What I cannot believe is that we have humans in the game! How unoriginal! Down with tradition! Bring me monkeys! And chimps!

Oh god! Not a feminist! PFfft. Women having equal rights? Having less fear of unequal treatment? What will they ask for next? To wear...PANTS?!

Surely feminism doesn't refer to a pursuit of an egalitarian society but a pursuit of a female-dominated one? Presumably the word for the former would be a humanist?

Seconded.

The more steps we take away from gender binary the better. That's why its important.

No. feminism is not about a female dominiated society. You can suggest semantics, but that is not what it has been used for politically.

Really? So being more accessible to someone's experience is less important, than, say...hidden pictures of family trips? I realize you were probably using an extreme to make a point, but it doesn't work. A video game's appeal is based on many things, and one of them is for the player to be able to relate to the game. You can have a game about some alien life form trying to keeps its egg sac safe, for example. But we can all still relate to the instinct to protect, importance of children, etc. Even if its in an intellectual and not emotional way. Having a "race of men" can cut out some of that relateability. It is also not a trivial choice of words, but easily changed, so I do not see the big deal in the OP making the request/suggestion.

I'd argue that over the last 10-20 years feminism has changed from its noble beginnings and now has indeed been perverted into a desire for a female-dominated society. I'll leave it at that though, not wanting to get into a full-on debate about this. Arguing about terminology, historical context etc notwithstanding i of course would like it if everybody could be treated equally, with no descrimination of either gender, so I'll leave it at that point I hope we can agree on .

I think I shall leave this thread before I get into a heated discussion. I hope everybody is enjoying the beta and look forward to perhaps playing some of you at the eventual multiplayer modes .

look, i think that whatever the story calls for is what should be used.  not everything has to appeal to everyone, and not everything has to make everybody feel comfortable.  sometimes a story, setting or whatever is not fair or equal or stuff like that.  if people are refered to the races of men then so be it.  maybe the historians in the game thought women were lesser creatures and lifted men to a higher ideal.  there is nothing wrong with this, if someone disagrees with it, thats GOOD.  it makes you think, but it shouldn't change the way the character thinks, this would make very boring characters.

I like binary gender.  And it's good for society.

If you happen to be a lesbian, you may feel pressure from society to conform; but, for the vast majority of women, who are not lesbians, binary gender roles provide a healthy environment for them to develop.

Gosh Stardock, you sexist pigs.  Now that you've called a faction the Races of Men, might as well go all the way and throw in beating up prostitutes ala GTA and adding in an ability to force your queen to make you a sandwich. 

Exactly.  Even if this "problem" was rectified today, next week someone would complain that there is no transgender representation in the game or have some other gripe about PCness.  There are already plenty of women in the game to my understanding; female citizens, soldiers, and even sovereigns.  The game has more gender equality than real life (which is great in my book), but it's not enough because women aren't explicitly included in the name of the faction?  

Races of Men just sounds cooler, especially compared to the suggestions in the OP.  That's the only reason I can imagine for Tolkein and Stardock to use the term, not because they were sitting around wondering "Hmm, how can we marginalize women today?".  Tolkein's world also had women who were powerful, wise, skilled, and in leadership positions.  If someone can't distinguish between aesthetics and true discrimination and one little thing sticks out "like a hammered thumb that got stuck into a pot of boiling oil and then caught on a rusty nail" (really?) it shouldn't fall on Stardock IMO.

V-Ger used Carbon Unit, it's definitely fitting