Lol, I’m 19 and attending college in America, but you’re right to think I don’t have much experience in the dating department because I seriously don’t (Of my own choice mind you, I’m one of those conservative Catholics someone was talking about earlier X_X ). The other problem is basically my writing skill. I don’t know how to really phrase a story or setting to match what is in my head, and while this idea may have been good, I think I’m biting off more than I can chew trying to tackle the complexities of high school life. Hell! I just got out of that! Why am I writing about it again?
Hey @2Ton - yeah, we’re all chill. But there are a couple assumptions you keep making that are worth taking a second to question.
* Discrimination is only a problem when it shows up as people “trying to oppress” other people. The deeper problem is when no one’s trying – when people have just grown up with certain attitudes and don’t even think twice about them. When a majority, or people with power, have the wrong kind of unconscious attitudes, it can have terrible real-world effects without anyone ever “trying.”
* Asking people to watch out for sexism is the same as “getting offended.” Because you thought Mara was accusing people of “trying to oppress” other people – basically of being evil bigots – it makes sense that you’d assume she was “offended.”
But when you understand discrimination as something that even normal, good people do unconsciously all the time, there’s no reason to get offended when you see it coming. It would be silly to get offended if someone accidentally bumped into me – but if I see someone about to accidentally bump into me, I’m going to warn them.
Personally, I don’t think Mara’s warnings sounded “offended” at all. I read them as “you’ll do fine, just consult with a woman so you don’t accidentally write a sexist story,” and “that concept sounds sexist but I know that wasn’t your intent.” Sounded quite chill to me. What do you think?
@Havenstone You know Mara and I are good friends, Im not saying she thinks anyone is bigot I know what she was saying, and It wasnt about the first post I did see why she said that but I also seen her doing it on other posts around the forum that I didnt really find sexist at all and then when she said that about Drazen’s post saying it could come off as Sexist, I didn’t see why is all, that is why I commented on it not the first one
Just as a friend I was sharing my opinion of no one here is like that, 'cause I thought she was overreacting on a few other posts where she said things might seem sexist, and I assumed if you voice a complaint about it then yes its offensive, you have to have some concern about it to some extent if your gonna voice your opinion about it, so I was just telling her no one here is trying to down anyone in anyway, In hopes that she wouldnt keep hunting for stuff to say was sexist so no one felt like they were inadvertently sexist when they really werent
I think that Marajade has a point.
One of the things I enjoy about choice games is the lack of defined gender roles. I love that the promiscuous rockstar of a ruler could as easily be a woman chasing after men as a man chasing after other men.
I love that the games very rarely limit you to predefined gender roles. That female characters aren’t told they must stay home and cook and be caring and diplomatic, while the male characters are monosylabic brutes that kill everything in sight. I love the blurring of gender lines that occur with a simple pronoun shift, where the choices are available to both genders.
I also thoroughly appreciate that this also tends to make the games more open to same-sex relationships.
Women are as different and varied in their interests as men are. They should have the same options.
@Xmaslightguy I loathe the whole concept of women getting raped as a plotline. Why can’t the man be the one who is at risk of being raped while the woman is the one who’s decided to do battle in heavy armour? Do you think women like playing characters who are at risk of being raped?
Now, admittedly, I’m shaking my head at Marajade also saying she has women get raped in her game. I definitely won’t touch a game that has that sort of subject matter in it with a barge-pole and would seriously appreciate a warning on it.
I’m looking at your three stereotypical girls and cringing. Defining a woman as a whore, stuck up, and a protective shy girl. UGH! That’s pretty sexist terminology and I guess you are right in that you can’t write women.
@loelet You know, I love that choice generally provides the options to play a sexy scream-queen guy, or a tough fighting woman.
@xmaslightguy May I suggest instead that you write about what you do know? Start with a small game writing about something you know. Do your ground-hog day game in an all boys catholic school so you don’t need to stress out about any girl’s response. Or Ground Hog Day where OH NO ALL THE GIRLS HAVE VANISHED! Then allow for a straight gender-flip if you want a female protagonist and all the boy shave vanished.
Although really you’re obsessing over details just now. Get the game written, just do your male path if that’s what you’re most comfortable with. Don’t stress about having a female perspective if you don’t feel capable of writing one. Don’t have female characters and their responses if you’re worried about their reactions not sounding right. Just get that game finished first.
Sounds like good advice to me.
As for rape, having no desire for another lengthy debate about it, I’ll just repeat that I think rape is almost impossible to write sensitively in a choose-your-own-adventure style narrative, and advise writers to steer clear or signpost it a mile high…
I think its a scarey topic for anyone
And with that I think my original question has been answered, so…
MODS, PLEASE CLOSE THIS DISCUSSION
@FairyGodfeather please read my game demo some path some times with different genders there are 3 genders and you will understand is not a macho think male are sex condicionated by woman in my game is about how depraved a future regime could be and if you have the power to change it you give the people free please try my game and then we pm talk is a sledgehammer to the sleep conciences not a violence apology I try to follow V from Vendetta 1984 a brave new world social critique please read and before we discuss
@xmaslightguy, your wish is our command.