Why do I play female characters?

[Carin-Eri]

When I first started playing MMO's (star trek online) I started out playing males but quickly changed to female because it felt weird dressing them and watching them from behind (0.0) I realized I smiled a lot when I dressed my female non-modestly (o.o) and watched her from behind because it felt normal and still does. Problems came from other players(males) who ask me why I play female characters and I replied, love watching them from behind and dressing them up non-modestly. I love kicking ass with my beautiful female (Angelina Jolie - tomb raider) character. They called me homophobic and harassed me continually and made cat calls. I quit playing that game and started playing this one where 1/2 the player base's characters are female .... Thank you ffxiv

Sorry to hear that you experienced that, though am not surprised to be honest. I played STO for over a decade and the social scene there is pretty damn toxic. I recall visiting Risa on several occasions (outside of the summer event) and being accused of being an "ErPiSt" due to the fact that my character was wearing swimwear and standing in very close proximity to another female character wearing a bikini. I quit STO too - the toxic community and the drama generated by said community being one of the many reasons I did so.
Interestingly, I'm fairly sure that the male/female player ratio in STO leans heavily toward the majority of players being male. Make of that what you will.

As you say, the community in FFXIV is far more open-minded and it probably helps that the male/female player ratio is far better balanced.

That aside, I don't see the issue with players making a character that isn't their R/L gender in any MMO. Its a game - the whole damn thing - every single aspect of it - is about escapism and anyone mocking another player's choice of character gender is either a troll or, frankly, not very bright.

[sagacious]

Sorry to hear that you experienced that, though am not surprised to be honest. I played STO for over a decade and the social scene there is pretty damn toxic. I recall visiting Risa on several occasions (outside of the summer event) and being accused of being an "ErPiSt" due to the fact that my character was wearing swimwear and standing in very close proximity to another female character wearing a bikini. I quit STO too - the toxic community and the drama generated by said community being one of the many reasons I did so.
Interestingly, I'm fairly sure that the male/female player ratio in STO leans heavily toward the majority of players being male. Make of that what you will.

As you say, the community in FFXIV is far more open-minded and it probably helps that the male/female player ratio is far better balanced.

That aside, I don't see the issue with players making a character that isn't their R/L gender in any MMO. Its a game - the whole damn thing - every single aspect of it - is about escapism and anyone mocking another player's choice of character gender is either a troll or, frankly, not very bright.

Did you play as a green Orion slave girl?

[Carin-Eri]

Did you play as a green Orion slave girl?

Nope - not at all.