Female players.

[Thea]

I know when I was a kid I'd always choose the female characters in video games. Anyone else do this?

[Mason26]

As a kid, I tended to pick female characters because I sort of thought I was supposed to. No one told me I had to, I don't know where I got it from. Sometimes I'd play as male characters and it felt almost taboo. When a male character was the only option (Mario lol) I didn't have that problem and I enjoyed it. Growing up on Nintendo, I couldn't exactly see myself in male characters because they were too cartoony. That changed once I got into Zelda and I really started noticing the trans signs when I got an Xbox. The characters looked more real, had voice lines and character arcs, and I realized how amazing it felt to be playing as a dude and being referred to as sir, mister, etc. Video games were pivotal in figuring myself out.

[awkward-yet-sweet]

I never got too much into gaming, because it was a "boy thing" when I was growing up.  My brothers took up most of the game time, so me and my sister used it less.  But we had a bunch of games for Nintendo 64.  When I played Super Smash Bros, I was always Fox.  No surprise there 🤣  Didn't matter that Fox is a boy, and nobody really commented on it. 

[AllieJ]

Adopting a character matching your Gender Identity is a common strategy for reducing Dysphoria, and not just in games, but also in written works, or even simply in daydreams! There are levels of realism in all forms of media, ie, daydreams are a basic level, writing it down or selecting a compatible character in a game makes it a little more real, and allowing others to see your character by publishing or multi player games adds another step in realism. The more real, the greater reduction of dysphoria!

 

Hugs,

 

Allie

 

[MaeBe]

I almost always choose a female character. Sometimes I haven't when I'm gaming with RL friends. In fact, one of the games I play presently my female character has these leggings with killer calf boots and just randomly looking down and noticing them was the first time I ever wanted leggings. I was like, I want my legs to look like that! And after buying a half dozen pair there's no looking back!

[Ladypcnj]

Hi Thea, I can relate to that, to this day I find video games that has female role characters in them, the ones that takes leadership. 

[violet r]

I can relate.  I have always played a female character when given the opportunity. Not really and reason except I just alway pick them since I was young 

 

[RaineOnYourParade]

On 9/4/2023 at 12:06 AM, Mason26 said:

As a kid, I tended to pick female characters because I sort of thought I was supposed to. No one told me I had to, I don't know where I got it from. Sometimes I'd play as male characters and it felt almost taboo. When a male character was the only option (Mario lol) I didn't have that problem and I enjoyed it. 

 

This exactly ^^^

 

I actually really liked games where I was required to play a male character. It felt homey, in a way. 

[Ashley0616]

I always picked the female character and was mad when there wasn't a choice.

[Mmindy]

The same for me... That's exactly were MmIndy came from. I started choosing female skins as soon as they became available in the few games I played.

 

Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋

[EasyE]

During COVID lockdowns without any place to go, some neighborhood buddies and I would play Life for hours (imagine a bunch of middle aged men playing that game, it was a hoot - all sorts of 'house rules')... anyways, as much as I could get away with it, I would choose a pink peg to represent myself... sometimes even had a female name to go with it... this was before I even really pondered whether or not I was trans ...

 

I was very determined to do this ... so interesting to look back and see all the threads pointing me to where I am now, though it has come as such a surprise as well...

 

Easy