Gamer Grrls

[Chaos_Kitten]

Hello all. Long time lurker, first time poster.

Forgive me for the fairly silly title. It just felt appropriate at the time.

This question/rant is directed mostly to the female gamers in the forum, but anyone is welcome to add their input.

I find when I play D&D and other d20 roleplaying games I tend to have difficulty with some of the male gamers. They expect me to play some sexed sorceress in barely there clothes or a fighter chick in a chainmail bikini.

What is even more frustrating is how it comes as some huge surprise that I can play my character effectively. If I do have a character that shows some prowess then I've had many assume my significant other must have built and written it up for me. I got the half minotaur template banned from the local PvP on my own merit. (A naturally large Hextor worshipping, flail wielding, monkey gripping cleric can be especially dangerous when you put divine favor and righteous might into the mix.)


Don't get me wrong. I'm not up on my soapbox glaring at the male population as a whole. I've just had some very frustrating experiences of this nature. I just wonder if anyone else has and just how they dealt with it.

Thanks for seeing this through and not getting horribly bored with my rambling.

 

[Crothian]

Welcome to posting.

It sounds to me like you've run into some bad players. My sole suggestion is play the characters you want. Who cares if they think someone else made the character. Show in game you know what they are doing.

 

[ssampier]

Unfortunately a few rotten apples spoil the bunch.

It sounds like you have some very immature players (age has little to do with it). If it just one person that acts like this way you can usually ignore him. If most of the group is like this, I'd find yourself a new group. No sense in playing a game if it more stress or disappointment than fun.

(Myself I'm more interested in the person's playing ability, rather than age or gender. A half-minotaur isn't my style, however.)

 

[Henry]

Of the ladies I've met who game, almost all are intelligent, well-spoken, and can play a wide range of games like nobody's business. Sad thing I can't say the same about all the guy gamers I've met at various conventions.

However, I can't say as I've ever run into overt sexism at a game table - just more social inexperience than anything.

 

[Ottergame]

I've not seen a problem with male players being immature around female gamers.

 

[CarlZog]

Crothian's right. You're just in with some immature players. Play the characters you want to play. Kick ass. Have fun. If they're not over it, find another group.

And consider DMing.

 

[Incenjucar]

Sadly, despite the strides made in many areas, there's still a huge number of males who are sexist idiots. Just a fact of life. But there's also plenty who are quite the opposite. Heck, I'm a male feminist gamer. Time and a sharp eye will, hopefully, find you better associates.

But hey, welcome.

 

[Chaos_Kitten]

(Myself I'm more interested in the person's playing ability, rather than age or gender. A half-minotaur isn't my style, however.)

First off thanks for all the kind welcomes and replies so far. It makes me much less nervous about posting.

The half minotaur is actually not all that much my style. My need for odd, interesting characters often stunts the power in their punch. I used it for a player versus player to prove that I too can, "crush my enemies, drive them before me, and hear the lamentations of their women".

I've been in lots of good groups; which made the biased one all the more annoying. I was just kind of stunned and thinking, "you've got to be kidding me".

 

[Elf Witch]

Maybe it is because they grew up on artwork that only showed half naked female adventurers. * Yes I am being snide*

I have been lucky that I have not seen much of this in the group that I play in. Maybe because they are older and most of them are married.

Basically they sound like immmature jerks who just don't know how to deal with a woman who can do the same things as well as they can.

Stick with it maybe you can educate them or if not find a better group.

 

[Legend]

My fiancee deals with that kind of crap by only playing male characters. Honestly, given the number of bad groups she's been in, I'm surprised she still plays D&D.

That said, the best advice is what most of the posts above have said: find yourself a better group.