How often do you play a differently-gendered character when gaming?

[Snarf Zagyg]

I tend to play male characters, historically exclusively so. I'd probably be more likely to play gender neutral or fluid than female. To answer this question entirely honestly is actually kind of intense. We all have habits, but how often do we really try to articulate them? Anyway, great thread.

Some of these replies have been great, and have confirmed what I was thinking; I think it is more common today to play different genders than in the past.

It's interesting; roleplaying has a lot of great aspects, and while you can view it just in terms of being a game, I also think it helps people explore things in a way that maybe hasn't always been traditionally approved of. I was thinking back in the past when people I knew growing up who tended to make more non-traditional RPing choices (for that time) were late able to express themselves in a different, and positive way, outside of the game.

But while I've played all sorts of characters (aliens to elves to lizardpeople to gaseous forms, rich to poor, weak to strong, smart to .... well, more like myself), for whatever reason, I've always exclusively played male characters. It's something I hadn't really considered before.

 

[Ringtail]

I didn't use to understand why you would want to, but after a group that regularly played different genders as well as becoming more open-minded towards gender I changed my mind.

I still have only played 1 female character and in a different group than above. No friction from my friends but they misgendered my character A LOT and it took a lot of work to remedy. It still happens but they correct themselves after they say it so I'm happy with that. I'm willing to play more characters who are of the opposite gender but really when I have a character concept that works for it. I'm also interested in some non binary or androgynous characters, particularly an elf or a half-elf

 

[atanakar]

I once had a Female Paladin with AD&D in the early 80s. That campaign didn't last very long. Can't recall any push back or sexist antics.

Later during 2e the DM let me play an annoying female Sprite after the death of my character. They met her on the road. It was fun for about 3 games after that the players were annoyed with the Spite (not the fact that she was a female) and asked me to play something else. I created a new character.

 

[Guest 6801328]

I didn't use to understand why you would want to, but after a group that regularly played different genders as well as becoming more open-minded towards gender I changed my mind.

I still have only played 1 female character and in a different group than above. No friction from my friends but they misgendered my character A LOT and it took a lot of work to remedy. It still happens but they correct themselves after they say it so I'm happy with that. I'm willing to play more characters who are of the opposite gender but really when I have a character concept that works for it. I'm also interested in some non binary or androgynous characters, particularly an elf or a half-elf

We hang index cards over the DM screen, usually just with name on the front and name and key stats for the DM. I started photoshopping custom ones with art off the Internet. It really helps everyone remember gender.

I’ll post one when I’m on my computer.

 

[Shiroiken]

Since I GM about half the time, I get plenty of time RPing each. As a player, I found myself doing so more in my youth (high school & college), but as I got older, the less desire I've had. There's a lot more work involved, and constantly keeping to the character can be a chore (especially if you have to keep reminding other players). I don't play verbally challenged characters for the same reason (such as the 5E D&D Kenku or the zen riddle talking monk).

 

[BookBarbarian]

I'm extremely guilty of just playing idealized versions of myself for every character., so yes same gender.

The trickiest part of playing female characters is finding less-than-outrageously-hot artwork to use as avatars.

Check out r/ReasonableFantasy This is a place to share and appreciate fantasy and sci-fi art featuring women who are not over-sexualized. Some fashion is fine, but skimpy outfits purely for the sake of being sexy are not appropriate for this subreddit.

This sub is not about practicality of subject matter, weapons, or armor; simply a place to share women who are not defined by sexuality.

 

[Mallus]

Half the time? No, wait, probably less.

My current Labyrinth Lord PC Pontius Pilateson is a dude (he's also Pontius Pilate after being kidnapped by Vikings, going native, and pledging himself to the World-Serpent). Last female PC is played was Black Swann LaVey, an actress and diabolist.

 

[Lanefan]

As a player, most of my characters these days are not of my own gender, and that's how I voted. Over the long run it probably totals about 50-50 as current times are somewhat cancelling out times past.

 

[was]

about 90% of the time I play same gender characters

 

[the Jester]

As a pc, about 50% of the time.

In fact, I'm currently running some peasants through the 'funnel' in Dungeon Crawl Classics- basically, you start with a bunch of 0-level peasants and after an adventure or two, the survivors hit first level- and I am running two males and two females.

I just made a character for a 5e game; she is female.

My previous two pcs for 5e are male, although one has a cantrip that lets him change gender, so 'he' is 'she' about half the time.

My Call of Cthulhu pc is male; my pcs for that gm's last game, which was Deadlands, were one male and two females.

My pc for that gm's previous superhero game was male.

Before that, he ran a Mage game. My first pc there was male, my second was a biological female but she was pretty much a trans-man.

So for the last few games I've played, there have been seven (biologically) male and six (biologically) female; one of the females was a transman and one of the males was, hmm, arguably genderfluid? Although I'm pretty sure he was actually asexual, but it never came up.