Something is rotten in the world of Gor (OOC)

I joined the Tabor sims a few weeks ago. I chose to live outside the Safe Zone, as I didn't see any point in denying myself the opportunity of roleplay and sitting inside a cosy home instead; I can do that anywhere in SL. Within my first few days there my home was burned down (I managed to get out) by an outlaw. I was targeted by outlaws for most of the first three weeks I lived there (until a RL emotional outburst exploded in to SL Gor and now most people avoid me). I have been told two versions of why I was targeted. Firstly that the residents were aiming to either break me or break me in - kind of like an initiation. Secondly that a member of the Green caste as a slave is highly prized... I was advised by some of the residents to wear a bow for my own protection, but was then advised against it by my mentor - which made me happy as I am a useless fighter and it goes against my personal beliefs.

As I headed to my home in Hillcrest of Tabor, I was aware someone was heading in my direction (I wear a radar), but I didn't think anything about it. We were the only two people on the sim at that time. Seconds after getting in to my home, I heard the door open. I turned around to see a guy standing there; he is in my home, I am unarmed, I have never seen him before. I was a bit surprised but greeted him and then was about to emote my surprise and ask if he needed assistance, etc. Before I managed to type a word, he attacked me. In the spirit of roleplay I did the only thing that I could think of and ran. Of course, he downed me before I could reach safety. I expected to be bound, dragged away, sold as a slave, etc. so I waited for the roleplay. Nothing happened. He had left the sim.

When I regained consciousness, I headed to the infirmary (Safe Zone) in the Isle of Tabor to seek help with my wounds. He attacked me again as I reached the doors. This time I sent an emote in Group Chat about being attacked, crawling to the infirmary for help, being attacked again, etc. One of the physicians said he would be with me shortly - but then he and his Free Companion were attacked by the same guy in the Safe Zone at Silver Tree of Tabor.

By this time, I had seen something and went OOC and chased after the attacker - he was flying. If he could do that, I saw no reason to attempt any kind of roleplay. Every time I got close, he flew away. Eventually I managed to get near enough to talk to him - as he was attacking a group of other residents from the Tabor sims. He called us homos, pansy asses, faggots, etc. Myself and one other resident were caged during the attack.

Amidst all the arguing and attacking and meters being reset the reason for his attack became clear (and I was in IM with him to try to understand his actions). Apparently he has been previously captured by panthers and he said they find it amusing to sell a straight captive as a slave to a gay sim. He said he did not want to waste two hours of roleplay only to end up on a 'fag sim'. I told him that this was meant to be fun and consensual so if he did not wish to be involved in this he should put it in his limits or refuse to roleplay it. He said he had been banned from one sim he was captured on for refusing to be traded to a gay sim. He had apparently asked to be banned on the gay Gorean sims to prevent his transportation there but had been refused. He now felt the only choice he had was to grief them until they had to ban him.

I had already sent two Abuse Reports by this time as his attack went on for some time. Afterwards, I was quite sorry for him - as a gay man, I would be similarly as unhappy if I ended up in a sexual roleplay situation with women. Actually I would be unhappy to be in any kind of forced sexual situation - I did not choose to be a kajirus for that reason. I understand that is part of the nature within Gor but I have personal reasons for not being involved with that sort of activity. I was just as annoyed by the groups who are trading straight men to gay sims (in my opinion just as homophobic as his words) and by the gay sims who think it acceptable to roleplay sexual activities with them. I know the whole "Gor is harsh" thing (which is a load of crap - we aren't on Gor, it doesn't exist...please check you have your reality switched on), but this sort of thing seems outside of the spirit of roleplay. Yes, capture someone and trade them as a slave, but why does it have to be to a sim that is going to cause conflict over sexuality? A few weeks ago in Tabor, we accepted a straight man as a slave but released him as soon as his captors had gone - there seemed little point in keeping him, so yes maybe the attackers point about wasting two hours of roleplay is valid.

While unhappy about the homophobia from the man who griefed us, I can't help but feel that there are many other people who are in danger of bringing Gor in to the kind of disrepute that will get Linden Labs stamping restrictions all over it.

As a consequence of what happened, I have terminated my rental in Hillcrest and moved to a private Gorean residential sim - which is what I didn't want and partly defeats the object of being involved in roleplay in the first place.