D&D 5E 5e's new gender policy - is it attracting new players?

[Tia Nadiezja]

Huh. Actually, this would likely have prevented one of those bad experiences.

Gender dysphoria was getting extra bad, was in the process of figuring out what exactly was going on that was making me hurt, sat down for a game of Second Edition. Have a great character idea - female paladin based on the overall moral universe of Japanese magical girl shows. Draws power from friendship and love, fights evil because evil must be fought, that sort of thing. I pitch it to the DM, DM replies, "I don't let guys play women in my campaigns."

That DM was a very rules as written sort. With rules specifically saying what they say now, I wouldn't have gotten that answer from him.

That was a sucky day.

 

[Lanliss]

Obesity isn't always a choice. There are some that have a strong genetic predisposition for obesity. It's very hard for them to stay slim and healthy. Some of the genetic problems that can cause obesity involve hormones to regulate appetite and slower metabolisms. This makes it very hard to stay at a healthy weight.

And I will take my leave once again from this strange discussion.

I said that being overweight was not always a choice. I specifically stated that some choose to be lazy, or eat unhealthy, but some are over weight because of genetics, or something out of their control.

As far as the LGBT being a choice, that is fine, although I am not sure possibly fictional pornography is the best example to use for real life. The fact that some choose it implies there is also a number of people who don't choose it, and are genetically predisposed. Of course, I am by no means an expert in genetics, so I may be horribly wrong on that count.

Being fat isn't a path, and you contradicted yourself there anyway.
Weight gain is sometimes caused by health issues. Being somewhat "overweight" according to the bmi chart is actually associated with the longest lifespans--being underweight can be quite unhealthy. Oh, and malnourishment can cause weight gain.
The post you're quoting is wrong since everything said about fat people is true about gay people, but you're disagreeing with the wrong stuff.

All different types of lives are paths, whatever that path may be. You can jump from one path to another(loseing weight and going to the path of slim for example.) How did I contradict myself?

Also I did not say anything about being underweight. I am talking about the area between malnourished and morbidly obese. Going beyond to either of those two areas leads to health issues, while staying between them generally leads to greater health.

 

[SuperZero]

All different types of lives are paths, whatever that path may be.

Falling outside of what you consider physically attractive isn't actually a type of life.

How did I contradict myself?

Well, "choosing a path" and having something happen to you without realizing it are kinda opposites.

Many fat people DO choose that path... unknowingly gaining weight without realizing it.

Also I did not say anything about being underweight. I am talking about the area between malnourished and morbidly obese. Going beyond to either of those two areas leads to health issues, while staying between them generally leads to greater health.

No, that's more like what I said. Although you're still ignoring that those are often results of health issues rather than causes.

 

[Fedge123]

... I pitch it to the DM, DM replies, "I don't let guys play women in my campaigns." ...

Wow that sucks, some of my own favorite characters over the years have been female.

Does this DM not let humans play non-humans either? Does one have to be short to play a halfling in his game??

 

[mrm1138]

But I speak as a fool--it mattereth not who is more hated, because competing to see who can be the biggest victim is a great way to make yourself miserable. And that is why I didn't originally respond to your brief catalog of slights; the exact details of whom is hated how are not germane to the point I was making, which is not the same point you were trying to make.

And that is an excellent point you make. As such, shouldn't that mean that any new language that is more inclusive is a good sign that we are becoming a more accepting/tolerant society? Rather than saying, "That's just the way it is, so get used to it!" it seems much better to see that change is gradually happening. I hope for a day where inclusive language isn't necessary because people are naturally inclusive. The fact that there has been at least some backlash proves to me that it still is necessary.

 

[Lanliss]

Falling outside of what you consider physically attractive isn't actually a type of life.


Well, "choosing a path" and having something happen to you without realizing it are kinda opposites.



No, that's more like what I said. Although you're still ignoring that those are often results of health issues rather than causes.

It is not a matter of what I find physical attractive, I am simply saying that LITERALLY everything people do, be they a baker, a soldier, or a homeless man, are following a metaphorical path in life. Maybe not different paths, but paths all the same.

I'll admit, I screwed up there, had meant the "unknowingly happened" part for the list of "did not choose" examples.

I am not ignoring that, and specifically said that some people are obese due to health conditions that they have no control over.

 

[Lanefan]

Huh. Actually, this would likely have prevented one of those bad experiences.

Gender dysphoria was getting extra bad, was in the process of figuring out what exactly was going on that was making me hurt, sat down for a game of Second Edition. Have a great character idea - female paladin based on the overall moral universe of Japanese magical girl shows. Draws power from friendship and love, fights evil because evil must be fought, that sort of thing. I pitch it to the DM, DM replies, "I don't let guys play women in my campaigns."

That DM was a very rules as written sort.

Except that particular example of stupidity isn't a written rule. Never has been.

You ran afoul of a bad DM enforcing a choice as chosen rather than a rule as written.

With rules specifically saying what they say now, I wouldn't have gotten that answer from him.

Except it's still not a rule, it's a guideline. And even if it was a rule ye olde faulty DM could still say "you're allowed to play LGBT characters but only if they are (or represent) as your own gender"; a ruling equally as foolish.

Lan-"who is now curious as to whether I've played more male or female characters in my career"-efan

 

[SuperZero]

It is not a matter of what I find physical attractive, I am simply saying that LITERALLY everything people do, be they a baker, a soldier, or a homeless man, are following a metaphorical path in life.

Well, one of those is not like the others, since "homeless man" is still something that happens to you.
But even that one is quite different from what a person looks like, which I can't call a path in any sense.

 

[Lanliss]

Well, one of those is not like the others, since "homeless man" is still something that happens to you.
But even that one is quite different from what a person looks like, which I can't call a path in any sense.

What I am saying is that anything that has any influence on your life, weight, height, subjective attractiveness in your area, career, education, everything, works as a path, leading from one choice to another, because life is just a bunch of choices, with some time in between that influences that choice. Whether it is something you choose or something that simply happens to you, I would consider it a path. This is where the term "From all walks of life" comes from.

 

[Hussar]

Hrm, to be honest, I've never gender bent my characters. Not sure why. I think, perhaps, it's that I just don't think I'd do it justice. I'm pretty sure if I played a female character, it would be just a dude with boobs. I don't think I have the acting chops to pull it off at the table. Then again, I tend to play humans primarily as well, so, it's not like gender bending is some special category.

OTOH, as a DM, I've done lots of female NPC's. Maybe it's just the idea of keeping up the personality over an extended period of time that I'm not sure I could do.

Hrm, maybe I should take a spin.