amazon: Confessions of a Part-time Sorceress: A Hip Girl's Guide to the D&D Game

[heirodule]

Yeah, it couldn't be to avoid confusion about whether one was talking about the class or being used to refer to someone with general magical ability.

It could, but it seems like there's a lot of counter-evidence of a thoroughgoing effort to make the game sex-neutral. Lizardfolk, merfolk, spawn of kyuss. Tweet's writing on sexual distinctions made in gaming worlds seems to add to such a case.

And, yes, there probably plenty of women who may prefer their female-sex characters called "sorcerers". I just find it interesting that an actual female writer-writer (not game-designer writer) decides to communicate the D&D experience to other women and chooses to emphasize [puts it in the title] the term that makes the sex of the character obvious. But its a book that clearly is approaching D&D from the point of view of a member of one sex (not like the rest of us, who approach D&D from the default view of no particular sex)

 

[heirodule]

Oh, man, how I hate products that put their demographic checkboxes first. This is as retarded as BET and Spike TV.

I don't think anyone on earth considers the word "sorceress" a sexist term. I always figured the reason for the lack of gender-specific class titles was just simplicity. That, and the fact that the classes describe skill sets, not people.

from wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender-specific_job_title

There is extensive debate as to whether gender-specific job titles are appropriate in a professional setting. This debate reflects the debate over gender-neutral language in general. The side for gender-neutral job titles usually makes an ideological argument, that gender-specific job titles at some level promote sexism in the workplace.

 

[heirodule]

Neat!

I agree!

 

[GreatLemur]

It could, but it seems like there's a lot of counter-evidence of a thoroughgoing effort to make the game sex-neutral. Lizardfolk, merfolk, spawn of kyuss.

All of those terminology changes simply make sense, though. There might have been a political correctness mandate behind them, for all I know, but I figure it was worthwhile just to remove tiresome "But are there mer-men?" questions.

Only trouble now is that I don't know a singular form of the word "folk". Damn it.

 

[GreatLemur]

from wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender-specific_job_title

Oh, I'm aware of--and agree with--that viewpoint. I just don't think that anyone cares about the terms used for fantasy characters the same way they care about the terms used for themselves.

 

[Razz]

Oooooh, there are female players?

What are those? I've heard stories but I always thought those were myths and legends. I think I've heard about there being one roaming in the Canadian forests...oh wait, that's the Sasquatch.

 

[Festivus]

I don't see many differences from many D&D guys I know.

She hangs out at home and plays with stuffed animals and has named her condo.

Many D&D guys I know oogle over miniatures and call their place where they live a dungeon.

The photo looks like it is from a 1980's high school yearbook.

 

[Knight Otu]

A style guideline that I'm sure was created by Adkinson/Wotc to avoid sexism turning off female players. But, apparently, an actual woman likes to be called a "sorceress" in a game.

hmmm....

I thought that was only a rant from SKR?

 

[delericho]

I feel that the name of the book is sort of a bad Idea and will be seen as a negative by any Christian seeing that title. (My self being a christian and knowing the fallout calling someone a sorceress can cause.)

It is foolish for WotC to do anything to try to appease the minority of Christians who are still rabidly anti-D&D. There's nothing they can do that will change their minds. And yet, by watering the material down in any way, they make it less appealing to the audience who are likely to buy the book.

In the interest of full disclosure, and although it has no bearing on the content of my post otherwise, I'll state that I am also a Christian.

 

[carolina]

Sounds like she's got no gaming industry creds

Shelly's been an associate brand manager for WotC working on Neopets and Duel Masters lines and the like.