Comfort withcross gender characters based on your gender

[sniffles]

Female and comfortable. In fact, I'm comfortable enough that I didn't mind when my fiancee ran a thong-wearing female character for 6 years.

Judging by the poll responses, player gender doesn't seem to make any difference in comfort level with cross-gender characters.

 

[Mystery Man]

As a DM I have to play many different races and genders. I don't let my players play other genders because I am a big fat jerk.

 

[John Morrow]

I just don't care what people play, as long as it's not disruptive. I don't see what the problem some people have with players playing a different gender PC.

Because it's often not "not disruptive". What is or isn't disruptive will vary by group.

I mean, if someone can pretend to be an elf who casts spells at dragons in medieval world, why should it be a problem if it's also a female?

Because the pronouns used don't change when the person pretends to be an elf but do when they play a character of a different sex? Because many people have a more developed sense of sex and what's "normal" for a male or female than they do for what an elf should be like? Yes, I know the very idea that behavior might be "normal" or "abnormal" for a person of a perticular sex is problematic and will simply say that a persons sense of "normal" and "abnormal" play a different (and often amplified) role when people are being asked to suspend their disbelief in a fantasy environment than it does in the real world. People accept plenty of things in the real world that they wouldn't accept or enjoy in their entertainment including movies, books, television shows, and even role-playing games.

 

[jrients]

I voted "I am male and am uncomfortable with cross gender characters " but I'm trying to get over it. I decided to make my Living Greyhawk character a female as part of an effort to get over this hang-up.

 

[orsal]

Human beings don't have gender. Gender is a grammatical concept.

It's also a cultural concept -- grammar is one of its less interesting contexts. If you're talking about masculinity and femininity, and all the baggage society(ies) attach to them, including stereotypical characteristics, standard roles, et al, you're talking about gender. Contrast with sex, which is biological. (Although the two words are sometimes used interchangeably.)

 

[bubbalin]

What's the difference between "indifference" and "comfort"? If someone is indifferent to playing both male and female characters, then s/he's comfortable with both, isn't s/he?

Sorry, bad phrasing on my part... I can't think of a word to capture that in between feeling...

Anyway, there haven't been many females voting, so I think our results are statistically dodgy... Maybe some more will vote and we can get a better idea...

 

[bubbalin]

I voted "I am male and am uncomfortable with cross gender characters " but I'm trying to get over it. I decided to make my Living Greyhawk character a female as part of an effort to get over this hang-up.

Haha, welcome over to the dark side!!!

Errr... never mind.

I find it interesting to play female characters to explore the mindset of women. Also, as many have said, I am more conscious of my characters difference from me and thus try stay in character more.

I saw an interesting comment about guys playing women to explore their lesbian fantasies. I have to admit that my current character (playing the stargate rpg by AEG) is in a same sex relationship, though she's probably more bi. But again, I would have to say I am very much hetero and thus it lets me explore the concept. Not that it hasn't led to some funny moments.

 

[Harmon]

Can’t believe that this thread is back.

 

[bubbalin]

what's wrong with this thread?

Is it that there are not many females on this site, or not many females voting?

 

[BlackSilver]

what's wrong with this thread?

Is it that there are not many females on this site, or not many females voting?

I think Harmon is concerned that the prejudice of the last thread will find its way into this thread and it will not be closed soon enough. Threads like this one bring out the worst in us all, I know it brought out the worst in me at the worst time of my life in recent memory.

Keep it civil.

Harmon- avoid this thread.