As I was preparing to write today’s post for RPG a Day 2025, a friend shared with me a video by a pair of Puerto Rican reactionary intolerant grognards, repeating tired clichés, “this is not my D&D”, “the savage orcs of old were cooler”, “there are women in my TTRPG”, “queer representation bothers me”. If you’ve been online, sadly, you’ve heard it all before. I won’t say who they are because they don’t deserve the traffic or the attention. They are pathetic, and let’s leave it at that.
However, that led me to reflect on how happy I am that the hobby I’ve loved for so long has become more tolerant and inclusive, and that so many people can come together to enjoy RPGs. How can we be better allies to our LGBTQ+ friends? How can we support women and feminist perspectives in gaming, as well as the representation and voices of cultures other than ours in TTRPG spaces?
FFrom my perspective as a cishet male, I advocate for speaking out. Make it clear that all gamers are welcome in our games, and that hatred and bigotry will not be tolerated. And before someone argues about it, no, I do not have to tolerate intolerance. Pictoline had a great piece about Popper and the Paradox of Tolerance. The previous link takes you to the Spanish version; you can see it in English here
We should not put up with snide remarks or comments about women, different cultures, or the LGBTQ+ community, even when those speaking then claim to have said them in jest. Speak up when others try to silence diversity! I won’t pretend to know or understand all the nuances on these topics from my position of privilege. Still, I want to share some information, continue creating awareness, and encourage our readers to share their stories, to keep learning, and to contribute to making our hobby grow as a more inclusive space.
I want to share a piece on Feminism and Tabletop RPGs. This article from the RPG Gazette titled Gygax’ Worst Nightmare – Women Rising and Enjoying TTRPGs. A list of games by women and non-binary designers. From FemHype, a post about gender representation in TTRPG space. The article Roll for Belonging: Role-Playing Games and Inclusion in the Queer Community. And this article, Queer tabletop roleplaying games provide valuable lessons that even ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ can learn from, new research finds.
I also recommend reading: How a new generation of gamers is pushing for inclusivity beyond the table, Between Civilization & Play: A Cultural Perspective on TTRPGs, and Diversity and Representation in TTRPGs: The Importance of Inclusive Storytelling.
Human Rights Campaign has a page dedicated to Being an LGBTQ+ Ally, which I recommend checking out.
I know Michael, the Stargazer, and I won’t stand for any form of intolerance or bigotry here in the blog or gaming in general. I think it is worth repeating that all gamers are welcome, except the sexist, racist, homophobic, and intolerant gatekeepers. That lot can crawl back under the rock they came from.
Thanks for reading, see you all tomorrow on my next #RPGaDay2025 post.
