So many cat girls....

[Purrfectstorm]

I hate the assumption that female characters are all men.

Women play too.

Good luck convincing the men who believe this. For some reason, a lot of them like to believe that there's an abundance of other men out there pretending to be women. I have no idea why so many men might pretend this but I think it says something very interesting that this is such a widely held male belief. Maybe it's the fear of being hit on by other men? Maybe it's because some guys are uncomfortable around women (and imagining everyone is a man eases this feeling of discomfort?).

Anyway, I also think it's wrong to assume that someone is male because of how they dress their character. A character isn't just a set of pixels we ourselves can drool over; our characters can also be personas we take on for a role-playing experience (this is a RPG right?). I mean, someone might not feel comfortable dressing sexy in real life and it can be fun to do so in a safe setting (like the fantasy world of a game).

Lastly, transgender women may play female characters in game. Playing a game like FFXIV might be one of the few avenues where they can be their true selves or explore that part of who they are. Calling them male and not believing they are the gender they say they are is the same crap they have to put up with in real life. By the way, I am a social worker who works with trans people, so I have seen the effects this can have on someone.

My personal view is that people should take someone at their word and give them the benefit of the doubt. And even if someone sounds male in a voice chat program or something, to just let it go. We really don't need more gender police.

[Archaell]

...

It is interesting, but it seems like trolls developed some sort of ban resistence lately.

Good luck convincing the men who believe this.

I would say it is defensive mechanism. When you believe everything a person says then it leaves you in vulnerable position - which could be easily exploited.

There are many males who treat females differently, not because they would want to conquer them, but because they were taught to treat girls nicely. This special treatment creates opporunities for less emphatic players - be it male or female. There actually are female players who use their sex to satisfy the evil needs, which isn't much different from the pretending population. So if males think that there are no girls on the internet, it gives them sort of protection and helps them to treat everyone equally at the same time.

[Kosmos992k]

Good luck convincing the men who believe this. For some reason, a lot of them like to believe that there's an abundance of other men out there pretending to be women. I have no idea why so many men might pretend this but I think it says something very interesting that this is such a widely held male belief. Maybe it's the fear of being hit on by other men? Maybe it's because some guys are uncomfortable around women (and imagining everyone is a man eases this feeling of discomfort?).

Pretty sad isn't it?

Personally I find it easier to address characters (and posters) by their apparent gender and name, unless instructed otherwise.

One thing I have found playing Kosmos for almost 5 years now (Kos transferred from another game to FFXIV ARR when it launched...), is that I am comfortable being addressed as Kosmos, Kos, or other diminutives of Kosmos and would find it odd for people to address me in-game as anything but the beautiful, blue-haired, red eyed, formerly cybernetic combat android who now sports a more gentle disposition, tail and ears. Hell, I'd probably answer to Kosmos or Kos IRL now.

[Jeannes]

Pretty sad isn't it?

Personally I find it easier to address characters (and posters) by their apparent gender and name, unless instructed otherwise.

One thing I have found playing Kosmos for almost 5 years now (Kos transferred from another game to FFXIV ARR when it launched...), is that I am comfortable being addressed as Kosmos, Kos, or other diminutives of Kosmos and would find it odd for people to address me in-game as anything but the beautiful, blue-haired, red eyed, formerly cybernetic combat android who now sports a more gentle disposition, tail and ears. Hell, I'd probably answer to Kosmos or Kos IRL now.

Yeah people know I'm Lauren, but they call me Sera (short for Seraphim). It's easier to embody your character and have others treat you as so even if your character isn't reflective of what you really are its who you made yourself to be.

Be free and create yourself.

[DSX]

Yeah people know I'm Lauren, but they call me Sera (short for Seraphim). It's easier to embody your character and have others treat you as so even if your character isn't reflective of what you really are its who you made yourself to be.

Be free and create yourself.

did you play FFXI and had your char name there start with a C?

[Reinha]

Anyway, I also think it's wrong to assume that someone is male because of how they dress their character. A character isn't just a set of pixels we ourselves can drool over; our characters can also be personas we take on for a role-playing experience (this is a RPG right?). I mean, someone might not feel comfortable dressing sexy in real life and it can be fun to do so in a safe setting (like the fantasy world of a game).

Spot on. I wouldn't be caught dead in a mini-skirt or see-through top irl, because I'd rather not draw that kind of attention from strangers. Showing off skin is a trait of my character but not one of mine, as are big muscles, alcohol abuse, choosing fights over compromise, being careless with money and promiscuity, to mention a few. She adopted the personality of my WoW Death Knight (she was the baddest b1tch <3) but oddly her looks came mostly from my playful and solitary Druid.

There are hundreds of other reasons to dress scantily than just "drooling". One example would be playing "the alpha" which isn't behavior exclusive to men. Another would be replicating a cool fantasy character (Xena is on the list obviously ). It could even be how the player dresses irl, you never know. If someone makes silly assumptions about people's motives to undress their character, they are only revealing their own simplistic view that skimpy clothing is hot and that's all it's good for.

So to summarize, it was just time to play a M'qote for a while.

Your kitty looks really pretty btw, the colours and all. (Although Roes are the best and no I'm not biased at all.)