D&D 5E celebrating pride and lgbtq+ players 2021

[Yaarel]

I think every campaign I've ever played in has had relationships and sex to some extend. Most of the relationships in our stories were heterosexual, as most of our players lean that way. The sex is not explicit, as we tend to fade to black whenever sexy shenanigans happen.

In my current 3.5 pirate campaign, I've explored other sexualities as well. Real life pirate culture was ahead of its time and quite accepting of same sex relationships. So I try to reflect this in my D&D campaign, while also touching upon the more conservative norms of the time. One plot in my campaign actually revolved around a girl crew member masquerading as a boy, as occurs in some real life pirate stories. It was certainly one of the more interesting moments in the campaign, when the captain found out (he was very accepting of it). This same captain also snuck into a bordello at some point, dressed as a woman.

In the Caribbean and relating to Florida, there is in history an all-female pirate crew.

 

[imagineGod]

Been carnal relations between PC and PC/NPCs since back in 1st Edition games at the tables I've been at. Never the focus and fade to black, wake up the next morning James Bond movie style. So it isn't something new.

Only for those tables that wanted it, probably.

I have been playing and running RPGs for over a decade and never had carnal relations at my table neither in Player nor GM role, until I played a Powered by the Apocalypse, then another and noticed a distinct difference in expectations between the good old hack-and-slash-loot the treasures of D&D play (with adverts like fighter or cleric wanted) versus the expectations in PbTA games that too often add 18+ ratings in game descriptions and warn of P-v-P when looking for new players.

 

[imagineGod]

I don't know what you played but that's not D&D.
You haven't gamed until you've experienced the pleasures of a succubus!
Bonus points if it was the level-draining kiss of the earlier editions.

Like I said, too many times, despite me prefixing my comments with my lived experience, I keep getting quoted that I must not be playing D&D or playing it wrong.

Not true, there are very many published adventure modules that have zero sex scenes in the story.

 

[Yaarel]

I have a problem with the inclusive "they", because sometimes the difference between a singular or plural referent matters to make a meaningful sentence.

In formal writing, I find myself using the phrase "the one" (possessive form "the ones") when one persons gender is unknown or indefinite.

 

[Yaarel]

I thought I remembered an early D&D book explaining why they went with "he", but I guess it wasn't the 1e DMG or PHB doing it. Was kind of surprised that the DMG has "he or she" 314 times. PhB has it 263.

Does more need to be shown to claim that use of "he" meant it was because the authors didn't think women played? When did "he" stop being taken as the third person singular of unspecified gender in the style guides and English books so that "he or she" became a thing? (Or am I misremembering how relatively recent that was?).

I'm still rooting for singular they to be the default and am glad it's hit more of the style guides.

Various linguistic studies have shown that the phrase "he" is always masculine, and never neutral.

"He" can refer to a member of a group that includes males and females, however this member being discussed − the "he" − is always a masculine member serving as an example from this group.

 

[Cadence]

Various linguistic studies have shown that the phrase "he" is always masculine, and never neutral.

"He" can refer to a member of a group that includes males and females, however this member being discussed − the "he" − is always a masculine member serving as an example from this group.

I'd certainly believe most readers take he as male. (Is it similar with old in French for the entire group?). But I'm guessing a lot of writers were taught to use "he" in the unspecified or generic third person singular. Do you know if the studies look at just what the readers were thinking or also what writers under that rule were thinking? (Does the writer in French describing a mixed group with ils have a different view of the group than the reader who doesn't know it was mixed?). Do you know when "he or she" or "he/she" started showing up in the style guides for the first time? (My googling failed me).

As far as singular they, I can't think of a time where I was unsure if it was singular or plural based on the surrounding and where it mattered. I'm sure it happens though and know it annoys some people. Even he and she run into trouble sometimes when the writer doesn't make it clear when there are multiple male or female members in the scene to pick from. Compares to some alternatives, singular they at least has a pedigree and is probably used in some cases even by most of those who claim never to. (Knock at the door and other person in house goes to answer. "Who was that?" "Neighbor kid." "What did they want?").

 

[Yaarel]

When creating a character, there is the biography section of the official Character Sheet that includes Ideal, Flaw, and so on.

I want the choice of alignment to relocate to Ideal and Flaw.

And on the official Character Sheet, I want Bonds to specifically separate into two lists: a list relationships with people, and a separate list for attachments to specific places.

Something like ...



ALIGNMENT [Good, Chaotic Good, etc. with a sentence (!) describing how this character interprets this alignment and puts into into action]
IDEAL
FLAW
QUIRK [currently called Personality but is really an idiosyncratic mannerism, and this whole section of Ideal and Flaw is personality]
BELIEF [worldview, cosmic force, religion, philosophy, patron deity, etc.]
AMBITION [a current longterm goal]

GENDER [gender identity, sexual orientation, etc.]
ETHNICITY [subclass, culture, etc.]
LANGUAGES

PARTNER [spouse, significant other]
FAMILY [parents and children, friends and relatives]
TEAM [fellow party members with a blurb for each]
CONTACTS [organization membership, professional resource, criminal network, political connection, spiritual community, etc.]
RIVALS [recurring competitors and enemies]
PLACES [places the character is attached to, birthplace, school, workplace, favorite place in nature, favorite holy site, etc.]



Simply listing the blanks to fill on the official Character Sheet, helps a player think about how the character fits within the adventure world.

Alignment with a personal interpretation can help the player get more narrative utility out of the D&D jargon.

Partner can help the player think about an ongoing relationship of the character, whether gay or straight.

 

[Yaarel]

I'd certainly believe most readers take he as male. (Is it similar with old in French for the entire group?). But I'm guessing a lot of writers were taught to use "he" in the unspecified or generic third person singular. Do you know if the studies look at just what the readers were thinking or also what writers under that rule were thinking? (Does the writer in French describing a mixed group with ils have a different view of the group than the reader who doesn't know it was mixed?). Do you know when "he or she" or "he/she" started showing up in the style guides for the first time? (My googling failed me).

As far as singular they, I can't think of a time where I was unsure if it was singular or plural based on the surrounding and where it mattered. I'm sure it happens though and know it annoys some people. Even he and she run into trouble sometimes when the writer doesn't make it clear when there are multiple male or female members in the scene to pick from. Compares to some alternatives, singular they at least has a pedigree and is probably used in some cases even by most of those who claim never to. (Knock at the door and other person in house goes to answer. "Who was that?" "Neighbor kid." "What did they want?").

One of the studies amused me, asking linguists and general public to understand the use of a supposed gender-neutral indefinite "he" who woke up in the morning, shaved and put on pantyhose. There was zero ambiguity that "he" can only be masculine regardless of who the group is.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Like I said, too many times, despite me prefixing my comments with my lived experience, I keep getting quoted that I must not be playing D&D or playing it wrong.

Not true, there are very many published adventure modules that have zero sex scenes in the story.

My post was made in jest.

 

[Imaculata]

In the Caribbean and relating to Florida, there is in history an all-female pirate crew.

Indeed. And same sex relations onboard a ship were also quite common.