Hi! I was just wondering, since you were at blizzcon, if I could ask you about something? I recently saw you mention the devs stated that Moira was given an androgynous look to emphasize her moral grayness and bad guy persona. And after that, I saw another post where someone said they heard from someone else that the devs said Moira is supposed to be nonbinary "like Lynx from the comics"--which, as an enby myself and given the negative intent of her design, I'm not so sure I want to believe.
I sent this to someone else, but I’ll repost it here:
During the Overwatch: What’s Next panel, at 6:48, this is where the development team explains that they wanted a ‘shady’ character in contrast to all of their ‘good’ healers.
And this is where they talk about Moira’s concept design, and how they started off with androgyny and giving her an androgynous look in conjunction to how ‘shady’ and ‘morally ambiguous’ she is.
(And this is coincidentally, also the part where I went silent, and started fidgeting with my phone. I was uncomfortable and nervous. Mainly because I knew that when word of this gets out, that it was gonna be bad.)
Also, this is the part where they champion Moira’s androgyny as being yet another ‘diverse’ thing about Overwatch to celebrate, and they did so to a genderqueer kid who was desperate for some representation. Yet I don’t think they, or that kid, realized the problems in the execution of this concept for this character, even realized the implications of their actions.
As for the nonbinary thing, I think people are conflating nonbinary with androgynous, when it’s not the same thing. I haven’t heard any official confirmation that she is in fact, nonbinary. Just heard the devs say and imply she’s androgynous over and over again.
The nonbinary thing may be speculation on the part of some people. And wishful thinking.
So yeah … overall it’s not a good look. Moira as a character makes me personally uncomfortable (and I’m cis, for crying out loud).
So for now, I’m not sure if her inclusion is anything to champion or celebrate.