[Open] Instant Permaban Appeal

In-Game name: Video Nasty #FixTF2
Time of Ban: 18:54
Date of Ban: 12-15-24
Steam ID: STEAM_0:1:12432392
Reason for Ban: Player Harassment
Additional Comments: Permabanned for 1 slur?
The incident occurred several days ago, I was playing on PL_Jinn and was playing with a casual friend who was a medic. He was on fire and about to die with Kritzkrieg so I quickly told him to taunt, he didn't and died so I called him a 'retard' for not. I am autistic and have a (bad) habit of using this word casually with an ironic self-deprecating understanding.
A trainee admin who happened to be playing at the time warned me against the word. I was irritated about my conversation with a friend being the subject of server scrutiny so I (wrongly) said back "I know you're trans so everything short of I love you is bad". This statement is mean, however I didn't really wish harm on the admin as you can see by the lack of genuinely transphobic language, it's a comment on sensitivity really.

She then muted me for 3-4 days (cannot recall the exact amount). I thought: 'fair enough, I was deeply wrong to say that and have been dealt with accordingly'.

However, I tried to play again today to find out I have been permabanned. I sincerely do not wish ill on the friend I was playing with or the trainee admin either, I simply was joking with a friend in my initial comment, and in the heat of the moment with my second, for which I received warning then a mute as appropriate. This permaban seems to me sudden and unwarranted.
If, incidentally, you believe it to be warranted, can you explain what aspect of my behaviour was permanently ban worthy, as opposed to standard practice which is 1 week, then 2 weeks after a repeat offense, if my lurking of the forums is correct.

The only thing I can think which caused it is that after being muted I kept playing and taunted after killing the admin once, but that hardly seems to me to be enough to warrant a ban.

I have also checked the ban requests of this trainee admin (as I suspect that she does not have the power to ban people herself), and no such public request has been made, yet I was banned by a different admin, suggesting a private conversation was had about my permaban. Irregardless of the outcome of my appeal, private ban requests seem a road to a culture of silent authority rather than publicly visible authority.

Your appeal has been received, we'll review the details and get back to you shortly, usually in 2-3 days.

You were banned under server rule #3 on hate speech because your response to the admin who asked you not to use that word was disrespectful, and vindictive. We will not tolerate those kinds of directly targeted remarks towards other players.

1. No hate speech or harassment is allowed. This includes (but is not limited to) racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, bullying, and use of racial, ethnic, and anti-LGBT slurs. Likewise, glorification of nazis, or use of nazi imagery and symbols, is grounds for an immediate permanent ban.
   • Clarification on this rule from the addendum in post #3, below:
     Anyone caught harassing another player on our servers on basis of race, sex, disability, gender, gender identity, or sexuality will be permanently banned. Appeals for this kind of ban will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

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The only thing I can think which caused it is that after being muted I kept playing and taunted after killing the admin once, but that hardly seems to me to be enough to warrant a ban.

I have also checked the ban requests of this trainee admin (as I suspect that she does not have the power to ban people herself), and no such public request has been made, yet I was banned by a different admin, suggesting a private conversation was had about my permaban. Irregardless of the outcome of my appeal, private ban requests seem a road to a culture of silent authority rather than publicly visible authority.

Click to expand...

Don't start that shit with me. I have zero patience for people implying staff impropriety when their punishments are within our publicly posted guidelines, in the hope it will work in their favour. Furthermore, I'm not sure where you got the idea that trainee staff are required to make ban requests under public scrutiny. They are members of our staff team and are partnered with an established staff member as a mentor during the trainee period while they settle in.

Now, back to the primary point of this thread - here's the deal:

One of our community managers reviewed the specifics of your ban and ruled the punishment was justified as issued. In the spirit of the holidays, I'm going to offer what we sometimes do in a permanent ban appeal situation, which is your one and only "get-out-of-jail-free" card.

Effectively:

• Your ban will be shortened to 2 weeks, as though it was a second infraction (one for the use of the r-word, and one infraction for the snide/transphobic remark directed towards our staff member who asked you not to use it).
• You are now considered to be inexcusably aware of our server rules and code of conduct.
• There are no further chances. If there's a repeat of this behaviour, or any other violation of our community rules, the permanent ban will be reinstated in full and your appeals will be rejected.
• Your ban will remain on record for reference.

To ensure there are no misunderstandings here, you need to confirm to me that you have read and understood the stipulations attached to being unbanned from our servers. Only once I get that reply will your ban be modified as outlined above.

~Vintage