D&D 5E D&D's Inclusivity Language Alterations In Core Rules

In recent months, WotC has altered some of the text found in the original 5th Edition core rulebooks to accommodate D&D's ongoing move towards inclusivity. Many of these changes are reflected on D&D Beyond already--mainly small terminology alterations in descriptive text, rather than rules changes.

Teos Abadia (also known as Alphastream) has compiled a list of these changes. I've posted a very abbreviated, paraphrased version below, but please do check out his site for the full list and context.

• Savage foes changed to brutal, merciless, or ruthless.
• Barbarian hordes changed to invading hordes.
• References to civilized people and places removed.
• Madness or insanity removed or changed to other words like chaos.
• Usage of orcs as evil foes changed to other words like raiders.
• Terms like dim-witted and other synonyms of low intelligence raced with words like incurious.
• Language alterations surrounding gender.
• Fat removed or changed to big.
• Use of terms referring to slavery reduced or altered.
• Use of dark when referring to evil changed to words like vile or dangerous.

This is by no means the full list, and much more context can be found on Alphastream's blog post.

 

[MGibster]

For the most part it's the same here in America - or at least the parts of America I've been to.

Pretty much. I think the further you get from 1st generation Americans the less it matters. I don't refer to myself or even think of myself as Scottish American. If asked my ethnicity, I'll say American and only when pressed for more would I bring up my Scottish ancestors.

 

[Lanefan]

This is an utterly meaningless phrase. It's literal semantic word-twisting. It's not a real argument. It's a deliberate distraction. It's nonsensical.

You "self-censor" every second of every day. It's called "choosing what you want to say." How do you talk to your grandmother? Your children? Your boss? Your employees? Your customers? Your partner? Look, I don't want to use the word 'stupid' but that's pretty dumb. Do you say everything you think to everybody you say without filter?

No, but in my ideal world there would be a great many fewer filters. People would be able to say what they mean, for better and-or for worse.

"Self-censorship" is "personal choice". Implying that personal choice is wrong by labelling it as "self-censorship" is just so agenda-driven that there's no conversation to be had. You've planted a ridiculous stake, you're standing being it, and declaring to the world that it makes sense and you won't move.

Good for you, I guess. But there's no point talking to you. This post is for people reading it.

See, here you're doing just what I advocate: speaking your mind without much by way of filters. That's what I'd like everyone to be able to do, mostly without regard to what they might say.

 

[Bedrockgames]

I remember reading an interesting article (or possibly listening to a podcast) that made the point clear that this sort of identification with ones origins is an often unrecognized form of white privilege. Those Americans who are descended from slaves don't know where they came from because it was erased for them. Genetic testing is helping now to some degree, but it can't fill the cultural void left by being sold and resold. I think aboutt hat sometimes when some friend of mine starts talking about where in Ireland their great great grandfather lived.

This seems like a real stretch to me and sounds like something that doesn't even get at the real why of it either. Some of this is regional, but if you live on the east coast, your particular ethnicity matters (even for groups that might otherwise get filed under a broader category like Asian). Granted, it is changing. I think young people are less concerned about it (at least in regards to groups that have been here for many generations). There is a Cambodian community in the city I used to live in and my wife is Thai. Those countries are right next to each other, but they are distinct identities. There is also a Laotian community, and a Vietnamese community. If you ask my wife what she is, she may say Asian, but is more likely to say she is Thai.

I grew up with mostly Italian and Jewish relatives. There are cultural things about growing up in that, and they are identities that matter to people here (it isn't just an identity you adopt like a fashion or something, it is part of how people react to you here. I spent time on the west coast as a kid though and these categories were relatively meaningless there (or so it seemed to me). And the only categories that seemed to matter were broad racial categories (now maybe I missed something because I was young or maybe it has changed since i was there). Keep in mind, her win New England, up until very recently, the idea of being a Yankee was a thing. If you were Italian, Jewish, etc you weren't considered a Yankee. So this is just more complex than I think a lot of people realize

And part of the reason why these identities are so strong is there was struggle to them. Being Jewish wasn't a small thing in the 20s and 30s when antisemitism was widespread in the US. Even being Italian was considered lowly at that time (my grandfather often told me how the Italians were not allowed to spend time in the diamond district of Lynn for example). So I think trying to fit US ethnic identity among European groups to a white privilege thing isn't really that accurate at all.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Pretty much. I think the further you get from 1st generation Americans the less it matters. I don't refer to myself or even think of myself as Scottish American. If asked my ethnicity, I'll say American and only when pressed for more would I bring up my Scottish ancestors.

This is totally fair if it is how you feel about your ethnicity. But I really can't imagine respond to the question "What is your ethnicity" with "I am an American". It just doesn't feel like an Ethnicity to me.

I do agree that with each generation the connection lessens. But some families hold on to those ties longer than others

 

[FrogReaver]

If it's not a form of white privilege, then what do you think it is?

A historical fact.

Why do those of us of European ancestry place so much emphasis on where our ancestors came from?

Most don't.

For what it's worth - My aunt told me a story once of going to a college convention - she worked at the college. They had a session where the went around the room asking people to introduce themselves tell their cultural identity. Everyone else was adding things like Italian American, Black American, etc. It got to her and she just said American. About half the room followed up with that same response after her.

I think most Americans view themselves more like she did.

So, to be clear, you don't think white people benefit from the kind of detailed ancestry records that are common in America and extend back to Europe,

Not really.

and that the descendants of slaves are not harmed by the lack of those sorts of records?

Not really.

 

[FrogReaver]

This seems like a real stretch to me and sounds like something that doesn't even get at the real why of it either. Some of this is regional, but if you live on the east coast, your particular ethnicity matters (even for groups that might otherwise get filed under a broader category like Asian). Granted, it is changing. I think young people are less concerned about it (at least in regards to groups that have been here for many generations). There is a Cambodian community in the city I used to live in and my wife is Thai. Those countries are right next to each other, but they are distinct identities. There is also a Laotian community, and a Vietnamese community. If you ask my wife what she is, she may say Asian, but is more likely to say she is Thai.

I grew up with mostly Italian and Jewish relatives. There are cultural things about growing up in that, and they are identities that matter to people here (it isn't just an identity you adopt like a fashion or something, it is part of how people react to you here. I spent time on the west coast as a kid though and these categories were relatively meaningless there (or so it seemed to me). And the only categories that seemed to matter were broad racial categories (now maybe I missed something because I was young or maybe it has changed since i was there). Keep in mind, her win New England, up until very recently, the idea of being a Yankee was a thing. If you were Italian, Jewish, etc you weren't considered a Yankee. So this is just more complex than I think a lot of people realize

And part of the reason why these identities are so strong is there was struggle to them. Being Jewish wasn't a small thing in the 20s and 30s when antisemitism was widespread in the US. Even being Italian was considered lowly at that time (my grandfather often told me how the Italians were not allowed to spend time in the diamond district of Lynn for example). So I think trying to fit US ethnic identity among European groups to a white privilege thing isn't really that accurate at all.

Maybe it's more of a North Eastern U.S. thing. The South Eastern U.S. doesn't seem to care as much, IMO.

 

[Lanefan]

This implies that all do.

Most Canadians I meet, are Canadians. Not Irish-Canadian, or Scottish-Canadian, or British-Canadian.

IME it's a mix: while many just say they're Canadian, there's also many X-Canadian where X can be one of many things (here on the west coast, the most common I encounter are Chinese-Canadian and the more generic Asian-Canadian).

 

[Bedrockgames]

Maybe it's more of a North Eastern U.S. thing. The South Eastern U.S. doesn't seem to care as much, IMO.

I had a relative from the South East and when we asked him his ethnic background he would just say "100% American". So I think you are right about the geographic division. In the North East you have a lot of groups that remain who they are over generations. Part of that, I believe is roots are pretty important in the North East (it extends not just to your ethnicity but also things like family).

 

[MGibster]

This is totally fair if it is how you feel about your ethnicity. But I really can't imagine respond to the question "What is your ethnicity" with "I am an American". It just doesn't feel like an Ethnicity to me.

That's fair. There's no objective way to determine what is an isn't an ethnicity. We consider Chinatown in Seattle and Little Havana in Miami to be ethnic enclaves. If Cuban and Chinese are ethnicities then why not American?

 

[Milieu]

I am a person of Irish descent. But I'm English, so I don't presume to speak for Irish people. I find it curious that people speak of "people of Irish descent" like Ireland doesn't exist any more or something, but nobody ever mentions the actual Irish. Maybe somebody should ask them?

Respectfully, this kind of appropriation always affects the immigrant communities more than the people still living in the country. Irish people maybe be amused, annoyed, or offended by the stereotypes, but it doesn't affect them that much because it's happening far away and doesn't make a difference to their daily life. (That's not to say their opinions on it should be ignored.) But for Irish–Americans, it can directly affect how people around them treat them.

As another example, a lot of Japanese–Americans were upset when Scarlett Johansson was cast in Ghost in the Shell (2017) or Katy Perry performed in a kimono, because they have the experience of being "othered" for being different, so when white people turn around and appropriate things from their culture, it stings. But if you ask Japanese people in Japan who don't have that minority experience (e.g. ), a lot of them don't mind or are even happy about foreigners appreciating their culture.