Better transgender integration
Zhuzsdar
Member Posts: 2
Ok, hornets' nest, I know, but please hear me out. I'm a longtime BG fan, since the first game came out and I played it on my family's Pentium III. So here's the thing, I don't want transgendered characters removed, I don't care much about there being a "social justice agenda" (not my thing, but if it aligns with the PC then that's fine, this is a ROLE PLAYING game after all).
Here's the thing. I saw the transgendered character's dialog and it's... bad, bordering on being unintentionally transphobic. Why? Because the vast majority of transgendered people want to "pass"; to be recognized as their real gender. Yet this character - who in a world with a girdle that changes sexes and in which polymorphism exists SHOULDN'T be weird or odd in any way - tells you everything about their past all at once from what I've seen. This is weird, and inaccurate. If your PC PRIED then it would make sense for her to make explanations to get the PC to understand, but just spouting all that at once? That comes off as about the same as the stereotype of vegans: "how do you know someone is a vegan? They'll tell you!". Except this isn't even a life CHOICE, it's their REALITY.
So please, I don't give a damn about Minsc making a cringeworthy one liner, and having "SJW" undertones to the general interactions doens't bother me much (so long as it doesn't get in the way of an evil play through), but this... honestly horrible handling of the transgendered character is just reprehensible.
Until the character is better integrated, I will not be buying this expansion.
I doubt this will get read by the developpers, and someone else probably already expressed this opinion somewhere, but that's the deal for me. It's not an "anti-trans' thing, its that - and I really don't like saying this - the trans character in this game comes off as being the equivalent of a "token" black character from decades past with stereotypical actions that lead to nothing more than fueling peoples' misconceptions and hate.
Here's the thing. I saw the transgendered character's dialog and it's... bad, bordering on being unintentionally transphobic. Why? Because the vast majority of transgendered people want to "pass"; to be recognized as their real gender. Yet this character - who in a world with a girdle that changes sexes and in which polymorphism exists SHOULDN'T be weird or odd in any way - tells you everything about their past all at once from what I've seen. This is weird, and inaccurate. If your PC PRIED then it would make sense for her to make explanations to get the PC to understand, but just spouting all that at once? That comes off as about the same as the stereotype of vegans: "how do you know someone is a vegan? They'll tell you!". Except this isn't even a life CHOICE, it's their REALITY.
So please, I don't give a damn about Minsc making a cringeworthy one liner, and having "SJW" undertones to the general interactions doens't bother me much (so long as it doesn't get in the way of an evil play through), but this... honestly horrible handling of the transgendered character is just reprehensible.
Until the character is better integrated, I will not be buying this expansion.
I doubt this will get read by the developpers, and someone else probably already expressed this opinion somewhere, but that's the deal for me. It's not an "anti-trans' thing, its that - and I really don't like saying this - the trans character in this game comes off as being the equivalent of a "token" black character from decades past with stereotypical actions that lead to nothing more than fueling peoples' misconceptions and hate.
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Comments
If we consider historical context for gay rights activism, e.g. love parades were very much "in your face" on purpose, to demand legitimacy and recognition, and remind powers that be that such groups of human beings exit and are legit.
There are still parts of the world were belonging to a sexual minority can get you killed or beaten, but I think that in most European cities at least boy or girl couples can hold hands etc without particular attention.
However, it took a sustained campaigning from activists to get there, and I think there is still quite long way to go for transsexuals.
And that campaigning will probably have to be in our face. If the actual world is any sort of proxy, I can actually well understand taking the route of disclosure.
I dont like it when any bit part NPC shoves personal information in my characters face, trans or no, but its common theme in rpgs. Yes, I found the character dialogue to be far too blunt and out of left field as well, but that doesnt matter in the grand scheme of things.
I might be more willing to consider this point of view if it was a primary plot character or party member. However its not. Its one cleric who in response to an inquisitive line of questioning was happy to share a part of their personal history.
Do we get to pick apart other bit part npcs as well? What about the elf-hating racist in BG2? What about the letch in the copper coronet? What about the noble and his young mistress hiding from the angry wife? I could go on and on and on and on.
Or do all the others not recieve special treatment? Mizhena isnt going to win "best minor npc of the year award" - big deal. There are dozens of characters like that in every game who are sprinkled with minor characteristics of varying quality from the awful to the hilarious depending on your own personal taste. This one happened to be trans. I didnt care for it myself. I also dont care that I didnt care for it because its a window dressing npc, one of many, thats only there to remind you not all random npcs are brainless wandering husks who have generic names like "peasant" and who spout the same audio bytes over and over.
End of rant.
This character is poorly written, full stop. BG1 and BG2 don't come into this at all because they are OLD GAMES, already written and published long ago. And characters do info dumps in RPGs but thoses are usually much better handled in BG. No character that I recall goes on about their abussive parental relationship as a response to a hello, or about being gay, lesbian, bi, etc.
I am not the writer, no. Hence why I am posting in this forum trying to CONTACT said writers and let them know that this character can be much better handled.
If one straight character gives an info dump its an info dump; if the ONLY trans character gives an unprovoked, painful life-history to anyone and everyone... that's the only trans character in the game.
Big difference.
The writer isn't transgendered and doesn't represent that community. I have a few transgendered friends and their reaction has been pretty much the same: anger at this blatantly unrealistic portrayal.
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A) The writer doesnt have to be trans to write such a character.
B ) Your friends sound extremely arrogant. Im not friends with any trans people personally but I am friends with someone who is dating someone who is transitioning and that person is extremely open about their transition.
I mean maybe this slipped past you but trans people are like non-trans people. They are eah individually different. Not everyone is going to look at this and think its unrealistic.
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This character is poorly written, full stop. BG1 and BG2 don't come into this at all because they are OLD GAMES, already written and published long ago. And characters do info dumps in RPGs but thoses are usually much better handled in BG. No character that I recall goes on about their abussive parental relationship as a response to a hello, or about being gay, lesbian, bi, etc.
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I cant remember if it was vanilla BG2 or restored content but after one or two question lines of dialogue a young "working girl" in the docks district unloads her tale family woe onto you about how her father is dead, mother is sick and she has to look after her younger siblins.
Like I said Im not 100% sure if thats an example of original BG2 content but I cant doubtless find you one where a character shoves unrelated personal information in your face with little to no questioning. This one in SoD just happened to be trans. Needless to say I treat them all the same. Just because its about identity politics doesnt mean it should be put on a pedastal.
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I am not the writer, no. Hence why I am posting in this forum trying to CONTACT said writers and let them know that this character can be much better handled.
If one straight character gives an info dump its an info dump; if the ONLY trans character gives an unprovoked, painful life-history to anyone and everyone... that's the only trans character in the game.
Big difference.
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Not to me Im afraid. Its not one rule for one, one rule for another. You can by all means do what you are doing and disagree but dont think you speak for everyone.
Im not so cynical as to believe there arent lots of people out here who did Mizhenas coversation and simply thought "oh that was nice".
Declaring it "borderline transphobic" just comes across as trying to make peoples minds up for them. You didnt like it and neither did your trans friends and have shared why. Other people can do the same, regardless of you considering it "borderline transphobic".
If the dialogue was simply "I changed my name because I had a difficult childhood" and yet people still figured out Mizhena was trans I dont doubt people would still call it borderline transphobic.
That being said, there are a dozen or more other threads about this same topic. There's no need for another one.
Thread closed.