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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bluebell" data-source="post: 8527613" data-attributes="member: 7034545">Absolutely, there is nothing wrong with wanting escapism. But a big part of this debate is about who is allowed to get escapist fantasy and who has to put up with elements that prevent it from being escapist for them. It's not just that "society" in general has changed its mind on what's acceptable. It's that players of color, female and non-binary players, queer players, and other minorities have been pushing to make the game more accessible to them. And it's hard to do that when the game seems to replicate the exact same prejudice that they face in their daily lives. And yeah, for some people it's cathartic to face that prejudice and play someone who is able to do something about it. For other people, it just reminds them of their actual trauma and they'd rather not have it included at all. For me, my escapism is being able to play a character who is marginalized and misunderstood and yet gets to be the hero anyway. I loved playing a soft, loving half-orc and stripping down the stereotypes of a big, violent race. I love playing a female bearded dwarf as a means of exploring gender identity.</blockquote>