GenCon Indy 2007, let's shake the male/female ratios--or not, they seem fine here ;)

[Teflon Billy]

I would love to be in an all-female game. Especially with ENWorlders!

Me, too!

Heck, even with RPG.net-ers!

I'll book your sex change for you

 

[Sephera]

I want to address this one without sarcasm or irony.

I think most everyone involved in the RPG community is well aware of the contributions of Women to the industry...

Everyone involved in the RPG community, yes, but not everyone has gotten that involved in the gaming community. I'm still learning that there are women involved in RPG in areas other than a few female players here and there. I would be willing to bet that not all of the women attending GenCon were that aware either. I've been around Torin for 15 years and he's never talked about great women in RPG. There are plenty of great guys and they are more widely known. Unfortunately, I have no clue who most of the people you listed are. (I plan to remedy that qutie soon.)

The experience I'm going off is from posts on LadiesofHack.com and Fairgames-rpg.com, where both areas were encouraging further progress towards visibility of women at GenCon.

Torin spoke highly of the members of this board that he met at GenCon and I thought I would try to generate more interest in an area other women have expressed they felt there was a need. I still think if I could find a way to get my foot out of my mouth, and stop offending people, there would be interest here, too.

What I'm saying is that your comment (the one I quoted above) sounds like you think that the women of the RPG world are hidden in backrooms somewhere doing work anonymously and recieving no credit.

So perhaps, I should blame the people I game with for not touting the women that have contributed to gaming and leaving me in the dark? Yes, they talk about great names in gaming, but the names I remember most are all male. That easily gives the impression that women in gaming are hidden. I would think I would notice if they had mentioned female contributers to gaming. Maybe I should challenge Torin and Thunderfoot to educate me better about women that have made a name for themselves in gaming?

I doubt thee women would be at an "all women" booth, or would need any such stunt for exposure...they are out there living it.

Okay, so being new to this, is Meguey Baker not someone "big" in gaming? She seemed to support the idea of recognition of women in gaming. Again, I'm referencing one of her posts on her website regarding her meet and greet with the Ladies of Hack and other interested attendees. I think Cahira (from Ladies of Hack) indicated there were 13 women that attended the meet and greet.

I thought that by and large the questions and conversations were about how we defined our characters and our gaming and ourselves in relation to the men. For example, one woman talked about how she never plays female characters because she's very male-identified. Another woman mentioned in an aside how the guys liked her in the party because someone had to be the cleric. Even the question above, about having men as GMs, was about one's boyfriend or husband, not about the possibilities or experiences of play with women GMs in comparison to men.

We could have talked about what issues held meaning for us as women gamers, what we might see as different in a woman's approach to gaming, where we'd like to see the hobby develop next, etc. As I walked back to the booth with Julie, we talked about how if we are moved to tears in a game, that's awesome, and it means we're going somewhere real with the game. I hope there is a more formal Women Gamers at GenCon event, and I hope it's more about women and women's ideas, wants, and visions in gaming than about how tough their fighter is because they have to prove they're not a weak little female. It made me sad to realize how that's still the experience of many women.

I applaud Cahira and the Ladies of Hack for making a start. They are making women gamers more visible in a section of gaming culture that is, I think, less women-welcome than the section I generally inhabit. They are obviously having fun gaming, and they are building connections and community to support their interests. As more and more women do this, all these questions, from all sections, will eventually get answers.

I for one was happy to find a website devoted to women in gaming (Ladies of Hack). I'm just sad there are only 22 members.

(So much for retreating to bed.)

 

[Buttercup]

((On a side note, I think the d20's shirt is bloody hillarious, but I can see how it might raise some hackles.))

If it raises someone's hackles, they're welcome to aim their eyeballs elsewhere.

 

[Teflon Billy]

I'm sharing, not stealing. Besides, it isn't a schtick for me. I'm completely serious.

Ahh, ok then.

I however was just goofing

The schtick is yours.

 

[Teflon Billy]

Okay, so being new to this, is Meguey Baker not someone "big" in gaming?

I've never heard of her. What does she do?

Given the middle paragraph in her quote though, you might want to direct her toward The Forge. They are all about that "Awesomeness of crying in an RPG session" and "getting at somehting real"

Gaming as therapy I guess.

Anyways, I think she'd like it over there a lot.

 

[Sephera]

Just my 2 coppers, but anyone that lacking in the sense of humor department isn't someone I would want to game with anyway. No real loss...

What if it's not that person's lack of humor, but their lack of self-esteem? What if and their feelings that those WITH confidence enough to wear bold shirts are better than they are so they shouldn't try because they don't feel like they would be able to fit in with people that are that confident? Again, this is me thinking about others, not necessarily myself. (Although there was a time I would have been intimidated by women confident enough to wear something so bold.)

I would think men would be able to relate to this a bit, as the "sterotype" gamer is a geek. Don't you try to do anything to debunk that myth?

 

[A Trackless Stranger]

What if it's not that person's lack of humor, but their lack of self-esteem? What if and their feelings that those WITH confidence enough to wear bold shirts are better than they are so they shouldn't try because they don't feel like they would be able to fit in with people that are that confident?

Honestly...I just don't think as much as you apparently do. Thoughts like these would never cross my mind.

I would think men would be able to relate to this a bit, as the "sterotype" gamer is a geek. Don't you try to do anything to debunk that myth?

I know who I am. I am comfortable with who I am. If someone wants to label me as something, so be it...it doesn't particularly concern me and it doesn't really affect the way I think about myself, my friends, or my hobbies.

Again, I am probably just not as self-conscious (for better or for worse) as you appear to be. If people want to game with me, are cool, have a sense of humor and a sense of fun, and treat other people as they would like to be treated, I want to game with them...whether they are a woman, African-American, or consider themselves (or are considered by society) to be a "geek" is really irrelevant at that point.

 

[Seonaid]

Ah...I saw post #4 back ther which read...

[bq]I would love to be in an all-female game...[/bq]

...and it didn't sound much like "all of us"

See, I think it would be an interesting psychological experiment. I've never been in an RPG with more than 2 women (including myself) and less than 3 men. I don't think I'd like it much, actually. I kind of like being "the girl." Boys are fun.

 

[Sephera]

I've never heard of her. What does she do?

She is the owner of Night Sky Games and designer of "1001 Nights". She shares the website fairgames-rpgs.com with Emily Care Boss who is owner of Black & Green Games and designer of "Shooting the Moon" and "Breaking the Ice." Emily indicates that Jennifer Manley Lee helped with the cover art for "Shooting the Moon."

Like I said, I have not had the pleasure of hearing about female gamers and I've certainly not been encouraged to learn more. I found this site on my own and opened my own account. Torin could easily have mentioned it to me, but he chose not to. The gaming greats I am regaled with are male. Point me in the right direction and I'll learn.

Or maybe I should just give up and realize that since I don't understand gaming, I don't belong here and I should stop trying to find a way to let other women, like myself, realize the fun in gaming. This morning I was all excited about going to GenCon, now I'm not so sure. I certainly don't feel any kind of warm fuzzies here.

Goodnight.

 

[Anti-Sean]

Nice welcome wagon folks.

Don't look at me, I'm on the Float Decoration Committee this year.