One of the fundamental joys of playing a roleplaying game (RPG) is that the players are not themselves. As such, the players can experience what it is like to be someone else in a completely different environment. By enabling participants to play someone else, RPGs are a natural tool for exploring gender identity (eg male, female, trans or non-binary) and sexuality (eg heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual or asexual), as well as unconventional relationship dynamics.
RPGs, like Dungeons & Dragons, Traveller and Call of Cthulhu, are games where the players take on the roles of characters within the story. They are akin to stories of make believe, where the characters are not bound by the physical limitations of their players.
At their core, participants are able to embody any type of character within the setting of the RPG (it is unlikely – but not impossible – that a space marine will be found in a fantasy setting…) Players are no longer bound by the gender they were assigned at birth, or to conform with socio-normative relationships. Instead, the freeform nature of RPGs allows players a safe space in which they can create characters of different gender and sexualities, thereby allowing them to experiment in the safe space of an RPG’s scenario with different ways of expressing themselves.
None of this is new. RPGs have always been a collaborative fantasy free from the constraints of reality. They are a crucible for experimentation; free of judgement and preconceptions, because at their core they are ‘just a game’.
Players can portray characters of any background they like, regardless of gender or sexuality. It is akin to trying on clothing to see how well it fits. Although players assume the role of a character within the game, they need not embody the character’s values or attributes in reality. Instead, it becomes an educational experience for the participant, where they can incorporate different perspectives and points of view, which they might otherwise not be able to experience for themselves.
By playing different characters within a variety of settings, players get to experience moments of self-discovery. They are able to experiment with exhibiting different personalities and alternative ways of interacting with people.
Yet, for all this insight, the liminal nature of RPGs means that there are no consequences in the real world. The character is different to the player. When the game is over, the shared game world is dissolved. Thus, RPGs allows players to experience different outlooks and identities within a safe environment.
Unlike MMOs and LARPs, which typically involve interacting with strangers, tabletop role-playing games are usually played with friends around in a table. They provide a safe and supportive environment. As a consequence, tabletop role-players generally experience less abusive behaviour than they would online (although that does not prevent gentle mocking and mirth whenever a critical failure is rolled).
Ultimately, role-playing games create liminal spaces in the shared imaginations of the participants. They are games that are played outside the normal pressures of modern life, allowing players to reflect on what is, and reimagine what might be.
