dinner uninvited and “continued to antagonize” the group. The judge was requesting feedback for a chance to move up the ladder. But at the same time, he continued to criticize the players’ appearances, claiming that “they don’t pass for women.”

“He needed players to give him good feedback in order to move up the ladder. During the dinner, he continued to “[go around] one by one to all of us pointing out why we don’t pass for women.”

It was reported that the Texan judge had pre-existing allegations prior to the Vancouver regionals. Fortunately, after shaken players