Sexism in D&D and on ENWorld (now with SOLUTIONS!)

[Nifft]

IMHO, and with apologies for abusing some other dude's terminology, the emergence of sexism in RPGs is a function of two things: Simulationism and [/b]Narration[/b]. That it has been largely removed from many of the most popular RPGs is a function of the triumph of Gamism.

Basically, simulationism demands that the difference between girls and boys be quantified.

Narration demands that certain roles be filled -- and the maiden in distress role may be just as important as the knight in armor role, but one's just a bit more fun to enact.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Jack7]

I think I'd rather see a female severely injured in combat than good at math. The one I could live with, no problem, the other is just plain kinda scary.

Does that make me a bad person?

 

[Mouseferatu]

I think I'd rather see a female severely injured in combat than good at math. The one I could live with, no problem, the other is just plain kinda scary.

Does that make me a bad person?

Assuming you aren't being facetious...

Yes. I'd say it does.

So far, this thread has been remarkably polite and even-keeled. Why would you try to ruin that with a deliberately smarmy, insulting comment like that?

 

[Piratecat]

I think I'd rather see a female severely injured in combat than good at math. The one I could live with, no problem, the other is just plain kinda scary.

Does that make me a bad person?

Bye, Jack.

 

[ajanders]

Shilsen:
To address some of your points.

1. Non-sexist advertising.
Frankly, the first thing that comes to mind is that there should be some advertising. Anywhere.
I think the only place I've seen D&D stuff advertised is in RPG magazines and on RPG websites...and in Amazon recommendations triggered by the fact I bought D&D books from them.
Is there any D&D advertising at all? I watch Cartoon Network and Sci-Fi when I'm in a hotel room: I'd think those would be natural ad venues. Not a kobold or gnome do I find. (OK, you never see the gnomes coming...)

2. Non-sexist presentation of people.
D&D 4th edition (and third and 3.5) use "he" and "she" to refer to characters alternately and have both male and female example characters. Is this no longer stylistically correct?
Me, I prefer "characters" and "they": my 11th grade English teacher would be outraged at my number confusion, but "he/she" is discordant and the general "he" has been shouted down.
Yes, I recognize D&D 1 and 2 used the general he: that was in accordance with general English usage at the time.

3. Non-sexist treatment of people.
We've already established the rules treat characters of different (or no) genders relatively equally. The drow are an exception, but they're a collection of murderous demon-worshippers: sexism is probably one of their better qualities.

Have I missed a "Beer and Wenches" D&D ad?
Cos otherwise, I'm not seeing any reason for you to be unhappy.

 

[Bumbles]

Shilsen:
Is there any D&D advertising at all? I watch Cartoon Network and Sci-Fi when I'm in a hotel room: I'd think those would be natural ad venues. Not a kobold or gnome do I find. (OK, you never see the gnomes coming...)

Comic books maybe? I could swear I saw some when 4E first came out.

I can't recall seeing any since, but that might not mean much. Of course, I can still recall the old advertisements for the 2E PHB and that Buck Rogers game. Those still stick in my head. And the one featuring the original cover of the Crystal Shard.

 

[Mark]

There was a television commercial a quarter century ago . . .

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dYtSNupzmk]D&D commercial on YouTube[/ame]

 

[Aus_Snow]

I think I'd rather see a female severely injured in combat than good at math. The one I could live with, no problem, the other is just plain kinda scary.

Does that make me a bad person?

Of course it does. Deadpan irreverent humour is intolerable, or at least shouldn't be put up with in a decent world.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Interesting discussion.

Something I've been thinking though, while there have been elements of discrimination (sexism) in D&D against women, it has been my experience that there far greater amounts of discrimination (especially in intensity) towards D&D by women.

I'm not saying it's two-way, nor that there is cause and effect (though maybe there is). But I've met for more women who have a visceral negative reaction against TRPGs than I have met male hobbyists who have even mildly sexist reactions.

It made me think that in this current rule set, which angle would be the easiest to work upon to bring more women to the hobby.

 

[Piratecat]

Of course it does. Deadpan irreverent humour is intolerable, or at least shouldn't be put up with in a decent world.

The essence of comedy is timing. As a moderator, one of my most hallowed responsibilities is letting people know when they've screwed that up.