Playing a character of the opposite gender

RoseannaLovette · Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 227 Location: USA - NC

I have a male character myself. Harrison Morgan...I made him because I wanted to know if I could rp a male and the rp I run DESPERATELY needed a medic. I love rp'ing him. I think I'm good at it, or at least I hope I am. He's pretty quirky...sort of a mad scientist/doctor. He's fun to play though.

MeZergy · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 1075 Location: USA - MD

I've been playing a rather flamboyant and flirty male character in light rp rooms. As long as I don't bring it up, most people don't notice. And when I have told people they don't really mind.

XxMissSnowyxX · Joined: 24 Mar 2010 Posts: 2235 Location: Antarctica

I have played as a male character just out of spite, because all of the guys that I do play with have some strange desire to play female characters.

Honestly, I don't think it matters what a persons' gender is, and what gender they play their character.

If the person is having fun and not doing anything that is harming anyone else, people just need to live and let live. Role playing is just that, it's ROLE playing.
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Maera · Joined: 28 Jun 2010 Posts: 14 Location: Canada

I think that people get upset with women playing male characters because it feels like a lie. Yes, it is just a role-play, but someone who is playing a straight character, and has a love interest in you, and expects it to go further would probably like to know if you're male of female. I don't mind women/men playing the opposite sex, unless it's taken to out of character, and I'm not told. Then you're lying to my face, and I don't take to kindly to lies. You can't tell me that people aren't going to metagame, and get butthurt about this, because you know everyone will. If you told someone, oh yeah, I'm female, than I don't see why they should get upset. That's just how I see it. OOC and RP are always going to linger together, because people do have some preferences, even if that means getting together with a male, if you're female, and a real male, not someone that's playing one.
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CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8096 Location: USA - NY

If someone wants to know who or what I am OOC I tell them. If a chraacter is in a relationship I am detached to it, I do not love who my character loves. It's just fiction.
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Nastanyant · Joined: 28 Apr 2012 Posts: 5 Location: USA

I think it's interesting someone brought up the fact they're fine playing a male, but generally their males tend to be homosexuals.

I had a brief moment thinking about my other character I've been thinking about bringing onto here, but decided that it was unrelated that he'd be open to relationships from both sides (as with one or two of my other characters) and decided it was more something in their character and the way they were built - I've played others that would glare and get offended if a guy were to hit on them.

I think I generally do a good job of playing a male character whenever I've put my mind to it, but I haven't really tried to RP a guy in a while - it will be interesting once I get around to it and finish creating my profile for this one. I've been wondering lately how well I'd play the opposite gender again.

Afanasyi · Joined: 11 Jul 2009 Posts: 227 Location: USA - CA

I have played both straight and gay male characters. I never see a need to disclose my own gender unless the roleplay gets romantic. Yes, it is just roleplay, but my being female OOC still makes some people uncomfortable. I do not want to be accused of tricking people, or upsetting someone like that.
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CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8096 Location: USA - NY

Bumpage.
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Lyve · Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 2746 Location: USA

Kay, so, I have been roleplaying a lot on gaia online.
My avatar is male, but often wearings either female or either gendered clothed. Right now I have him garbed in a red sailor school girl's outfit. My username is Anonymously Androgynous. So it is obviously hard for people to give me a gender on the site. Which is the point.
I am in a roleplay there where I play five characters. Three are female, and two are male. In the OOC chat one of the roleplayers stated that people who play characters of the opposite gender are weird, and are not able to play characters of the gender they are not properly. I asked him which of my characters I was playing incorrectly.
He would not answer.
Clearly that make me the winner in that debate, yes?
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CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8096 Location: USA - NY

Lyve · Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 2746 Location: USA

CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8096 Location: USA - NY

Unnecessary post.
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CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8096 Location: USA - NY

It should be about the character, not the gender of the character's player. There are men who write women well and women who write men well.
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CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8096 Location: USA - NY

Bumping this forward as I just got a request from someone who wanted to use this thread in an essay she is doing about playing characters of the opposite gender on IMVU.
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