Assumed Sexuality?

[TruthSayer]

I was reading a discussion on rpg-directory.com that I thought was interesting enough to bring here, especially since there are a few alternate sexuality roleplays and characters.

One of the major points that was brought up was whether or not a character's sexuality, if not otherwise specified in plot discussions or applications, should be assumed as heterosexual. Now, I'm one of those people that try to have as much figured out about my character as possible, and sexuality is as important to me in this aspect as hair color and religion.

So, the questions I propose are these: Do you think sexuality should be part of a character's basic application outline? Do you automatically assume that if a character's sexuality is not specified, that the character is automatically heterosexual?

[Tammika]

Good questions!

I try not to assume anything based solely on what I read in a character app. Mainly because no matter how well thought out my own apps are at times, I still find out more about my character as I rp them. I use apps as a beginning and realize other people do the same even when they do fill out a dramatically detailed apps that requires a SSN and how long the toenails are on your left foot..if you have one.

Having said all that: Should it be a part? Depends on the forum and the focus of the rp. Custom apps are the best way to go! Do I assume hetero? Yes, unless other factors in the app description hint otherwise. But it doesn't really matter to me unless romance or torture is the main theme of the rp. (sexual preference can be an important element in psychological torture)


my 2 cents. ^^

Damn, I'm already liking it here.

This has been something I've wondered for awhile myself, honestly.

For myself, I've never been huge into romance in general due to bad experiances (not personally, rp wise), however I don't see why it should matter. Unless it is a rp based on romance of course, then it's completely understandable. That being said, I don't always assume hetero that being said unless it's very strongly implied. And I also agree that religion and sexuality are also very important to development since its one of the things that helps to weed out any Mary Sue characteristics in my opinion.

On another note: using sexuality as a part of psychological torture? That's interesting, I'll have to keep that in mind...

Anyway, there's my two cents even if it's similar what has been said already lol

[TruthSayer]

YAY! More thoughts on the subject!

I assume hetero. It's a carry over from real life, I'm sure, that walks the same line as assuming a woman with a pooch is pregnant: major faux pa to assume anything unless it's specifically public knowledge. Such as an extremely metrosexual male that can easily be deemed gay, but has, in reality, been happily married 30 years, worships his wife, has 2.5 children, and 7 grandchildren.

That, and for a ridiculously depressing amount of people, there is no tolerance for this type of slip up and can absolutely ruin friendly rp relations between writers. 2012 and rabid homophobes still abound, but I'm going to stop there because this simple response will turn into a three-page rant

You know what I've noticed? RPs that have applications that require you to state a char's sexuality are usually more sexually explicit than RPs that don't. That might sound obvious but I found it interesting that just having it on the application sort of sets a precedent. It made me wonder: what if there was an RP where the application form included just a name, personality, and a history? No gender or sex. I bet that ambiguity would frighten people away. They wouldn't know how to proceed. Would they just assume the character was hetero? Would they ask the writer via PM for details?

I have played a character whose gender and sexuality was ambiguous [to everyone and to himself]. it was fascinating to see the responses: "Is he straight? gay?" "Can he have kids?" "Can he get pregnant?" "It IS a he, right?" When he first arrived people assumed he was hetrosexual male [I didn't answer the sexuality category of the app]. Women were hitting on him. Men treated him like a normal man. Later on, when clues emerged, MEN starting hitting on him, women started to get catty. It was hilarious. I should say that the RP was very open minded and there was no homophobia there.

To answer that question, I don't assume a character is heterosexual. Sexuality is such a small part of a person that it doesn't matter unless my character actually sleeps with the person, which they never do.

[TruthSayer]

Nice one, Blue ^^ Makes me wonder how you managed to play out a roleplay without using the prerequisite 'he', 'she', 'his', 'hers' and letting people in on the secret. I'm not sure if I would have the ability to do that, honestly.

As for sexuality being a small part of a person, I'm not entirely sure I agree with this, especially considering the fact that there are an unfortunate amount of people who make it a big deal. Heterosexuality? Not a big deal, because that is the social norm, accepted since the beginning of man in enough cultures to ensure that no one bats an eyelash at it. Step outside that social norm, and the acceptance of the society one personally long to, as well as family reactions, holds massive sway over one's own reaction to it. A woman is accepted in her family and culture for homosexuality, she is more likely to be more well adjusted in it. A man is considered a pariah and unnatural for it, he will find living his life as who and what he truly is far more of a struggle.

The same holds true with characters. Of course, this depends largely on the world they are naturalized into, but it still has the potential to sway a character's personality and reaction to situations in a major way.

I understand what you mean, and I think you proved my point. Sexuality isn't important, its people's reactions to it. Take red hair. In the 1800s, redheads were associated with being Irish, and were subject to heavy discrimination because of anti-immigrant sentiment. Nowadays, its just a phenotype. Red hair didn't change, it was only people's reactions to it.

For a more modern example, take transgenders. Despite what some critics say, they didn't just simply appear in the last few decades. They were always here. Transgenders were accepted and actually embraced in other cultures, like Polynesian and native americans. They were hailed as shamans or having special connections to the spirit world. Yet in the modern world they are sometimes seen as aberrations. It's not the transgenders who change, its the culture lens that people view them from.

I think of sexuality and other facets of a person as symbols. It means nothing unless its imbued with meaning. We could have an RP where a caste system is based on eye color. Suddenly, eyes are not just a physical attribute, its a social and status marker. But only because people have decided it so.