D&D General Transgender Drow are Canon in Forgotten Realms! Woo!

[Gradine]

Historically, there were a -ton- of trans and gender nonconforming people recognized in Mesopotamia.

In Ur, during the reign of Sargon of Akkad

 

[Steampunkette]

One doesn't even have to reach that distantly to find curious slippages in traditional society:

In ye olde Renaissance, much less distant from the medieval period elf-games tend to prize, we had young men, portraying women, who disguise themselves as men (Two Gentlemen of Verona, As You Like It).

My goodness, such an uproar.

Oh, sure. I was just giving that example because the first writing in the world includes trans people, and the corollary among the Israelites highlights the "Abrahamic" thing that was mentioned.

That there have always been trans people, even in cultures where we don't imagine there were trans people!

What part is ironic? Sargon conquered Sumeria and built up the Akkadian empire. I am confusion.

 

[Gradine]

What part is ironic? Sargon conquered Sumeria and built up the Akkadian empire. I am confusion.

I think it might be a different thread where awful YouTubers were being discussed, but "Sargon of Akkad" is a rather infamous example of the craft. You can check the Wikipedia article I linked for his greatest hits, but for a light appetizer there's the part where he serially harassed Anita Sarkeesian, prompting her to call him out by name as a "garbage human".

 

[Steampunkette]

I think it might be a different thread where awful YouTubers were being discussed, but "Sargon of Akkad" is a rather infamous example of the craft. You can check the Wikipedia article I linked for his greatest hits, but for a light appetizer there's the part where he serially harassed Anita Sarkeesian, prompting her to call him out by name as a "garbage human".

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Yeah. That's just some reactionary whackadoo trying to play on important historical figures for his own self aggrandizement. This is, like, some straight up Ozymandias levels of self-delusional BS.

 

[Dire Bare]

Here's the thing, though: it's not a contract. It is, according to that tweet, something in the "original Realms agreement." Presumably that means the purchase agreement for TSR buying the IP rights to the Forgotten Realms. In which case, even if there's a clause which means exactly what Greenwood says it means (which isn't to say he's a liar; people get the specifics of legal agreements wrong all the time), then the validity of it is still in doubt simply because it's not something WotC has to acknowledge or honor. The purchase of the rights won't be invalidated if they somehow come out and say "no, whatever Ed Greenwood writes is not inherently canon, regardless of whether or not we contradict it in a published product."

Of course, a lot of this concerns the nature of what "canon" is (and why so many fans consider it important), but that's a separate discussion.

I think you distinguishing between "contract" and "agreement" is making some large assumptions here.

If Ed did have an agreement, or contract, with TSR stating that whatever he writes is canon until it isn't . . . then WotC most certainly does have to honor that contract.

But really, how hard is it to honor, legally binding or otherwise? Let Ed publish whatever he wants . . . and then either work it into a WotC product in some way, ignore it, or "overwrite" it with new, official canon. It's pretty low effort on WotC's part to remain in compliance, and it makes hardcore Realms fans happy.

 

[Alzrius]

I think you distinguishing between "contract" and "agreement" is making some large assumptions here.

O RLY?

If Ed did have an agreement, or contract, with TSR stating that whatever he writes is canon until it isn't . . . then WotC most certainly does have to honor that contract.

And what would be the consequences if they didn't? Because this sounds like it's getting back into that idea about "the rights to the Forgotten Realms would revert back to Greenwood" which I mentioned before, and which come across as very hard to take seriously.

But really, how hard is it to honor, legally binding or otherwise? Let Ed publish whatever he wants . . . and then either work it into a WotC product in some way, ignore it, or "overwrite" it with new, official canon. It's pretty low effort on WotC's part to remain in compliance, and it makes hardcore Realms fans happy.

It's not a question of how difficult it would or would not be; it's a question of how binding it actually is, and for that matter what "canon" means in the context of the aforementioned agreement.

 

[Shardstone]

Common Greenwood W. Transfemme Drow defended from bigotry by Lolth-sent demons is a sick character concept.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Historically, there were a -ton- of trans and gender nonconforming people recognized in Mesopotamia.

If you haven’t heard of them, you’ll probably be interested in the Scythians’ Enarei.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

This isn't new. Though in the past it was pretty clear that Drow leaders disliked any claiming to be trans.

Probably because drow were also depicted as evil and evil people tend to be naughty word in general?

 

[Steampunkette]

If you haven’t heard of them, you’ll probably be interested in the Scythians’ Enarei.

You just gave me the coolest City of Heroes character name I now possess.

Gonna make a trans warrior priestess given divine powers in the modern day by an ancient Scythian goddess and tasked with protecting her people and making war upon Rikti, Praetorians, Shivans, and other aliens from various worlds that threaten this one.

Thank you!