Too Unrealistic for Second Life? The Ridiculous Discrimination Against Curvy Avatars

I’m going to say something that has bothered me about Second Life for years: discrimination against large-chested avatars is still alive and well, even today.

Today, my friends Lia and Maya, who are dating, decided to visit a nude beach together and simply relax. Instead, Lia was suddenly ejected and banned from the sim by an owner or admin—with absolutely no warning. She tried to explain that if there was something about her appearance that violated their rules, she would have happily changed her look. But apparently, the person didn't want to hear it.

Then Maya was ejected and banned too... because she had forgotten that she still had her dancer/escort tag on from her job. Again, no warning. No polite request to change it. Just gone. Banned.

From what they told me, the person responsible was incredibly rude. Sadly, I can't say I'm surprised. Years ago, I had my own experience with this kind of attitude when my cup size was deemed a little too large and, apparently, too "unrealistic" for Second Life.

And that brings me to this simple truth:

If you own or run a sim, you absolutely have the right to make the rules. Your sim, your standards. Myself and my friends will respect that.

But accusing someone in SECOND LIFE, of all places, of not being "realistic" is honestly hilarious.

Nothing about Second Life is real.

Girl... your body probably isn't that thin in real life. Your hair probably isn't that perfect in real life. Your face is DEFINITELY not that pretty in real life.

And you know what?

That's okay.

We're all fake here. We can be anything we want. Beautiful, bizarre, sexy, monstrous, fantasy creatures, vampires, demons, aliens, impossibly muscular, impossibly curvy, or whatever else makes us happy.

That's kind of the point.

It's called Second Life.

So if you don't like big boobs, that's your preference. If you want a sim with specific appearance rules, fine. Make those rules clear. Give people a warning. Give them a chance to change. Treat them like human beings instead of immediately ejecting and banning them because their pixels aren't shaped the way you think they should be.

Because the bigotry, body shaming, and discrimination are apparently still alive and well in Second Life.

And honestly? For a virtual world built around the freedom to become something other than what we are in real life...

That is pretty damn sad.