My Gaming Experience as a 'Woman'

More than a year has passed from the time I started dipping my toes into the RPG pool, to practically swimming in it.


It first started with David deciding to write adventures and classes for Dungeon World. He told me about this idea of making a Skeleton class, I started throwing general ideas at him to help think of moves, and I've been helping him ever since.

Once I had more practice at making classes, I took the plunge and tried one out on my own. I've made four solid Dungeon World classes, and have helped David with almost all of the other Awful Good Game’s products. So what’s it like for me as a ‘woman'?

First, it’s not much different than any of you with good ideas and the ability to put those ideas out there for the rest of the world to see. People help me look over my work, give me constructive feedback (whether good or bad), and I go back and work some more.

I don’t whine when someone doesn’t like my ideas. I don’t point the finger saying, “It’s because I’m a woman isn’t it!?” I especially don’t stop what I’m doing just because someone has a negative criticism. Never have I encountered anyone who said I shouldn’t be doing this.

Second, I’ve never encountered a single person in the community who persecuted me for my gender. I don’t really put myself out there much, but even when I do there’s been nothing. Someone might disagree with what I say and leave me alone after that, but that is far from discrimination.

Women may be a minority in the tabletop industry. That doesn’t really concern me though, and it doesn't mean that they're being kept out or chased out: I know lots of women who really don't care to play a tabletop RPG. I have no idea why, but I would never have thought to get into it if it wasn’t for David getting me to sit down and give it a go.

Third, I just want to say that even growing up I have never felt like I couldn’t do anything just because I was a woman. My dad taught me how to fish, garden, swim, drive, change the oil in my car, cook, and so much more. He never once said to me, “No, you’re a girl.” He's been teaching me even more now that I'm older.

I’ve had my problems with guys taking advantage of me, but a few guys should not set the standard. You will not find me participating in any movements/petitions/hashtags that seek to bring men down in first world nations, or enforce gender quotas. If you want to do something about gender discrimination, do it in a country where women don't have equal rights.

And, last but not least, I want to say that this has been a wonderful experience for me as a person overall.

Not as a woman, but as a person.