October 30, 2006 | Sex & Society

Boys kiss in 'Bully'

Lots of things will get a controversial video game an 'M' rating. It's not at all uncommon, for instance, for guns, violence and sex to be deemed appropriate only for mature audiences -- that is, video game players over age 17. But what about same-sex makeout sessions?

If Rockstar Games' new Bully is any indication, boy-on-boy action isn't all that M-worthy. The game, which pits a 15-year-old tough-guy character named Jimmy Hopkins against a school full of bullies, features several opportunities for gay kissing, according to GameSpot and GayGamer, but was released recently with only a 'T' rating, which deems it appropriate for teens age 13 and older.

Of course, not everyone thinks gay kisses are appropriate for teenagers. Florida lawyer Jack Thompson, for instance, thinks Bully is inppropriate for everyone. He wants the game banned, according to EDGE New England, and without having played it suggests the game is a "Columbine simulator."

The game, however, features neither murder nor guns. Instead it has slingshots, baseball bats and gay love. Sounds like a simple case of "boys will be boys"!

• Bully's boy-on-boy scenes causing a stir [GameSpot]
• Video proof: Bully's Jimmy Hopkins likes to kiss boys [GayGamer]
• The latest gaming controvery: kissing boys [Stuff]
  
• Maker defends school Bully video game [EDGE New England]