Do you let PC's play opposite gender characters?

[Brother Shatterstone]

Seriously, no matter how poorly a guy or gal portrays the opposite sex via their character, there is probably a real life example that is far worse.

Very elegantly stated… That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to say since the beginning.

 

[Kemrain]

It's comforting to see how many people find this to be a non-issue. I'm also pleased (though not sure if I should be) to see some people finding themselves unable to understand how this could be an issue.

I've played characters of one gender or another, and a few that breached those lines over the course of the game. I find those ideas rather interesting, as gender is something we can all relate to, to one degree or another. It's frustrating to play with (or for me, even be around) people who aren't mature enough to handle cross-gender play (even if they don't do it themselves.)

I'm in a very small (3 people!) group right now, and we all play male and female characters. One of us seems to switch off every time, almost like clockwork. I find that, though I play both male and female characters, I'm more comfortable with one sex over the other. Those are my own gender issues, and I feel privlaged to play in a group that not only handles the issue maturely, but lets me play what and how I like.

I fall into the group that doesn't understand how you could 'not let' someone to play a cross-gender character, but I wasn't always there. I've played since I was 9, and I've met my share of immature players. I wouldn't have been comfortable playing cross-gender around them, and I think that if I hadn't found online RPG's, I wouldn't have gotten over those issues. I've grown a lot since then, thankfully, and my games are much better for it.

- Kemrain the Androgenous.

 

[Kichwas]

Seriously, no matter how poorly a guy or gal portrays the opposite sex via their character, there is probably a real life example that is far worse.

Quite true.

The worst played women I've seen in gaming where played by women, the worst jobs of playing men I've seen have been done by men. By contrast, the best women I've seen have been played by male players, and the best played male character was played by a woman. Of course the players who rate best in this tend to always deliver good characters, and the people who rate worst tend to always deliver bad characters - regardless of gender.


This issue baffles me every time it comes up, and it comes up a lot. A lot of people just aren't comfortable with their own gender/sexual identity, and so can't handle something that might seem to challenge the fragile framework they hold onto. It amazes me how charged up people can get over gender and gender identity...

If problems with playing across gender pop up in your group, it's not the character that needs examination, adjustment or restriction, but the player - something that can be said of nearly any issue with problematic characters.

 

[reiella]

As a DM I generally don't let people play outside their own gender. The few times I have, the characters have been badly played stereotypes of the gender. (Both Men and Women have screwed this up) I was just wondering how others handle this topic??

Thanks
Z

I see too many players of the same gender playing a stereotyped character.

*shrug* It's part of the game when you're dealing with swords and sorcery type adventuring.

I personally don't care *shrug*.

[ Edit / Add ]
Ahh, world of darkness... Yea. I've noticed that in the WoD typically it's alot more risque. It's part and parcel with the setting in my opinion. One that may be somewhat unforunate, but it's a stereotype that is shown throughout their sourcebooks as well.

 

[Scarbonac]

Well, the "how" is easy.

The DM says "No templates, no psionics, and no females."

And if you don't like it, what are you going to do? Try and play your Half-Dragon Seeress anyway?

-Hyp.

While the DM has the final say as to what goes in his campaign (no templates? Cool, they're supposed to be, IIRC, a DM tool anyway, and psionics aren't Core; no big), I frankly would refuse to play in a game where the DM tried to micromanage the sex of my characters unless the circumstances were pretty damn extraordinary.


Example: in one Champions campaign we had, the secret IDs of our characters were our RL-selves (it was a bit awkward trying to RP myself, lemme tell you), and in convention play, I'm usually willing to take whatever pregen PC or limits that the DM wants to hand me. For long-running play, however, no. Hell no.

 

[Kichwas]

I had a GM once, for what was intended as a regular weekly game and not a one shot take my character and toss out the entire backstory, name, height, weight, and general appearance and tell me who the person was in name, looks, background, personality, and general history. All he let me keep were the numbers.

I got up and left.

 

[Desdichado]

This issue baffles me every time it comes up, and it comes up a lot. A lot of people just aren't comfortable with their own gender/sexual identity, and so can't handle something that might seem to challenge the fragile framework they hold onto. It amazes me how charged up people can get over gender and gender identity...

It amazes you? Even when you make comments like the one highlighted above that are specifically written to stir the pot?

 

[Hypersmurf]

While the DM has the final say as to what goes in his campaign, I frankly would refuse to play in a game where the DM tried to micromanage the sex of my characters...

You see? That's "how" the DM prevents it. You leave, and only the characters that conform to his rules remain.

Like I say, I make no comment as to the "why"

-Hyp.

 

[Aristotle]

Here is my issue I guess. If you refuse to let players play characters across gender lines, then where do you draw the line?

If I am a straight white man, am I forbidden from playing characters from other ethnic backgrouns or sexual preferences as well? Or am I stuck playing straight white male characters?

If a DM started rattling off restrictions to me when I joined his or her group, or if the DM turned down all of my off-beat character concepts because they were somehow offensive to him or her, I would have to remove myself from the gaming group.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Here is my issue I guess. If you refuse to let players play characters across gender lines, then where do you draw the line?

That's up to the individual DM.

If the DM wants to say "Only humans, since nobody ever plays elves as anything but arrogant humans with pointy ears", then - whether he's correct or not - that's the rule in his campaign. You have two choices - play a human, or don't play.

That may leave the DM with no players, but just as he can't force you to actually play in his game if you don't like his rules, you can't force him to run the game by rules he doesn't like.

If the DM wants to say "You can only play a straight white male", then, again, you have two choices.

The DM in question might be terrible. On the other hand, he might be brilliant at every aspect of DMing in the game he runs, as long as you're happy abiding by the restriction on character generation.

You have to decide as a player if you'd rather play a straight white male under this DM, or find another game.

The DM has to decide if he'd rather run a game with only people who are willing to play under those restrictions, or use different restrictions.

Supply and Demand.

-Hyp.