Vancouver, Canada - MechWarrior Online player and outspoken trans gamer @daalpacagirl never wanted to be in the spotlight, but as long as her simple existence is a problem, she's willing to speak up and set an example.

The gamer had her account banned and two of her clan's team names changed in MechWarrior Online because her use of the word "trans" was bafflingly deemed intolerant, a decision which the developer has since reversed.

TAG24 reached out to @daalpacagirl to get her perspective on the incident, as well as being openly trans in the gaming community.

When it comes to putting herself out there as trans on social media, she said it "felt pretty good for the most part!" Being her true self is liberating, unlike when she was younger and hadn't transitioned yet.

Kylie Jenner Kylie Jenner trolls Kendall Jenner's cucumber fail on TikTok!

She feels lucky to be a zoomer, because "even three or four years ago I probably would've gotten an absurd amount of hatred with only a tiny bit of support & love rather than the other way around."

A lot of this support actually comes from within the online gaming community.

"The best experiences overall have stemmed from like, random run-ins with other trans people. There's so much tying us all together that those friendships can really take off and grow even from just a chance encounter, the exchange of a few sentences over the course of a game."

She also discovered that sometimes first impressions aren't everything – some people who she expected to have problems with – "either due to my own biases against older people, the tone of their voice, and/or how they phrase questions/statements about trans & other social issues" – turned out to "completely defy those expectations" and ended up becoming "advocates, allies, and friends."

Unfortunately, that isn't always the case, and @daalpacagirl remembers feeling unsafe in some MWO clans.

"I didn't really feel safe - in the social sense, mind you - to even say that I was trans, so I avoided issues that way."

Her current clan, KDCM, is a big change, because the atmosphere is open-minded and positive, and the members are trying to keep it that way.

The clan names "KDCM V: Trans Rights" and "KDCM VI: Trans Fights" were chosen to show solidarity with members of the MWO community who were banned for showing support for a trans player who was kicked from a MWO unit's Discord channel.

According to @daalpacagirl, the player was banned for posting pictures of her mech sporting the trans flag colors.

Megan Thee Stallion Megan Thee Stallion's lawsuit against controversial YouTuber could head to trial!

Her clan has been extremely supportive of her as an openly trans member.

That was especially the case in July, shortly after she joined: "There were some issues with another member being super interrogative and confrontational about my identity/body/etc, but once other members were made aware he got the boot pretty quickly."

Gaming has opened up a whole horizon of positive experiences for @daalpacagirl. Even initially standoffish interactions in her group developed into touching moments of solidarity.

"There was an older member who was a little stiff and awkward around me at first, and who asked some questions that were clearly like, based on an understanding of the world/society/gender/sex that was a bit dated. I was non-judgmental and answered him as clearly and honestly as I could, and he was pretty open minded."

That same user ended up being one of the most vocal during that incident in July: "I heard from a few other members about how fiercely he advocated for me and how furious he was that someone had made me feel unwelcome, I was so proud of him that I cried."

The sudden crackdown on the KDCM clan's name and @daalpacagirl's account came bundled with unclear and unhelpful email exchanges from PGI moderators.

It was all the more shocking because it came out of the blue and in very evasive terms.

"It's what really made their warnings to me stand out - because they were so unwilling to be direct or clear in what they wanted from me."

Now that her account’s ban has been lifted, @daalpacagirl is more convinced than ever to continue being vocal in the gaming community – and making the phrase "trans rights" as visible as possible is a big part of that.

"The entire incident has been a beacon, for both better and worse. I've seen people from a lot of clans being more vocal and up front about not being a home for bigotry and a lot more people being open about being trans," she told TAG24.

"I know firsthand what it's like to be surrounded by bigots, how it can feel like even the opinions of a vocal minority is popular opinion or even 'common sense,' how people can be made to feel isolated, alone, and that there is no place for them in the community."

Offering a welcoming entry point for young players – what @daalpacagirl called "fresh blood" – is crucial for changing this culture:

"I don't want others to suffer through all of that thinking that they're alone, or for those who've expressed their bigotry to feel welcome to do so."

The need for more inclusive spaces in gaming is still urgent, as seen with the hate raids and chat attacks against Twitch streamers from marginalized groups.

Positive examples are all the more valuable in this context, which is why @daalpacagirl
remains focused on a simple yet powerful strategy: "Existing and being very vocal about existing! I'm proud of my clan and I think we've set a good example that others can and have followed."

"My hope is that being a bigot will continue to be seen as less and less acceptable, and that people will be more accepting of those whose lives/identities/experiences are outside the bounds of what they consider 'normal'".

In that respect, there are reasons for cautious optimism.

"I think that's really started to shift hard and fast as people from my generation have grown up and older people have filtered out, but given some of the responses in MWO – both from within the community and from PGI staff – it's clear that we have a long way to go still."