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TSR (2) Confirms TSR (3)'s Acquisition of Trademark (Updated!)
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<blockquote data-quote="Doug McCrae" data-source="post: 8317466" data-attributes="member: 21169"><p>The <a href="https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11762&start=77" target="_blank">linked comments</a> that approvingly quote the 19th century genocidal racist, Colonel Chivington, were made by Gary Gygax in 2005 when he was 66 years old. He died aged 69.</p><p></p><p></p><p>More enlightened views were being taken at the time. Sexism in rpgs was a contested topic in the 1970s and 1980s.</p><p></p><p>Jon Peterson's <em>Playing at the World</em> (2012) describes the debate in fanzines such as <em>Alarums & Excursions</em>:</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px">The inherent sexism of the fantasy literary tradition, let alone the mere term "fighting man," set a lasting tone for fantasy role-playing, for better or for worse. When Lenard Lakofka wrote his article "Notes on Women & Magic – Bringing the Distaff Gamer into D&D" in the <em>Dragon </em>#3 (Oct 1976), which for example substituted out the "Charisma" ability in favor of "Beauty," he did little but exacerbate the implication of innate gender differences in the game. Such questions were hotly debated in the fanzines of the day, especially in <em>Alarums & Excursions</em>, where many prominent gamers upheld the innate inferiority of females as physical warriors.</p><p></p><p>On Peterson's account most writers at the time defended sexism. But the fact that it was "hotly debated" demonstrates that one or more must have taken an opposing view.</p><p></p><p>Sexist game art was criticised in reviews published in <em>White Dwarf</em> magazine #21 (1980) and <em>Different Worlds</em> #14 (1981).</p><p></p><p>A review by Kirby Lee Davis of the rpg <em>The Spawn of Fashan</em> in <em>Different Worlds</em> #19 (1982) criticises differing attributes for male and female PCs:</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px">Female characters are another problem. The introduction has a disclaimer that using the pronoun 'he' in referring to characters is not sexist. However, the initial constitution and strength of females is half that of males and these characteristics improve at one quarter the rate for males. In compensation, females increase their charisma and gain Intuition (which is described in the Mental Illness Table). Such an approach to women is neither fair nor realistic.</p><p></p><p>A letter from Shirley Carbery in <em>White Dwarf</em> #70 (1985) criticises several aspects of sexism in rpging:</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px">Over a year ago I was first introduced to AD&D, but the more I have played it the more concerned I have become about the structure of the game and the presentation of women with it.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">The whole fabric of the pseudo-mediaeval games appears male-orientated. Of course, within the rules you have a choice of what sex you wish your adopted character to be but from then on the system seems to expect you to be male. The female fantasy characters encountered (the few that show up) seem more likely to be serving wenches or prostitutes.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">I nearly brained my DM when he told me the rules of choosing to play a female character and the restraint of not being able to attain the maximum strength of 18 – unless I was a half-orc. Not exactly a fair rule and thanks to the DM it was ignored.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Illustrations within WD involving over the top females verge upon soft porn. I will not be fobbed off with excuses of historic nostalgia that women have been portrayed like this in pulp fantasy since 1920. Surely now it is time for change?</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">One example is <em>Thrud </em>in WD67. What at first glance appears to be womanhood getting their own back on men shows, on closer inspection, that the last laugh is on women themselves.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">RPGs could be very educational and highly entertaining. I think it is a great shame considering what they have to offer that so few women seem to be involved and playing them. In my opinion the stereotypical, subservient female has to be done away with before women will be encouraged to participate more.</p><p></p><p>The subject was debated in <em>White Dwarf</em>'s letters page over the next few issues, with most of the published letters supporting Carbery's position, perhaps indicating a shift in prevailing opinion from the mid-70s to the mid-80s.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Doug McCrae, post: 8317466, member: 21169"] The [URL='https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11762&start=77']linked comments[/URL] that approvingly quote the 19th century genocidal racist, Colonel Chivington, were made by Gary Gygax in 2005 when he was 66 years old. He died aged 69. More enlightened views were being taken at the time. Sexism in rpgs was a contested topic in the 1970s and 1980s. Jon Peterson's [I]Playing at the World[/I] (2012) describes the debate in fanzines such as [I]Alarums & Excursions[/I]: [INDENT]The inherent sexism of the fantasy literary tradition, let alone the mere term "fighting man," set a lasting tone for fantasy role-playing, for better or for worse. When Lenard Lakofka wrote his article "Notes on Women & Magic – Bringing the Distaff Gamer into D&D" in the [I]Dragon [/I]#3 (Oct 1976), which for example substituted out the "Charisma" ability in favor of "Beauty," he did little but exacerbate the implication of innate gender differences in the game. Such questions were hotly debated in the fanzines of the day, especially in [I]Alarums & Excursions[/I], where many prominent gamers upheld the innate inferiority of females as physical warriors.[/INDENT] On Peterson's account most writers at the time defended sexism. But the fact that it was "hotly debated" demonstrates that one or more must have taken an opposing view. Sexist game art was criticised in reviews published in [I]White Dwarf[/I] magazine #21 (1980) and [I]Different Worlds[/I] #14 (1981). A review by Kirby Lee Davis of the rpg [I]The Spawn of Fashan[/I] in [I]Different Worlds[/I] #19 (1982) criticises differing attributes for male and female PCs: [INDENT]Female characters are another problem. The introduction has a disclaimer that using the pronoun 'he' in referring to characters is not sexist. However, the initial constitution and strength of females is half that of males and these characteristics improve at one quarter the rate for males. In compensation, females increase their charisma and gain Intuition (which is described in the Mental Illness Table). Such an approach to women is neither fair nor realistic.[/INDENT] A letter from Shirley Carbery in [I]White Dwarf[/I] #70 (1985) criticises several aspects of sexism in rpging: [INDENT]Over a year ago I was first introduced to AD&D, but the more I have played it the more concerned I have become about the structure of the game and the presentation of women with it.[/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT]The whole fabric of the pseudo-mediaeval games appears male-orientated. Of course, within the rules you have a choice of what sex you wish your adopted character to be but from then on the system seems to expect you to be male. The female fantasy characters encountered (the few that show up) seem more likely to be serving wenches or prostitutes.[/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT]I nearly brained my DM when he told me the rules of choosing to play a female character and the restraint of not being able to attain the maximum strength of 18 – unless I was a half-orc. Not exactly a fair rule and thanks to the DM it was ignored.[/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT]Illustrations within WD involving over the top females verge upon soft porn. I will not be fobbed off with excuses of historic nostalgia that women have been portrayed like this in pulp fantasy since 1920. Surely now it is time for change?[/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT]One example is [I]Thrud [/I]in WD67. What at first glance appears to be womanhood getting their own back on men shows, on closer inspection, that the last laugh is on women themselves.[/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT]RPGs could be very educational and highly entertaining. I think it is a great shame considering what they have to offer that so few women seem to be involved and playing them. In my opinion the stereotypical, subservient female has to be done away with before women will be encouraged to participate more.[/INDENT] The subject was debated in [I]White Dwarf[/I]'s letters page over the next few issues, with most of the published letters supporting Carbery's position, perhaps indicating a shift in prevailing opinion from the mid-70s to the mid-80s. [/QUOTE]
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