As one of the old guard of roleplaying (playing since the mid-70’s) one thing I have always loved about the roleplaying community is the general good humour and acceptance (you’re a gamer too – cool).
Roleplaying is both an escapist and a cooperative experience which, in my experience, has attracted people who want fun and non-judgemental social contact. Over the decades I have played with people of every political, religious and physical hue, with ladies and with gentlemen, with the able and challenged, with the socially awkward and shy, and with the excitably extroverted. it has been an privilege and a hoot.
There have always been the odd chaps (and strangely they are always chaps) who stood out and were less than gentlemen, but most found themselves quickly in groups of one. What I have not experienced up until now though are people who bring hate to the table
My friend Christopher enlightened me this morning to the plight of group of gamers who are going through quite an ordeal. I had been aware of ‘I Hit With My Axe’ blog for some time and knew that some of the blogger’s friends were young ladies with, shall we say, interesting backgrounds. Honestly I had not given it any thought whatsoever. They are gamers – cool.
Before I go on you need to read this: http://mandymorbid.tumblr.com/post/92910013775/more-reasons-people-found-to-hate-me
It takes about ten minutes, is pretty intense and once you have read it we can continue…
Ok, now you know where I am coming from. I have done a bit of research and checked the facts surrounding this as best I can. From what I can discover it is genuine.
This level of active and persistent hatred, good people, is unacceptable in any civilised community and, in the UK at least, is probably illegal (we have anti-hate speech laws here).
Well, for one, I shall not stand aside and put up with this.
These young ladies, and the gallant Zak, are doing nothing more than playing games. The fact that they blog about it and their lives is just something many of us do in the hobby.
Yet some social pygmies with stunted moral development have taken it upon themselves to attack them for it. In particular I find it interesting when white males use their religion to justify such hatred. Obviously they didn’t get to the part in the gospels when Jesus said ‘love thy neighbour’…?
I am not going to ask any of you to do anything about this as I don’t believe in guilting people into action. I do know though that some of you will agree with me and will reblog this young ladies plight. If you do I suggest you find a way to let her or Zak know – they need any support they can get.
Dead Simple Roleplaying 