Religious zealots reckon The Sims’ new trans characters are about to bring on the apocalypse

A graphic shows The Sims 4 characters with trans inclusive features, on a computer screen. In the background, the world is on fire.

Hold on tight: the end of days is coming, and itā€™s all due to The Sims 4 video game developers adding trans-inclusive customisation options, apparently.

Last week (31 January), Electronic Arts (EA) announced that the perpetually popular simulation game would enable characters to have top surgery scars and wear chest binders and shapewear. 

Queer fans of the game were understandably overjoyed at the news, as The Sims continues to trailblaze trans inclusivity in the gaming world. Religious radicals, however, think the minor addition could bring about the apocalypse.

In a statement, the staunchly anti-LGBTQ+ group American Family Association (AFA) said that the trans-inclusive features ā€œpromote an anti-biblical worldview of creation and reality”, and urged its supporters to rebuke the game ā€œfor the sake of our very soulsā€.

Ed Vitagliano, the groupā€™s executive vice president, said that gender-affirmation surgery is a ā€œnew expression of ancient paganism in its everlasting war against absolute truth and decencyā€.

Expressing his fears, Vitagliano continued: ā€œWe continue to warn parents that our culture is not a place of moral neutrality.

ā€œThe false prophets of sexual anarchy and gender confusion are modern-day manifestations of Ahab and Jezebel ā€“ā€“ determined to lead the nation in rebellion against God and His word.

ā€œThe Bible says we should choose this day whom we will serve. For the sake of our very souls, we should be resolute in our faithfulness to Jesus Christ.ā€

AFA also attempted to spread misinformation by suggesting in the statement that there is a ā€œgrowing outcry from those who regret transitioningā€, despite evidence suggesting that detransition rates are incredibly low.

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For LGBTQ+ fans of The Sims, the new features simply enable them to play as a character that reflects their own life experience.

Unsurprisingly, AFA also took issue with the 2023 Grammyā€™s this week, saying that Sam Smith and Kim Petrasā€™ performance brought ā€œdebauchery and Satanic worshipā€ to the world. 

AFA claims to be ā€œon the front lines of Americaā€™s culture warā€, with much of its so-called activism focused on spouting anti-LGBTQ+ hatred. 

In the last few months, the extremist hate group has expended energy on trying to get Shea CouleĆ© fired from Marvelā€™s Ironheart, and get Pride flags removed from US embassies.

The group is also known for spreading COVID-19 misinformation.

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