Players 'distressed' by gang-rape role-playing game

Bedrockgames · Jun 11, 2019

HJFudge said:
I am quite frankly at a loss.

Is my position that 'People shouldn't run rape scenarios in a public venue like a con, and if they do should be banned from running games at cons' an extreme position or side?

If it is an extreme position to take...I am unsure I'd like to be part of a group where "lets not subject people to rape scenarios on-screen or off" is an extreme position. This isnt about me calling you toxic or terrible. I honestly don't know you? But the ideas you have expressed I find harmful in general...though unfortunately not rare.

No, that position you just stated isn't extreme. Extreme is not allowing for any other points of view, or assuming anyone who doesn't take the exact same position as you on this issue is a bad actor or toxic. We all come from different backgrounds, have different experiences, and have seen different things. We reach different conclusions about this stuff.

Gradine · Jun 11, 2019

Bedrockgames said:
I am being well meaning. I am also being honest. I think a lot of people here might not be accustomed to honesty of opinion.

It's not the honesty that's the problem. It's the clear lack of empathy and compassion. It's the immediately equating tears with suspicion. It's the dismissing the very clearly traumatizing nature of the event.

Though to be honest, that last sentence is the exact kind of thing bad faith trolling edgelords love to say. "It's too bad you <insert derogatory term here> can't handle the TRUTH <hi-fives buddies back on 8chan>".

Bedrockgames · Jun 11, 2019

HJFudge said:
Its also a bit telling that you seem more upset that someone might be 'attention seeking' by overstating how much an incident affected them then someone in a public venue telling/implying to the players that their characters were Raped.

I am not terribly concerned about character rape. I am very concerned about real world rape. But yes, a character being raped in a game concerns me less than a person's life in the hobby being affected forever. Not saying the incident is nothing. I just don't think it warrants the urgency or large reaction it has been getting (I frankly didn't think it was a newsworthy event).

Again, I find the scenario distasteful. I am even a bit offended by it. But I just don't think the rape of a character in a game is as troubling as people being affected by things in the real world.

Gradine · Jun 11, 2019

Bedrockgames said:
I am not terribly concerned about character rape. I am very concerned about real world rape. But yes, a character being raped in a game concerns me less than a person's life in the hobby being affected forever. Not saying the incident is nothing. I just don't think it warrants the urgency or large reaction it has been getting (I frankly didn't think it was a newsworthy event).

This is an objectively awful stance.

Edit: I'll address the edit too

Bedrockgames said:
Again, I find the scenario distasteful. I am even a bit offended by it. But I just don't think the rape of a character in a game is as troubling as people being affected by things in the real world.

It's not about distaste. It's about subjecting people to trauma that they hadn't signed up for. You don't know who's sitting down at your table. Sexualized violence is distressingly common in the real world, and springing a rape scenario on the character of a player who has been raped is exactly how you re-open those wounds and re-traumatize people.

To say nothing of the fact that it's exhibiting active hostility to those groups most at danger of sexualized violence (women and LGBTQ+ players).

lowkey13 · Jun 11, 2019

*Deleted by user*

Bedrockgames · Jun 11, 2019

Gradine said:
It's not the honesty that's the problem. It's the clear lack of empathy and compassion. It's the immediately equating tears with suspicion. It's the dismissing the very clearly traumatizing nature of the event.

Though to be honest, that last sentence is the exact kind of thing bad faith trolling edgelords love to say. "It's too bad you <insert derogatory term here> can't handle the TRUTH <hi-fives buddies back on 8chan>".

I am not an edge lord. And I am a very compassionate person. But that doesn't mean I take everything that I see at face value. And one important part of empathy and compassion is not automatically giving into attention seeking behavior. I just think this account has some hallmarks of attention seeking.

HJFudge · Jun 11, 2019

Bedrockgames said:
I am not terribly concerned about character rape. I am very concerned about real world rape. But yes, a character being raped in a game concerns me less than a person's life in the hobby being affected forever. Not saying the incident is nothing. I just don't think it warrants the urgency or large reaction it has been getting (I frankly didn't think it was a newsworthy event).

I disagree. I think its quite newsworthy.

But the news isnt 'GM at a con does a skeezy rapey thing'. The news is that, finally, someone DID something about it instead of just shrugging and saying 'dats life, kiddo'

Bedrockgames · Jun 11, 2019

lowkey13 said:
On the plus side, at least the stance finally came to light, instead of dancing around various concerns. Sunlight, disinfectant, etc.

I haven't been dancing around my position. I have been answering as directly and honestly as I can this entire thread.

Bedrockgames · Jun 11, 2019

HJFudge said:
I disagree. I think its quite newsworthy.

And that is fine. I am happy to have that discussion. I can see the value of the gaming community's issues reaching a broader community. But I was surprised to see the BBC covering an incident at a single game a convention.

But the news isnt 'GM at a con does a skeezy rapey thing'. The news is that, finally, someone DID something about it instead of just shrugging and saying 'dats life, kiddo'

The headline and the article put focus on the incident. It described that there was a resolution. But I don't think that is the lede here

MarkB · Jun 11, 2019

Bedrockgames said:
I am not an edge lord. And I am a very compassionate person. But that doesn't mean I take everything that I see at face value. And one important part of empathy and compassion is not automatically giving into attention seeking behavior. I just think this account has some hallmarks of attention seeking.

What hallmarks, exactly? For attention seekers, the people who raised the issue have been remarkably reticent - which is partially why it took awhile for the full story to emerge. A couple of posts outlining events from their perspective, and that's it. It would be difficult for them to have sought less attention short of complete silence.