Please call female deities 'goddesses.'

[Ycore Rixle]

WotC can't be racist towards elves, mostly because elves don't exist.

...

WotC gives elves worse stats than humans in their D&D game = not racism

Assigning qualities based on race is racist.

I recognize your point, Doug, that no one in the real world might be harmed because no one in the real world is an elf. But racism, the idea of assigning qualities to individuals based on what race they are, is plainly present in the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. There are tons of relevant things that don't exist - imaginary numbers, for instance - that are still judged based on concepts that apply in the real world.

 

[Lackhand]

Assigning qualities based on race is racist.

I recognize your point, Doug, that no one in the real world might be harmed because no one in the real world is an elf. But racism, the idea of assigning qualities to individuals based on what race they are, is plainly present in the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. There are tons of relevant things that don't exist - imaginary numbers, for instance - that are still judged based on concepts that apply in the real world.

This isn't racism.

# the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races
# discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race

If it's good enough for our robotic masters, it's good enough for me.

this isn't prejudice, you see, it's "judice" -- it's obvious empiric fact, no measurements or slantable data present.

 

[frankthedm]

I don't have a problem with calling them all "gods." Isn't the gender of a deity more or less subjective anyway?

For Shub-Niggurath, Slaanesh or Corellon Larethian, Yes. But on the most part, Fantasy gaming gods tend to be one or the other, or neither. There are many seemingly non gendered gods, but only a few with subjective genders.

 

[Daniel D. Fox]

I cannot believe such a minor quibble turned into an armchair arguement over racism.

 

[Rechan]

I cannot believe such a minor quibble turned into an armchair arguement over racism.

Welcome to the internet.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Lol, good points Moniker and Rechan. I'll stop now. I think it's an interesting discussion but it is, at best, a threadcrap, and at worst highly inflammatory and against the rules.

 

[neceros]

Welcome to the internet.

Reality is perception; online or not.

Regardless, I don't think it's such a big deal that a thread had to be made out for it. Gods or Goddess, it doesn't matter. In fact, I think it should all be non gender specific, since they have transcended (despite what the rules say, an epic character is on the verge of ascending.)

There is such a thing as too politically correct; toughen up a bit.

 

[Rechan]

Reality is perception; online or not.

The joke is that on the internet, anything can spark an argument about anything and end up as a huge flamewar/drama fest over anything.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Can't we just call them godfolk?

Or godkin?

 

[Wisdom Penalty]

Another vote for god and goddess, sorcerer and sorceress.

You can pontificate the reasons against such until you're blue in the face, but the simple fact remains: it just sounds better.

You could get a petition and/or show 97% of the gaming public prefers to distinguish those titles based on gender, however, and you're not going to effect any change. They will remain, in WotC books, God and Sorcerer.

So the two minutes to write this post could have been better spent by staring into space, lighting a match and holding it against somewhere sensitive, or shoving Saltine crackers into my mouth until I can't talk without creating clouds of crumbs...

But...what the hell? We all can dare to dream.

W.P.