How can I handle my DM's requirement that I play a female character in his one-shot when I don't feel...











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My DM is doing a one shot in-universe for a historical moment in our main campaign's world, and my DM is requiring that I play a female character. I'm not really comfortable with this, nor the personality I will have to portray.



How can I best not be a spoilsport?



He won't re-gender one of the characters for me. I know women are just people too but it still makes me uneasy.










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  • 3




    [Related] As a man, how can I roleplay a woman better?
    – SevenSidedDie
    yesterday






  • 1




    Welcome to RPG.se! Have you taken the tour? This is a great first question. It may help to provide the DM's reasoning for why they want you to play a female, if you know it. Thanks for participating and happy gaming!
    – linksassin
    yesterday










  • How many people are in your group for this one-shot?
    – KorvinStarmast
    8 hours ago










  • It might be helpful to mention the kind of personality that the DM wants you to play here. Does it seem like the DM has created a stereotypical character? Or is the personality something you don't want to play for a different reason? The best response might be different in these two cases.
    – Obie 2.0
    32 mins ago















up vote
12
down vote

favorite












My DM is doing a one shot in-universe for a historical moment in our main campaign's world, and my DM is requiring that I play a female character. I'm not really comfortable with this, nor the personality I will have to portray.



How can I best not be a spoilsport?



He won't re-gender one of the characters for me. I know women are just people too but it still makes me uneasy.










share|improve this question









New contributor




anonplayer32 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 3




    [Related] As a man, how can I roleplay a woman better?
    – SevenSidedDie
    yesterday






  • 1




    Welcome to RPG.se! Have you taken the tour? This is a great first question. It may help to provide the DM's reasoning for why they want you to play a female, if you know it. Thanks for participating and happy gaming!
    – linksassin
    yesterday










  • How many people are in your group for this one-shot?
    – KorvinStarmast
    8 hours ago










  • It might be helpful to mention the kind of personality that the DM wants you to play here. Does it seem like the DM has created a stereotypical character? Or is the personality something you don't want to play for a different reason? The best response might be different in these two cases.
    – Obie 2.0
    32 mins ago













up vote
12
down vote

favorite









up vote
12
down vote

favorite











My DM is doing a one shot in-universe for a historical moment in our main campaign's world, and my DM is requiring that I play a female character. I'm not really comfortable with this, nor the personality I will have to portray.



How can I best not be a spoilsport?



He won't re-gender one of the characters for me. I know women are just people too but it still makes me uneasy.










share|improve this question









New contributor




anonplayer32 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











My DM is doing a one shot in-universe for a historical moment in our main campaign's world, and my DM is requiring that I play a female character. I'm not really comfortable with this, nor the personality I will have to portray.



How can I best not be a spoilsport?



He won't re-gender one of the characters for me. I know women are just people too but it still makes me uneasy.







crossgender pregenerated-characters






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share|improve this question









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edited 12 hours ago









SevenSidedDie

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asked yesterday









anonplayer32

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anonplayer32 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 3




    [Related] As a man, how can I roleplay a woman better?
    – SevenSidedDie
    yesterday






  • 1




    Welcome to RPG.se! Have you taken the tour? This is a great first question. It may help to provide the DM's reasoning for why they want you to play a female, if you know it. Thanks for participating and happy gaming!
    – linksassin
    yesterday










  • How many people are in your group for this one-shot?
    – KorvinStarmast
    8 hours ago










  • It might be helpful to mention the kind of personality that the DM wants you to play here. Does it seem like the DM has created a stereotypical character? Or is the personality something you don't want to play for a different reason? The best response might be different in these two cases.
    – Obie 2.0
    32 mins ago














  • 3




    [Related] As a man, how can I roleplay a woman better?
    – SevenSidedDie
    yesterday






  • 1




    Welcome to RPG.se! Have you taken the tour? This is a great first question. It may help to provide the DM's reasoning for why they want you to play a female, if you know it. Thanks for participating and happy gaming!
    – linksassin
    yesterday










  • How many people are in your group for this one-shot?
    – KorvinStarmast
    8 hours ago










  • It might be helpful to mention the kind of personality that the DM wants you to play here. Does it seem like the DM has created a stereotypical character? Or is the personality something you don't want to play for a different reason? The best response might be different in these two cases.
    – Obie 2.0
    32 mins ago








3




3




[Related] As a man, how can I roleplay a woman better?
– SevenSidedDie
yesterday




[Related] As a man, how can I roleplay a woman better?
– SevenSidedDie
yesterday




1




1




Welcome to RPG.se! Have you taken the tour? This is a great first question. It may help to provide the DM's reasoning for why they want you to play a female, if you know it. Thanks for participating and happy gaming!
– linksassin
yesterday




Welcome to RPG.se! Have you taken the tour? This is a great first question. It may help to provide the DM's reasoning for why they want you to play a female, if you know it. Thanks for participating and happy gaming!
– linksassin
yesterday












How many people are in your group for this one-shot?
– KorvinStarmast
8 hours ago




How many people are in your group for this one-shot?
– KorvinStarmast
8 hours ago












It might be helpful to mention the kind of personality that the DM wants you to play here. Does it seem like the DM has created a stereotypical character? Or is the personality something you don't want to play for a different reason? The best response might be different in these two cases.
– Obie 2.0
32 mins ago




It might be helpful to mention the kind of personality that the DM wants you to play here. Does it seem like the DM has created a stereotypical character? Or is the personality something you don't want to play for a different reason? The best response might be different in these two cases.
– Obie 2.0
32 mins ago










5 Answers
5






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
20
down vote













Don't do something that makes you uncomfortable



RPGs should be fun for everyone involved. If you are actually uncomfortable with this the DM should not be asking you to do it. As is always the best advice you should talk to the DM respectfully outside the game and explain that this isn't something you want to do.



If they still insist you must play a female character against your wishes you have two options:




  1. Don't play. This isn't the game for you. Explain that you don't feel comfortable participating and hope they have fun for the one-shot.

  2. Make the best of it. If you are able to overcome the discomfort then this could be a great opportunity to roleplay outside of your normal character. We have a great question on this site that goes into techniques for roleplaying a female as man. I suggest you check it out for better advice than I could give.


Personal Experience



About 6 months ago my main character decided to leave the party for key story reasons. In order to continue playing in the next few sessions the DM suggested I should take over the female NPC that was travelling with our party. Initially I was hesitant to play a female full time. I had done it as a DM but never as a player.



After I started play the fact the character was a female wasn't an issue however. I grew attached to the character and am still playing her. I'm not saying this will happen for you but if you are willing to give it a go it may be easier than you think.






share|improve this answer




























    up vote
    4
    down vote













    I want to start by saying that I understand your impulse, here. Maybe not fully-- I'm not in your head, I don't know the precise reason for your reluctance-- but I do understand it. I shared it in some part, as I have also been fairly reluctant to portray characters of the opposite sex. (In my case, I was mostly concerned with getting it wrong, making a fool of myself, inadvertently offending someone, etc.) I have known other players very hesitant to do this, too, and their reasons (those that I know reasons for) are not nefarious.



    So if you really, absolutely, positively can't or won't do this... don't. If it's not fun, it's not fun, and being forced into it sure won't help on that account.



    You might ask the GM why they are so unbending. They might think they have a plot point that requires this (although I'm much much more skeptical of this now than I would have been ten or twenty years ago.) If it's the personality that bothers you more than the sex, maybe that is more easily negotiable. Likewise, if you have concerns about certain situations, maybe you can get assurances from the GM that they won't happen.



    If there's something really specific to your reluctance, and you can work around it with the GM, that's one way to at least try to avoid being a spoilsport.



    But.



    (You knew there would be a "but," right?)



    I found one-shot adventures (usually but not always convention one-shots) to be absolutely ideal sandboxes. I figured no matter how badly I screwed up, at least the damage was limited to that one session, that one game. During my relatively brief period of convention activity, I actually made it a point to play at least one gender-swap character if possible. It was a valuable experience. I'd like to think it improved my ability to GM as well.



    This may be your lowest possible cost opportunity to experiment-- a one shot, and you don't even have to pay travel costs or convention fees.






    share|improve this answer

















    • 1




      +1 for the comment about being suspicious of why it's so important to play a woman in this one-shot, if it is supposed to be a plot-related thing. I would be extremely wary of any plot point that's supposedly only able to happen to a woman-- barring a "No man may kill me" or pregnancy situation. (Discounting the potential for having trans characters at all, which seems unlikely based on the descriptions given here.)
      – L.S. Cooper
      7 hours ago










    • @L.S.Cooper I can imagine accidentally writing myself into a corner like that. What left the door open for me was "historical moment," meaning there may have been a famous event with three men and two women, and aw shucks the first four have already been assigned. But I am still highly skeptical.
      – Novak
      6 hours ago


















    up vote
    1
    down vote













    Do Something That Makes You Uncomfortable



    Sadly, many nowadays are unable to distinguish between legitimate PTSD triggers or considered moral/ethical lines and simply "being uncomfortable" in terms of appropriate response. While it's fine to refrain from anything that fits in those former categories, part of the glory of any hobby is pushing you outside your comfort zone - either as straightforwardly as doing an Iron Man triathlon when you never have before or something more cerebral and complicated, like crossgender roleplay.



    If you're ever going to GM, guess what, you'll end up portraying female characters! And orc characters, and mind flayer lich characters, and all kinds of "different personalities." It's a good skill to learn.



    I get that you may be worrying about the group's response - but the GM is the one assigning you the character, and I would bet he probably has an additional agenda of trying to get the people in the group to stretch more, and this is a good way to make it "safe" to do it. It's a one-shot for God's sake. Do it, maybe you'll learn something.



    Now go read As a man, how can I roleplay a woman better? for tips on how.



    Personal Experience



    When I was a new gamer, I only played same-gender characters, almost exclusively elves, for a while. But then as I grew as a gamer, and did some GMing, I discovered that it was interesting to use gaming not as pure power fantasy but as a means to experience, slightly, other peoples' experiences. So now I really like stretching with each additional character, always looking to play a different gender, race, personality/alignment, sexuality, class/template/playbook/whatever, and so on, and have found it very rewarding to be able to try to put myself into those other mindsets to gain greater perspective myself. And I'm part of a group of professional mid-career people who are all comfortable doing it, and any given party we form has an interested set of diverse viewpoints - more diverse than our group of similar-aged mostly-tech white guys would otherwise have. It's made my gaming experience better and I have yet to meet anyone whose experience it hasn't made better.






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      up vote
      0
      down vote













      Sound out the whole group



      This problem may go away if you talk with all of the other players.



      Ask the GM to assign that role to another player



      If you are uncomfortable with playing that character, whatever your reasons, and you are not the only player at the table, then a first step is to swap characters with another player who does not share your reservations. That seems like the least difficult way to still play and not play something you don't want to.



      Ask another player to swap with you, and tell the GM



      This is a different approach with the same objective: get another player to simply take on this character, and then the two of you inform the GM.



      What if they still won't do it?



      Either suck it up and play this character, hoping you have fun anyway, or let the GM know that you are not comfortable playing one, and that you are disappointed that there wasn't a way to swap characters with someone who had fewer reservations with this assignment than you did.



      If nobody will entertain your request to swap, there's something possibly going on in your group's interpersonal dynamics that needs a separate treatment.



      Why were you singled out for this role? You need to get to the truth of that, if for no other reason than peace of mind.



      If, on the other hand, this character assignment was the result of 'pick names out of a hat' or 'roll for who gets what character' then we are back to:

      1. Ask for a swap

      2. Play anyway (you might have fun, per Novak's answer)

      3. Walk, and ask another friend if they'd like to play that one shot in your place.






      share|improve this answer




























        up vote
        -3
        down vote













        Listen to your intuition.



        Our intuition can point to real risks of which our conscious mind has yet to discover. (The story of the Formula One driver who saved his own life by veering for unsure reasons is just one example.) It is commonly taught that for complex multivariate decision-making, intuition outperforms logic.



        In college we read that Socrates was so beholden to his intuition that if it told him to cross the street to avoid a person, he would, or to take a different route, he would take the route even if it were longer.



        I have seen players in games playing women who have been subject to misogynistic behavior by other players. They were "hit on", flirted with, and generally treated in unfortunate ways a woman can be treated. It should never happen - but it does. Your intuition may be anticipating situations you would prefer to avoid.



        You can always defy intuition to discover if it was right - but be prepared.



        Methods for Declining



        One part of your question is how to decline the request of the DM so you continue to be a "sportsman."



        One approach you can consider is assertive neutrality.



        (Note: If you are looking for a deeper dive on this topic, Steven Levy, the author of 7 Habits for Highly Effective People, says one book he wishes he had read decades ago is "Crucial Conversations." This book goes into more depth and strategies on keeping difficult conversations on neutral ground.)



        The idea of assertive neutrality is captured in the common aphorism "the dog that barks or cowers get bit." This implies that people (or animals) that are overly aggressive or overly submissive are the ones that get "bit." It is the completely neutral, almost bored, position that prevents getting "bit." (This is the foundation used in The Dog Whisperer to rapidly calm animals.) It is also used in society. The French call this technique of saying "no" to their children "Pas Possible." (Not possible.) It is method of expressing one's desire with neutrality and firmness.



        Taking an assertively neutral approach means you can say things to your DM like: "Thanks for the offer of playing a female character. Unfortunately, that's not going to work for me. Let me know if there's another character I can play, otherwise, I regret I will have to miss the sessions until another opportunity opens. Thanks again."






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          5 Answers
          5






          active

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          5 Answers
          5






          active

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          active

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          up vote
          20
          down vote













          Don't do something that makes you uncomfortable



          RPGs should be fun for everyone involved. If you are actually uncomfortable with this the DM should not be asking you to do it. As is always the best advice you should talk to the DM respectfully outside the game and explain that this isn't something you want to do.



          If they still insist you must play a female character against your wishes you have two options:




          1. Don't play. This isn't the game for you. Explain that you don't feel comfortable participating and hope they have fun for the one-shot.

          2. Make the best of it. If you are able to overcome the discomfort then this could be a great opportunity to roleplay outside of your normal character. We have a great question on this site that goes into techniques for roleplaying a female as man. I suggest you check it out for better advice than I could give.


          Personal Experience



          About 6 months ago my main character decided to leave the party for key story reasons. In order to continue playing in the next few sessions the DM suggested I should take over the female NPC that was travelling with our party. Initially I was hesitant to play a female full time. I had done it as a DM but never as a player.



          After I started play the fact the character was a female wasn't an issue however. I grew attached to the character and am still playing her. I'm not saying this will happen for you but if you are willing to give it a go it may be easier than you think.






          share|improve this answer

























            up vote
            20
            down vote













            Don't do something that makes you uncomfortable



            RPGs should be fun for everyone involved. If you are actually uncomfortable with this the DM should not be asking you to do it. As is always the best advice you should talk to the DM respectfully outside the game and explain that this isn't something you want to do.



            If they still insist you must play a female character against your wishes you have two options:




            1. Don't play. This isn't the game for you. Explain that you don't feel comfortable participating and hope they have fun for the one-shot.

            2. Make the best of it. If you are able to overcome the discomfort then this could be a great opportunity to roleplay outside of your normal character. We have a great question on this site that goes into techniques for roleplaying a female as man. I suggest you check it out for better advice than I could give.


            Personal Experience



            About 6 months ago my main character decided to leave the party for key story reasons. In order to continue playing in the next few sessions the DM suggested I should take over the female NPC that was travelling with our party. Initially I was hesitant to play a female full time. I had done it as a DM but never as a player.



            After I started play the fact the character was a female wasn't an issue however. I grew attached to the character and am still playing her. I'm not saying this will happen for you but if you are willing to give it a go it may be easier than you think.






            share|improve this answer























              up vote
              20
              down vote










              up vote
              20
              down vote









              Don't do something that makes you uncomfortable



              RPGs should be fun for everyone involved. If you are actually uncomfortable with this the DM should not be asking you to do it. As is always the best advice you should talk to the DM respectfully outside the game and explain that this isn't something you want to do.



              If they still insist you must play a female character against your wishes you have two options:




              1. Don't play. This isn't the game for you. Explain that you don't feel comfortable participating and hope they have fun for the one-shot.

              2. Make the best of it. If you are able to overcome the discomfort then this could be a great opportunity to roleplay outside of your normal character. We have a great question on this site that goes into techniques for roleplaying a female as man. I suggest you check it out for better advice than I could give.


              Personal Experience



              About 6 months ago my main character decided to leave the party for key story reasons. In order to continue playing in the next few sessions the DM suggested I should take over the female NPC that was travelling with our party. Initially I was hesitant to play a female full time. I had done it as a DM but never as a player.



              After I started play the fact the character was a female wasn't an issue however. I grew attached to the character and am still playing her. I'm not saying this will happen for you but if you are willing to give it a go it may be easier than you think.






              share|improve this answer












              Don't do something that makes you uncomfortable



              RPGs should be fun for everyone involved. If you are actually uncomfortable with this the DM should not be asking you to do it. As is always the best advice you should talk to the DM respectfully outside the game and explain that this isn't something you want to do.



              If they still insist you must play a female character against your wishes you have two options:




              1. Don't play. This isn't the game for you. Explain that you don't feel comfortable participating and hope they have fun for the one-shot.

              2. Make the best of it. If you are able to overcome the discomfort then this could be a great opportunity to roleplay outside of your normal character. We have a great question on this site that goes into techniques for roleplaying a female as man. I suggest you check it out for better advice than I could give.


              Personal Experience



              About 6 months ago my main character decided to leave the party for key story reasons. In order to continue playing in the next few sessions the DM suggested I should take over the female NPC that was travelling with our party. Initially I was hesitant to play a female full time. I had done it as a DM but never as a player.



              After I started play the fact the character was a female wasn't an issue however. I grew attached to the character and am still playing her. I'm not saying this will happen for you but if you are willing to give it a go it may be easier than you think.







              share|improve this answer












              share|improve this answer



              share|improve this answer










              answered yesterday









              linksassin

              2,8831431




              2,8831431
























                  up vote
                  4
                  down vote













                  I want to start by saying that I understand your impulse, here. Maybe not fully-- I'm not in your head, I don't know the precise reason for your reluctance-- but I do understand it. I shared it in some part, as I have also been fairly reluctant to portray characters of the opposite sex. (In my case, I was mostly concerned with getting it wrong, making a fool of myself, inadvertently offending someone, etc.) I have known other players very hesitant to do this, too, and their reasons (those that I know reasons for) are not nefarious.



                  So if you really, absolutely, positively can't or won't do this... don't. If it's not fun, it's not fun, and being forced into it sure won't help on that account.



                  You might ask the GM why they are so unbending. They might think they have a plot point that requires this (although I'm much much more skeptical of this now than I would have been ten or twenty years ago.) If it's the personality that bothers you more than the sex, maybe that is more easily negotiable. Likewise, if you have concerns about certain situations, maybe you can get assurances from the GM that they won't happen.



                  If there's something really specific to your reluctance, and you can work around it with the GM, that's one way to at least try to avoid being a spoilsport.



                  But.



                  (You knew there would be a "but," right?)



                  I found one-shot adventures (usually but not always convention one-shots) to be absolutely ideal sandboxes. I figured no matter how badly I screwed up, at least the damage was limited to that one session, that one game. During my relatively brief period of convention activity, I actually made it a point to play at least one gender-swap character if possible. It was a valuable experience. I'd like to think it improved my ability to GM as well.



                  This may be your lowest possible cost opportunity to experiment-- a one shot, and you don't even have to pay travel costs or convention fees.






                  share|improve this answer

















                  • 1




                    +1 for the comment about being suspicious of why it's so important to play a woman in this one-shot, if it is supposed to be a plot-related thing. I would be extremely wary of any plot point that's supposedly only able to happen to a woman-- barring a "No man may kill me" or pregnancy situation. (Discounting the potential for having trans characters at all, which seems unlikely based on the descriptions given here.)
                    – L.S. Cooper
                    7 hours ago










                  • @L.S.Cooper I can imagine accidentally writing myself into a corner like that. What left the door open for me was "historical moment," meaning there may have been a famous event with three men and two women, and aw shucks the first four have already been assigned. But I am still highly skeptical.
                    – Novak
                    6 hours ago















                  up vote
                  4
                  down vote













                  I want to start by saying that I understand your impulse, here. Maybe not fully-- I'm not in your head, I don't know the precise reason for your reluctance-- but I do understand it. I shared it in some part, as I have also been fairly reluctant to portray characters of the opposite sex. (In my case, I was mostly concerned with getting it wrong, making a fool of myself, inadvertently offending someone, etc.) I have known other players very hesitant to do this, too, and their reasons (those that I know reasons for) are not nefarious.



                  So if you really, absolutely, positively can't or won't do this... don't. If it's not fun, it's not fun, and being forced into it sure won't help on that account.



                  You might ask the GM why they are so unbending. They might think they have a plot point that requires this (although I'm much much more skeptical of this now than I would have been ten or twenty years ago.) If it's the personality that bothers you more than the sex, maybe that is more easily negotiable. Likewise, if you have concerns about certain situations, maybe you can get assurances from the GM that they won't happen.



                  If there's something really specific to your reluctance, and you can work around it with the GM, that's one way to at least try to avoid being a spoilsport.



                  But.



                  (You knew there would be a "but," right?)



                  I found one-shot adventures (usually but not always convention one-shots) to be absolutely ideal sandboxes. I figured no matter how badly I screwed up, at least the damage was limited to that one session, that one game. During my relatively brief period of convention activity, I actually made it a point to play at least one gender-swap character if possible. It was a valuable experience. I'd like to think it improved my ability to GM as well.



                  This may be your lowest possible cost opportunity to experiment-- a one shot, and you don't even have to pay travel costs or convention fees.






                  share|improve this answer

















                  • 1




                    +1 for the comment about being suspicious of why it's so important to play a woman in this one-shot, if it is supposed to be a plot-related thing. I would be extremely wary of any plot point that's supposedly only able to happen to a woman-- barring a "No man may kill me" or pregnancy situation. (Discounting the potential for having trans characters at all, which seems unlikely based on the descriptions given here.)
                    – L.S. Cooper
                    7 hours ago










                  • @L.S.Cooper I can imagine accidentally writing myself into a corner like that. What left the door open for me was "historical moment," meaning there may have been a famous event with three men and two women, and aw shucks the first four have already been assigned. But I am still highly skeptical.
                    – Novak
                    6 hours ago













                  up vote
                  4
                  down vote










                  up vote
                  4
                  down vote









                  I want to start by saying that I understand your impulse, here. Maybe not fully-- I'm not in your head, I don't know the precise reason for your reluctance-- but I do understand it. I shared it in some part, as I have also been fairly reluctant to portray characters of the opposite sex. (In my case, I was mostly concerned with getting it wrong, making a fool of myself, inadvertently offending someone, etc.) I have known other players very hesitant to do this, too, and their reasons (those that I know reasons for) are not nefarious.



                  So if you really, absolutely, positively can't or won't do this... don't. If it's not fun, it's not fun, and being forced into it sure won't help on that account.



                  You might ask the GM why they are so unbending. They might think they have a plot point that requires this (although I'm much much more skeptical of this now than I would have been ten or twenty years ago.) If it's the personality that bothers you more than the sex, maybe that is more easily negotiable. Likewise, if you have concerns about certain situations, maybe you can get assurances from the GM that they won't happen.



                  If there's something really specific to your reluctance, and you can work around it with the GM, that's one way to at least try to avoid being a spoilsport.



                  But.



                  (You knew there would be a "but," right?)



                  I found one-shot adventures (usually but not always convention one-shots) to be absolutely ideal sandboxes. I figured no matter how badly I screwed up, at least the damage was limited to that one session, that one game. During my relatively brief period of convention activity, I actually made it a point to play at least one gender-swap character if possible. It was a valuable experience. I'd like to think it improved my ability to GM as well.



                  This may be your lowest possible cost opportunity to experiment-- a one shot, and you don't even have to pay travel costs or convention fees.






                  share|improve this answer












                  I want to start by saying that I understand your impulse, here. Maybe not fully-- I'm not in your head, I don't know the precise reason for your reluctance-- but I do understand it. I shared it in some part, as I have also been fairly reluctant to portray characters of the opposite sex. (In my case, I was mostly concerned with getting it wrong, making a fool of myself, inadvertently offending someone, etc.) I have known other players very hesitant to do this, too, and their reasons (those that I know reasons for) are not nefarious.



                  So if you really, absolutely, positively can't or won't do this... don't. If it's not fun, it's not fun, and being forced into it sure won't help on that account.



                  You might ask the GM why they are so unbending. They might think they have a plot point that requires this (although I'm much much more skeptical of this now than I would have been ten or twenty years ago.) If it's the personality that bothers you more than the sex, maybe that is more easily negotiable. Likewise, if you have concerns about certain situations, maybe you can get assurances from the GM that they won't happen.



                  If there's something really specific to your reluctance, and you can work around it with the GM, that's one way to at least try to avoid being a spoilsport.



                  But.



                  (You knew there would be a "but," right?)



                  I found one-shot adventures (usually but not always convention one-shots) to be absolutely ideal sandboxes. I figured no matter how badly I screwed up, at least the damage was limited to that one session, that one game. During my relatively brief period of convention activity, I actually made it a point to play at least one gender-swap character if possible. It was a valuable experience. I'd like to think it improved my ability to GM as well.



                  This may be your lowest possible cost opportunity to experiment-- a one shot, and you don't even have to pay travel costs or convention fees.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 7 hours ago









                  Novak

                  14.8k42567




                  14.8k42567








                  • 1




                    +1 for the comment about being suspicious of why it's so important to play a woman in this one-shot, if it is supposed to be a plot-related thing. I would be extremely wary of any plot point that's supposedly only able to happen to a woman-- barring a "No man may kill me" or pregnancy situation. (Discounting the potential for having trans characters at all, which seems unlikely based on the descriptions given here.)
                    – L.S. Cooper
                    7 hours ago










                  • @L.S.Cooper I can imagine accidentally writing myself into a corner like that. What left the door open for me was "historical moment," meaning there may have been a famous event with three men and two women, and aw shucks the first four have already been assigned. But I am still highly skeptical.
                    – Novak
                    6 hours ago














                  • 1




                    +1 for the comment about being suspicious of why it's so important to play a woman in this one-shot, if it is supposed to be a plot-related thing. I would be extremely wary of any plot point that's supposedly only able to happen to a woman-- barring a "No man may kill me" or pregnancy situation. (Discounting the potential for having trans characters at all, which seems unlikely based on the descriptions given here.)
                    – L.S. Cooper
                    7 hours ago










                  • @L.S.Cooper I can imagine accidentally writing myself into a corner like that. What left the door open for me was "historical moment," meaning there may have been a famous event with three men and two women, and aw shucks the first four have already been assigned. But I am still highly skeptical.
                    – Novak
                    6 hours ago








                  1




                  1




                  +1 for the comment about being suspicious of why it's so important to play a woman in this one-shot, if it is supposed to be a plot-related thing. I would be extremely wary of any plot point that's supposedly only able to happen to a woman-- barring a "No man may kill me" or pregnancy situation. (Discounting the potential for having trans characters at all, which seems unlikely based on the descriptions given here.)
                  – L.S. Cooper
                  7 hours ago




                  +1 for the comment about being suspicious of why it's so important to play a woman in this one-shot, if it is supposed to be a plot-related thing. I would be extremely wary of any plot point that's supposedly only able to happen to a woman-- barring a "No man may kill me" or pregnancy situation. (Discounting the potential for having trans characters at all, which seems unlikely based on the descriptions given here.)
                  – L.S. Cooper
                  7 hours ago












                  @L.S.Cooper I can imagine accidentally writing myself into a corner like that. What left the door open for me was "historical moment," meaning there may have been a famous event with three men and two women, and aw shucks the first four have already been assigned. But I am still highly skeptical.
                  – Novak
                  6 hours ago




                  @L.S.Cooper I can imagine accidentally writing myself into a corner like that. What left the door open for me was "historical moment," meaning there may have been a famous event with three men and two women, and aw shucks the first four have already been assigned. But I am still highly skeptical.
                  – Novak
                  6 hours ago










                  up vote
                  1
                  down vote













                  Do Something That Makes You Uncomfortable



                  Sadly, many nowadays are unable to distinguish between legitimate PTSD triggers or considered moral/ethical lines and simply "being uncomfortable" in terms of appropriate response. While it's fine to refrain from anything that fits in those former categories, part of the glory of any hobby is pushing you outside your comfort zone - either as straightforwardly as doing an Iron Man triathlon when you never have before or something more cerebral and complicated, like crossgender roleplay.



                  If you're ever going to GM, guess what, you'll end up portraying female characters! And orc characters, and mind flayer lich characters, and all kinds of "different personalities." It's a good skill to learn.



                  I get that you may be worrying about the group's response - but the GM is the one assigning you the character, and I would bet he probably has an additional agenda of trying to get the people in the group to stretch more, and this is a good way to make it "safe" to do it. It's a one-shot for God's sake. Do it, maybe you'll learn something.



                  Now go read As a man, how can I roleplay a woman better? for tips on how.



                  Personal Experience



                  When I was a new gamer, I only played same-gender characters, almost exclusively elves, for a while. But then as I grew as a gamer, and did some GMing, I discovered that it was interesting to use gaming not as pure power fantasy but as a means to experience, slightly, other peoples' experiences. So now I really like stretching with each additional character, always looking to play a different gender, race, personality/alignment, sexuality, class/template/playbook/whatever, and so on, and have found it very rewarding to be able to try to put myself into those other mindsets to gain greater perspective myself. And I'm part of a group of professional mid-career people who are all comfortable doing it, and any given party we form has an interested set of diverse viewpoints - more diverse than our group of similar-aged mostly-tech white guys would otherwise have. It's made my gaming experience better and I have yet to meet anyone whose experience it hasn't made better.






                  share|improve this answer



























                    up vote
                    1
                    down vote













                    Do Something That Makes You Uncomfortable



                    Sadly, many nowadays are unable to distinguish between legitimate PTSD triggers or considered moral/ethical lines and simply "being uncomfortable" in terms of appropriate response. While it's fine to refrain from anything that fits in those former categories, part of the glory of any hobby is pushing you outside your comfort zone - either as straightforwardly as doing an Iron Man triathlon when you never have before or something more cerebral and complicated, like crossgender roleplay.



                    If you're ever going to GM, guess what, you'll end up portraying female characters! And orc characters, and mind flayer lich characters, and all kinds of "different personalities." It's a good skill to learn.



                    I get that you may be worrying about the group's response - but the GM is the one assigning you the character, and I would bet he probably has an additional agenda of trying to get the people in the group to stretch more, and this is a good way to make it "safe" to do it. It's a one-shot for God's sake. Do it, maybe you'll learn something.



                    Now go read As a man, how can I roleplay a woman better? for tips on how.



                    Personal Experience



                    When I was a new gamer, I only played same-gender characters, almost exclusively elves, for a while. But then as I grew as a gamer, and did some GMing, I discovered that it was interesting to use gaming not as pure power fantasy but as a means to experience, slightly, other peoples' experiences. So now I really like stretching with each additional character, always looking to play a different gender, race, personality/alignment, sexuality, class/template/playbook/whatever, and so on, and have found it very rewarding to be able to try to put myself into those other mindsets to gain greater perspective myself. And I'm part of a group of professional mid-career people who are all comfortable doing it, and any given party we form has an interested set of diverse viewpoints - more diverse than our group of similar-aged mostly-tech white guys would otherwise have. It's made my gaming experience better and I have yet to meet anyone whose experience it hasn't made better.






                    share|improve this answer

























                      up vote
                      1
                      down vote










                      up vote
                      1
                      down vote









                      Do Something That Makes You Uncomfortable



                      Sadly, many nowadays are unable to distinguish between legitimate PTSD triggers or considered moral/ethical lines and simply "being uncomfortable" in terms of appropriate response. While it's fine to refrain from anything that fits in those former categories, part of the glory of any hobby is pushing you outside your comfort zone - either as straightforwardly as doing an Iron Man triathlon when you never have before or something more cerebral and complicated, like crossgender roleplay.



                      If you're ever going to GM, guess what, you'll end up portraying female characters! And orc characters, and mind flayer lich characters, and all kinds of "different personalities." It's a good skill to learn.



                      I get that you may be worrying about the group's response - but the GM is the one assigning you the character, and I would bet he probably has an additional agenda of trying to get the people in the group to stretch more, and this is a good way to make it "safe" to do it. It's a one-shot for God's sake. Do it, maybe you'll learn something.



                      Now go read As a man, how can I roleplay a woman better? for tips on how.



                      Personal Experience



                      When I was a new gamer, I only played same-gender characters, almost exclusively elves, for a while. But then as I grew as a gamer, and did some GMing, I discovered that it was interesting to use gaming not as pure power fantasy but as a means to experience, slightly, other peoples' experiences. So now I really like stretching with each additional character, always looking to play a different gender, race, personality/alignment, sexuality, class/template/playbook/whatever, and so on, and have found it very rewarding to be able to try to put myself into those other mindsets to gain greater perspective myself. And I'm part of a group of professional mid-career people who are all comfortable doing it, and any given party we form has an interested set of diverse viewpoints - more diverse than our group of similar-aged mostly-tech white guys would otherwise have. It's made my gaming experience better and I have yet to meet anyone whose experience it hasn't made better.






                      share|improve this answer














                      Do Something That Makes You Uncomfortable



                      Sadly, many nowadays are unable to distinguish between legitimate PTSD triggers or considered moral/ethical lines and simply "being uncomfortable" in terms of appropriate response. While it's fine to refrain from anything that fits in those former categories, part of the glory of any hobby is pushing you outside your comfort zone - either as straightforwardly as doing an Iron Man triathlon when you never have before or something more cerebral and complicated, like crossgender roleplay.



                      If you're ever going to GM, guess what, you'll end up portraying female characters! And orc characters, and mind flayer lich characters, and all kinds of "different personalities." It's a good skill to learn.



                      I get that you may be worrying about the group's response - but the GM is the one assigning you the character, and I would bet he probably has an additional agenda of trying to get the people in the group to stretch more, and this is a good way to make it "safe" to do it. It's a one-shot for God's sake. Do it, maybe you'll learn something.



                      Now go read As a man, how can I roleplay a woman better? for tips on how.



                      Personal Experience



                      When I was a new gamer, I only played same-gender characters, almost exclusively elves, for a while. But then as I grew as a gamer, and did some GMing, I discovered that it was interesting to use gaming not as pure power fantasy but as a means to experience, slightly, other peoples' experiences. So now I really like stretching with each additional character, always looking to play a different gender, race, personality/alignment, sexuality, class/template/playbook/whatever, and so on, and have found it very rewarding to be able to try to put myself into those other mindsets to gain greater perspective myself. And I'm part of a group of professional mid-career people who are all comfortable doing it, and any given party we form has an interested set of diverse viewpoints - more diverse than our group of similar-aged mostly-tech white guys would otherwise have. It's made my gaming experience better and I have yet to meet anyone whose experience it hasn't made better.







                      share|improve this answer














                      share|improve this answer



                      share|improve this answer








                      edited 2 hours ago

























                      answered 2 hours ago









                      mxyzplk

                      148k22364593




                      148k22364593






















                          up vote
                          0
                          down vote













                          Sound out the whole group



                          This problem may go away if you talk with all of the other players.



                          Ask the GM to assign that role to another player



                          If you are uncomfortable with playing that character, whatever your reasons, and you are not the only player at the table, then a first step is to swap characters with another player who does not share your reservations. That seems like the least difficult way to still play and not play something you don't want to.



                          Ask another player to swap with you, and tell the GM



                          This is a different approach with the same objective: get another player to simply take on this character, and then the two of you inform the GM.



                          What if they still won't do it?



                          Either suck it up and play this character, hoping you have fun anyway, or let the GM know that you are not comfortable playing one, and that you are disappointed that there wasn't a way to swap characters with someone who had fewer reservations with this assignment than you did.



                          If nobody will entertain your request to swap, there's something possibly going on in your group's interpersonal dynamics that needs a separate treatment.



                          Why were you singled out for this role? You need to get to the truth of that, if for no other reason than peace of mind.



                          If, on the other hand, this character assignment was the result of 'pick names out of a hat' or 'roll for who gets what character' then we are back to:

                          1. Ask for a swap

                          2. Play anyway (you might have fun, per Novak's answer)

                          3. Walk, and ask another friend if they'd like to play that one shot in your place.






                          share|improve this answer

























                            up vote
                            0
                            down vote













                            Sound out the whole group



                            This problem may go away if you talk with all of the other players.



                            Ask the GM to assign that role to another player



                            If you are uncomfortable with playing that character, whatever your reasons, and you are not the only player at the table, then a first step is to swap characters with another player who does not share your reservations. That seems like the least difficult way to still play and not play something you don't want to.



                            Ask another player to swap with you, and tell the GM



                            This is a different approach with the same objective: get another player to simply take on this character, and then the two of you inform the GM.



                            What if they still won't do it?



                            Either suck it up and play this character, hoping you have fun anyway, or let the GM know that you are not comfortable playing one, and that you are disappointed that there wasn't a way to swap characters with someone who had fewer reservations with this assignment than you did.



                            If nobody will entertain your request to swap, there's something possibly going on in your group's interpersonal dynamics that needs a separate treatment.



                            Why were you singled out for this role? You need to get to the truth of that, if for no other reason than peace of mind.



                            If, on the other hand, this character assignment was the result of 'pick names out of a hat' or 'roll for who gets what character' then we are back to:

                            1. Ask for a swap

                            2. Play anyway (you might have fun, per Novak's answer)

                            3. Walk, and ask another friend if they'd like to play that one shot in your place.






                            share|improve this answer























                              up vote
                              0
                              down vote










                              up vote
                              0
                              down vote









                              Sound out the whole group



                              This problem may go away if you talk with all of the other players.



                              Ask the GM to assign that role to another player



                              If you are uncomfortable with playing that character, whatever your reasons, and you are not the only player at the table, then a first step is to swap characters with another player who does not share your reservations. That seems like the least difficult way to still play and not play something you don't want to.



                              Ask another player to swap with you, and tell the GM



                              This is a different approach with the same objective: get another player to simply take on this character, and then the two of you inform the GM.



                              What if they still won't do it?



                              Either suck it up and play this character, hoping you have fun anyway, or let the GM know that you are not comfortable playing one, and that you are disappointed that there wasn't a way to swap characters with someone who had fewer reservations with this assignment than you did.



                              If nobody will entertain your request to swap, there's something possibly going on in your group's interpersonal dynamics that needs a separate treatment.



                              Why were you singled out for this role? You need to get to the truth of that, if for no other reason than peace of mind.



                              If, on the other hand, this character assignment was the result of 'pick names out of a hat' or 'roll for who gets what character' then we are back to:

                              1. Ask for a swap

                              2. Play anyway (you might have fun, per Novak's answer)

                              3. Walk, and ask another friend if they'd like to play that one shot in your place.






                              share|improve this answer












                              Sound out the whole group



                              This problem may go away if you talk with all of the other players.



                              Ask the GM to assign that role to another player



                              If you are uncomfortable with playing that character, whatever your reasons, and you are not the only player at the table, then a first step is to swap characters with another player who does not share your reservations. That seems like the least difficult way to still play and not play something you don't want to.



                              Ask another player to swap with you, and tell the GM



                              This is a different approach with the same objective: get another player to simply take on this character, and then the two of you inform the GM.



                              What if they still won't do it?



                              Either suck it up and play this character, hoping you have fun anyway, or let the GM know that you are not comfortable playing one, and that you are disappointed that there wasn't a way to swap characters with someone who had fewer reservations with this assignment than you did.



                              If nobody will entertain your request to swap, there's something possibly going on in your group's interpersonal dynamics that needs a separate treatment.



                              Why were you singled out for this role? You need to get to the truth of that, if for no other reason than peace of mind.



                              If, on the other hand, this character assignment was the result of 'pick names out of a hat' or 'roll for who gets what character' then we are back to:

                              1. Ask for a swap

                              2. Play anyway (you might have fun, per Novak's answer)

                              3. Walk, and ask another friend if they'd like to play that one shot in your place.







                              share|improve this answer












                              share|improve this answer



                              share|improve this answer










                              answered 6 hours ago









                              KorvinStarmast

                              71.3k17224392




                              71.3k17224392






















                                  up vote
                                  -3
                                  down vote













                                  Listen to your intuition.



                                  Our intuition can point to real risks of which our conscious mind has yet to discover. (The story of the Formula One driver who saved his own life by veering for unsure reasons is just one example.) It is commonly taught that for complex multivariate decision-making, intuition outperforms logic.



                                  In college we read that Socrates was so beholden to his intuition that if it told him to cross the street to avoid a person, he would, or to take a different route, he would take the route even if it were longer.



                                  I have seen players in games playing women who have been subject to misogynistic behavior by other players. They were "hit on", flirted with, and generally treated in unfortunate ways a woman can be treated. It should never happen - but it does. Your intuition may be anticipating situations you would prefer to avoid.



                                  You can always defy intuition to discover if it was right - but be prepared.



                                  Methods for Declining



                                  One part of your question is how to decline the request of the DM so you continue to be a "sportsman."



                                  One approach you can consider is assertive neutrality.



                                  (Note: If you are looking for a deeper dive on this topic, Steven Levy, the author of 7 Habits for Highly Effective People, says one book he wishes he had read decades ago is "Crucial Conversations." This book goes into more depth and strategies on keeping difficult conversations on neutral ground.)



                                  The idea of assertive neutrality is captured in the common aphorism "the dog that barks or cowers get bit." This implies that people (or animals) that are overly aggressive or overly submissive are the ones that get "bit." It is the completely neutral, almost bored, position that prevents getting "bit." (This is the foundation used in The Dog Whisperer to rapidly calm animals.) It is also used in society. The French call this technique of saying "no" to their children "Pas Possible." (Not possible.) It is method of expressing one's desire with neutrality and firmness.



                                  Taking an assertively neutral approach means you can say things to your DM like: "Thanks for the offer of playing a female character. Unfortunately, that's not going to work for me. Let me know if there's another character I can play, otherwise, I regret I will have to miss the sessions until another opportunity opens. Thanks again."






                                  share|improve this answer



























                                    up vote
                                    -3
                                    down vote













                                    Listen to your intuition.



                                    Our intuition can point to real risks of which our conscious mind has yet to discover. (The story of the Formula One driver who saved his own life by veering for unsure reasons is just one example.) It is commonly taught that for complex multivariate decision-making, intuition outperforms logic.



                                    In college we read that Socrates was so beholden to his intuition that if it told him to cross the street to avoid a person, he would, or to take a different route, he would take the route even if it were longer.



                                    I have seen players in games playing women who have been subject to misogynistic behavior by other players. They were "hit on", flirted with, and generally treated in unfortunate ways a woman can be treated. It should never happen - but it does. Your intuition may be anticipating situations you would prefer to avoid.



                                    You can always defy intuition to discover if it was right - but be prepared.



                                    Methods for Declining



                                    One part of your question is how to decline the request of the DM so you continue to be a "sportsman."



                                    One approach you can consider is assertive neutrality.



                                    (Note: If you are looking for a deeper dive on this topic, Steven Levy, the author of 7 Habits for Highly Effective People, says one book he wishes he had read decades ago is "Crucial Conversations." This book goes into more depth and strategies on keeping difficult conversations on neutral ground.)



                                    The idea of assertive neutrality is captured in the common aphorism "the dog that barks or cowers get bit." This implies that people (or animals) that are overly aggressive or overly submissive are the ones that get "bit." It is the completely neutral, almost bored, position that prevents getting "bit." (This is the foundation used in The Dog Whisperer to rapidly calm animals.) It is also used in society. The French call this technique of saying "no" to their children "Pas Possible." (Not possible.) It is method of expressing one's desire with neutrality and firmness.



                                    Taking an assertively neutral approach means you can say things to your DM like: "Thanks for the offer of playing a female character. Unfortunately, that's not going to work for me. Let me know if there's another character I can play, otherwise, I regret I will have to miss the sessions until another opportunity opens. Thanks again."






                                    share|improve this answer

























                                      up vote
                                      -3
                                      down vote










                                      up vote
                                      -3
                                      down vote









                                      Listen to your intuition.



                                      Our intuition can point to real risks of which our conscious mind has yet to discover. (The story of the Formula One driver who saved his own life by veering for unsure reasons is just one example.) It is commonly taught that for complex multivariate decision-making, intuition outperforms logic.



                                      In college we read that Socrates was so beholden to his intuition that if it told him to cross the street to avoid a person, he would, or to take a different route, he would take the route even if it were longer.



                                      I have seen players in games playing women who have been subject to misogynistic behavior by other players. They were "hit on", flirted with, and generally treated in unfortunate ways a woman can be treated. It should never happen - but it does. Your intuition may be anticipating situations you would prefer to avoid.



                                      You can always defy intuition to discover if it was right - but be prepared.



                                      Methods for Declining



                                      One part of your question is how to decline the request of the DM so you continue to be a "sportsman."



                                      One approach you can consider is assertive neutrality.



                                      (Note: If you are looking for a deeper dive on this topic, Steven Levy, the author of 7 Habits for Highly Effective People, says one book he wishes he had read decades ago is "Crucial Conversations." This book goes into more depth and strategies on keeping difficult conversations on neutral ground.)



                                      The idea of assertive neutrality is captured in the common aphorism "the dog that barks or cowers get bit." This implies that people (or animals) that are overly aggressive or overly submissive are the ones that get "bit." It is the completely neutral, almost bored, position that prevents getting "bit." (This is the foundation used in The Dog Whisperer to rapidly calm animals.) It is also used in society. The French call this technique of saying "no" to their children "Pas Possible." (Not possible.) It is method of expressing one's desire with neutrality and firmness.



                                      Taking an assertively neutral approach means you can say things to your DM like: "Thanks for the offer of playing a female character. Unfortunately, that's not going to work for me. Let me know if there's another character I can play, otherwise, I regret I will have to miss the sessions until another opportunity opens. Thanks again."






                                      share|improve this answer














                                      Listen to your intuition.



                                      Our intuition can point to real risks of which our conscious mind has yet to discover. (The story of the Formula One driver who saved his own life by veering for unsure reasons is just one example.) It is commonly taught that for complex multivariate decision-making, intuition outperforms logic.



                                      In college we read that Socrates was so beholden to his intuition that if it told him to cross the street to avoid a person, he would, or to take a different route, he would take the route even if it were longer.



                                      I have seen players in games playing women who have been subject to misogynistic behavior by other players. They were "hit on", flirted with, and generally treated in unfortunate ways a woman can be treated. It should never happen - but it does. Your intuition may be anticipating situations you would prefer to avoid.



                                      You can always defy intuition to discover if it was right - but be prepared.



                                      Methods for Declining



                                      One part of your question is how to decline the request of the DM so you continue to be a "sportsman."



                                      One approach you can consider is assertive neutrality.



                                      (Note: If you are looking for a deeper dive on this topic, Steven Levy, the author of 7 Habits for Highly Effective People, says one book he wishes he had read decades ago is "Crucial Conversations." This book goes into more depth and strategies on keeping difficult conversations on neutral ground.)



                                      The idea of assertive neutrality is captured in the common aphorism "the dog that barks or cowers get bit." This implies that people (or animals) that are overly aggressive or overly submissive are the ones that get "bit." It is the completely neutral, almost bored, position that prevents getting "bit." (This is the foundation used in The Dog Whisperer to rapidly calm animals.) It is also used in society. The French call this technique of saying "no" to their children "Pas Possible." (Not possible.) It is method of expressing one's desire with neutrality and firmness.



                                      Taking an assertively neutral approach means you can say things to your DM like: "Thanks for the offer of playing a female character. Unfortunately, that's not going to work for me. Let me know if there's another character I can play, otherwise, I regret I will have to miss the sessions until another opportunity opens. Thanks again."







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                                      Praxiteles

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