LGBTQ characters in D&D

[Shemeska]

So yesterday marked the appearance of Shardra Geltl, Paizo's iconic shaman who happens to be a transgender woman, and the posting of a list of 50 LGBTQ characters from Pathfinder. Paizo/Pathfinder have been incredibly inclusive and IMO they deserve recognition for that.

WotC is beginning to take some steps in that direction as well (the inclusive language on gender and sexuality in 5e was welcome to see), and it got me thinking that while Pathfinder has had an incredible diversity of LGBTQ characters, how many have appeared in D&D proper?

Off the top of my head I can't actually think of many (though I only started gaming with 3e, so shallow experience with earlier editions), with only 1e's Rufus and Burne, and in 4e Shemeshka the Marauder and her former apprentice Shylara the Manged (which I wrote, though admittedly for those two, gender and sexuality in shapeshifting fiends is a fluid subject). I can think of a few others from novels (Jarlaxle for instance), but not too many when it comes to RPG material.

 

[thewok]

Well, Corellon spent time as a female, and is said by some to have given birth to much of the elven pantheon in his female aspect. Elminster was turned into a woman by Mystra for a time.

I don't know much about the D&D campaigns. My group tends to play homebrew settings. I do know about these two, though.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I know there were several in various Eberron novels, but it's been a while since I read them. I'm not remembering character details, straight, gay, transgender, or otherwise.

 

[doctorhook]

So yesterday marked the appearance of Shardra Geltl, Paizo's iconic shaman who happens to be a transgender woman, and the posting of a list of 50 LGBTQ characters from Pathfinder. Paizo/Pathfinder have been incredibly inclusive and IMO they deserve recognition for that.

WotC is beginning to take some steps in that direction as well (the inclusive language on gender and sexuality in 5e was welcome to see), and it got me thinking that while Pathfinder has had an incredible diversity of LGBTQ characters, how many have appeared in D&D proper?

Off the top of my head I can't actually think of many (though I only started gaming with 3e, so shallow experience with earlier editions), with only 1e's Rufus and Burne, and in 4e Shemeshka the Marauder and her former apprentice Shylara the Manged (which I wrote, though admittedly for those two, gender and sexuality in shapeshifting fiends is a fluid subject). I can think of a few others from novels (Jarlaxle for instance), but not too many when it comes to RPG material.

Paizo certainly seems like it's been pretty forward-thinking about this. They do have the advantage of writing their own fresh stories only in the 21st century. Can you imagine the reaction TSR might have faced writing the same kinds of characters thirty years ago? (It's just a thought exercise; there's no right answer, but it's safe to say the reaction would be less uniformly positive.)

 

[GMMichael]

WotC is beginning to take some steps in that direction as well (the inclusive language on gender and sexuality in 5e was welcome to see), and it got me thinking that while Pathfinder has had an incredible diversity of LGBTQ characters, how many have appeared in D&D proper?

I'm pretty sure that the first D&D character sheet to have a player-filled line for "sex" was LGBTQ-friendly.

I can't comment on the literature - except to verify that Elminster was hetero-exploratory. My fantasy reading is all Tolkien and Martin. And Ari Marmell rulebooks - I'm surprised he didn't mention the first shadowcaster in Tome of Magic. (Great work, by the way.)

 

[jib916]

Paizo certainly seems like it's been pretty forward-thinking about this. They do have the advantage of writing their own fresh stories only in the 21st century. Can you imagine the reaction TSR might have faced writing the same kinds of characters thirty years ago? (It's just a thought exercise; there's no right answer, but it's safe to say the reaction would be less uniformly positive.)

This is very true. I love how Paizo (and so far WOTC) are diversifying their characters/npcs (Race(Human Cultures)/Sexuality/Gender wise) but this is to an extent an evolution of our current culture.

These same ideas would of not been received the same way 30 even 10 years ago.

That being said, I am glad these company's are embracing the diversity of our culture and the current market. It is important for the growth of the hobby.

 

[ppaladin123]

I thought it was a cool thing to do but (as I haven't ever really paid much attention) I didn't realize that any iconics had stories at all. I thought it was just art. Did the D&D 3e iconics have back-stories?

 

[dream66_]

I thought it was a cool thing to do but (as I haven't ever really paid much attention) I didn't realize that any iconics had stories at all. I thought it was just art. Did the D&D 3e iconics have back-stories?

WOTC 3.x iconics had some books that weren't internally consistent, also a comic strip which weren't consistent with the books, and a few other backstory things, not of which match up with any other things.

 

[ppaladin123]

WOTC 3.x iconics had some books that weren't internally consistent, also a comic strip which weren't consistent with the books, and a few other backstory things, not of which match up with any other things.

Ok so it sounds like there is a good reason I didn't remember any coherent backstories for them.

 

[doctorhook]

Ok so it sounds like there is a good reason I didn't remember any coherent backstories for them.

Yeah, it would be hard to follow, given that every splatbook showed each one taking one or more prestige classes. Since all those paths could not have been taken by the same characters, we were obviously looking at a multiverse of Mialees.

...A terrifying thought.