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The Vanguard
Hi I was wondering what the official policy dealing with Gay and Lesbians in the Shadowrun setting, I mean I've got a Lesbian Elf runner character that I'm working on.


A Clockwork Lime
Policy? What the hell?

I guess it's the same policy as playing an African-American runner. Or a Caucasian runner. Or one with red hair. Or blue eyes. Or one who likes to wear tennis shoes. Or prefers soykaf to coffee.
Shadow
We have a policy? No one ever shows me these damn things. When the hell did we get a policy?

I feel like I missed a meeting.
Connor
If there's a policy I think it needs to be handled on a group basis. Of course, no one in our group has ever cared. Although we've never had a gay character that I recall, just lesbians... Interesting, huh?
Voran
Page 49 or so of Sprawl Survival Guide deals a little with this.


Under the section "Love without boundaries".

In the world of SR 2063, gender based-sexuality issues that's considered a hot topics in real life 2004, isn't a big deal. People are less concerned with things such as homosexuality, but are a bit more concerned with inter-meta-racial type relationships.

2 homosexual men or women will not get as hassled as much as say a male troll and female elf in a relationship.
Connor
Don't even get started on those that love shapeshifters or free spirits or other unrecognized sentient beings!
Large Mike

I happen to know an extremely competant gay GM and have played with a pair of gay runners, and a small smattering of lesbians. It didn't really seem to make a difference. Actually, both of the gay runners were CLUEless, but I don't think that had anything to do with their sexual orientation.

I see no need for a policy.
L.D
QUOTE (Shadow)
I feel like I missed a meeting.

You mean you missed the January meeting? Not only did we draw up rules for gay/lesbian runners, but also if you can **** *** with you ally spirit or not. biggrin.gif

Back on topic. Except what they wrote in SSG, there has been no mention about gay/lesbian stuff at all. But I figure that it depends on where you are. In Seattle, no prob. The Vatican, then you'd better have your running shoes on. Just because there's a bunch of metas running around that doesn't mean that all "old" prejudice will be gone, although it might have a bit lower priority.
tisoz
Isn't the guy playing the lesbian elf chick a badly worn cliche?
Connor
Yeah, but if you haven't played with at least one of them, you haven't played Shadowrun.
tjn
Least it's not Aberrant.

MY GOD! DIVIS MAL HAS ARMS!
mfb
i'm proud to say that i've never played shadowrun. at least, according to connor's definition.
Cray74
QUOTE (The Vanguard)
Hi I was wondering what the official policy dealing with Gay and Lesbians in the Shadowrun setting, I mean I've got a Lesbian Elf runner character that I'm working on.

As I recall the policy, I think Lesbian Elf Chick PCs are required to...
*Have DD-cup breasts (or are DDs for Lesbian Human Chick PCs?)
*Wear tight leather clothing
*Riding crops, high heels, and leather Nazi caps are popular but optional
*All contacts (including gangs and buddies) must also be Lesbian Chicks, preferably ones that the PC has many meaningless sexual encounters with
*And...it must be because I just woke up. I ferget the other parts of the policy.

Anyway, I heartily recommend ignoring the policy. (Or do I mean "cliche," not "policy"?)
mfb
getting a picture of a popular model/actress is also strongly advised; otherwise, your fellow players may retain doubts about how hot your lesbian is. also, at every opportunity, you must describe in great detail exactly what makes your lesbian so hot, paying special attention to the enhancing effects of tight clothing and the fact that, gosh, it must be chilly in here or something.
Dalassa
I did play a lesbian for one session once, but she was a butch ork mercenary who actually passed quite successfully for a man in most situations.

Does that mean I've almost played Shadowrun? biggrin.gif
Namergon
I think I read somewhere that the Imperial Marine in San Fan had biases against homosexuality as well as against metahumanity.
hell, I guess they had biases agaisnt anyone not an heterosexual japanese human (male)...
blakkie
I had a Face that for one of his aliases acted the stereotypical over the top flamer to work the biases that that comes with to his favour.
kevyn668
Don't forget that Elf Lesbians are usually ASSASSINS. Oooooo.....And may or may not be part time strippers and alomost always are dating or "very close" to one or more strippers.

BTW, I think DD is for human lesbians. Elf can by w/ "just" a D or even a C if she's the "athletic assassin". (as opposed to the "prosthetic assassin") biggrin.gif
Lindt
Yeah, Im prety sure everyone has done that. But as for the 2063 social aspect, well there are more pressing issues. Id put money saying someone somewhere wants to ban marrige between metaraces. Or at least dikoated ally sprits...
TinkerGnome
QUOTE (tisoz)
Isn't the guy playing the lesbian elf chick a badly worn cliche?

Yes. Playing a butch troll lesbian would be much more entertaining, however.

Oddly enough, the group I used to play with had lots of gay or "metrosexual" characters but never any lesbians. Go figure.
Frag-o Delux
I know SR has a lot fo rules but do we need rules for this?

I also guess I haven't played SR either, none of our group have played lesbians. We had a real lesbain play once but played a straight character, I guess you play to act out something you are not. biggrin.gif
Firewall
QUOTE (Voran)
2 homosexual men or women will not get as hassled as much as say a male troll and female elf in a relationship.

That is a disturbing image. Something about the size difference. I mean, does a troll 'pack more meat' than a normal human?
Cray74
QUOTE (Firewall)
That is a disturbing image.  Something about the size difference.  I mean, does a troll 'pack more meat' than a normal human?

Did you see the April 1st "D20 Shadowrun" webpage? They had pictures of nude males of the standard (meta)human races. The strategic black box over the troll said something to the effect of "error: buffer overload" while the black box over the human was something like, "error: nothing unusual here."
Raptor1033
and the message for the dwarf said "error: buffer not found" harsh, eh? smile.gif
winterhawk11
L.D wrote:
Back on topic. Except what they wrote in SSG, there has been no mention about gay/lesbian stuff at all.

Has anybody mentioned this to Talon?

Seeing as how the main character in several SR novels is gay and nobody seems to make a big deal about it, the "policy" seems to be that it's no big deal.
Solstice
Don't ask. Don't tell.
fourstring_samurai
QUOTE
(firewall)
That is a disturbing image. Something about the size difference. I mean, does a troll 'pack more meat' than a normal human?


my group's take on this

check my post, about halfway down.

edit: cool! it pops right onto my post! I love computers!
Panzergeist
The Japanese, biased against gays? Come on, who do they think they're fooling? I mean, what's with all the silk robes, and tea parties, and poetry, and flower arranging?
Frag-o Delux
Don't forget the Hagakure

A samurai should carry powdered rouge, so if they are in the field and can not get cleaned up, they can use the powdered rouge to give color to the face when going to see their master.
spotlite
Odd, we've never had anyone play a gay character of any denomination, stereotypical or otherwise. I regularly use homosexual NPCs though, of both sexes. Usually when one of the characters tries to chat up a brand new contact, because its funnier... but often just 'because'. Lady Jane of smuggler fame I've played gay when the characters bumped into her, but only because I know what the Chr6 group's Face is like and I didn't want the team to end up with her as either a close contact or an angry spurned lover! Its not usually overtly referred to. The contact might simply slip refer to his partner by gender as if its perfectly normal, which of course it is.

The few gay people I know IRL aren't especially butch, nymphomaniac (well, apart from one guy, but he's very insecure about everything still), scatty or much different from everyone else, unless you surround them with people of the same orientation and then things usually get... extremely risque... but that applies to both homosexual men and women. They're all bloody odd, mind, but all my friends are odd - I'm a geek, for heaven's sake! I'm odd!

Don't know why everyone's so obsessed about it, to be honest. If you wanna play it, play it, just don't make it the main focus of the personality unless its actually relevant (e.g. like the "short guy with chip on shoulder" stereotype, the "gay man affecting incredibly camp" is a perfectly reasonable character concept. The 'nympho lesbian ball breaker' is also reasonable - but only as long as not ALL the lesbians or gay men in the game are portrayed the same way, because that's just not realistic. SOME lesbians undoubtedly are nympho ball breakers, but then so are some straight women, see?

Most characters tend toward one stereotype or other anyway. There's a reason for that - its because stereotypes are realistic. That's why they become stereotypes fer crying out loud! Its not a popular view, but it doesn't make it any less true - some of the time. There always exceptions and most of the time there are frequent exceptions. Bear that in mind and you'll be ok, whatever you play.
The Vanguard
Well the main reason is that I want to wite official Shadowrun fiction, and my main character is a Lesbian Elf. But what I understand is it's not as big deal officially in the Shadowrun world, she is a senseual lover due to being an Elf. Her lovers usually fleating one night stands, of course I could make her a Bisexual.


blakkie
QUOTE (The Vanguard @ Apr 7 2004, 05:59 PM)
Well the main reason is that I want to wite official Shadowrun fiction, and my main character is a Lesbian Elf. But what I understand is it's not as big deal officially in the Shadowrun world, she is a senseual lover due to being an Elf. Her lovers usually fleating one night stands, of course I could make her a Bisexual.

... with pictures. You need lots and lots of pictures. In fact ditch the words intirely, just pictures. cool.gif

EDIT: Hmmm, that was out loud? Must...work...on...using...quiet...voice. wink.gif
LaughingTiger

QUOTE
I want to wite official Shadowrun fiction, and my main character is a Lesbian Elf.... Her lovers usually fleating one night stands, of course I could make her a Bisexual.


Screw Shadowrun. Write Erotica. It'll work better for ya.

Elven Lesbians are also always right on the verge of being sexual. With whoever's around. And they have a soundtrack..

Bow chick a wow wow, chick a wow wow.. bom chick a wow wow..

/end sound track

*edit* - getting used to quote feature. *edit*
fourstring_samurai
rotfl.gif
Zazen
QUOTE (The Vanguard)
Hi I was wondering what the official policy dealing with Gay and Lesbians in the Shadowrun setting, I mean I've got a Lesbian Elf runner character that I'm working on.

Official Policies:

-Wear lipstick
-Let men watch
Solstice
QUOTE (Zazen)
Let men watch

...and assist! biggrin.gif
John Campbell
QUOTE (Dalassa)
I did play a lesbian for one session once, but she was a butch ork mercenary who actually passed quite successfully for a man in most situations.

Does that mean I've almost played Shadowrun? biggrin.gif

Sorry, Dal... the formula requires that the player be male.

Maybe you could play a gay male elf instead.
Dalassa
QUOTE (John Campbell)
QUOTE (Dalassa @ Apr 7 2004, 08:05 AM)
I did play a lesbian for one session once, but she was a butch ork mercenary who actually passed quite successfully for a man in most situations.

Does that mean I've almost played Shadowrun?  biggrin.gif

Sorry, Dal... the formula requires that the player be male.

Maybe you could play a gay male elf instead.

Fabulouth! *limp wrists*
LaughingTiger
*twitches*
BitBasher
I have had both male and female players play boh gay and lesbian characters. No ruels necessary, its the same as everything else.
RedmondLarry
Gay? Lesbian? Sexual?

I thought Shadowrun was like Startrek. No sex allowed at all, unless it is with Cyberzombies or Ally spirits. Are we allowed to have belly buttons?
Joker9125
QUOTE (winterhawk11)
L.D wrote:
Back on topic. Except what they wrote in SSG, there has been no mention about gay/lesbian stuff at all.

Has anybody mentioned this to Talon?

Seeing as how the main character in several SR novels is gay and nobody seems to make a big deal about it, the "policy" seems to be that it's no big deal.

yes i wrote talon and asked for the cannon rules for gay/lesbian runners. I am hoping for a response soon. Or maybe i could conjure the spirit or Jase? and just ask him.
kryton
I think the consensus is you can play a gay character but you just can't get married in the State of Massachusettes.......Although a civil union is okay.

A Gay Dwarf and a Gay Troll would make a really "Interesting" couple. I wonder if you could make a shadowrunner who by day is a fashion consultant and by night a leather slut / runner.......(Sorry too much Kid's in the Hall)

I'm still horrified by the prospects of Troll on Ork female porn.....I'm thinking lots of butch angry women with sharp pointy teeth.

I think when ever you combine straight or gay sex in a game, and that becomes a focal point of the then you need to just foot the bill and buy a hooker. Just do it really. Your putting way way too much into the sexual orientation of your character and they may be some dark freudian things going on. Roleplaying sexual or other situations always makes me creep out a bit regarless of the orientation. Sure you may seduce or try to seduce a NPC or a NPC may try that on you but there's a fine line between realistic roleplaying and just plain creepy. Unless your playing some sort of covert op or assassin really the orientation doesn't have a place on the run. I've noticed though not to many players are playing chicks with d***$. That would creep me out a bit.....Although a Troll in a dress with a big adams apple could be funny.
Joker9125

Good point i have never role played a female or gay character(except for that one jhonson that was a disturbing expirence) simply because their are no girls in my group. If another character plays a girl i just dont feel right hitting on them because no matter how good your imagination is the fact remains that in real life you hitting on a GUY!
Grey
WTF!? You have got to be kidding me with this crap. ohplease.gif

<shakes head slowly and saddly>
Joker9125
I may just be a poor roleplayer but seriously, to me it just seems wrong. Id much rather roleplay huge leatherclad streetpunk shadowrunners. wobble.gif
20thCenturyFox
Rather play with HUGE LEATHERCLAD MEN, huh?

Check ya-self, b-4 ya reck ya-self, aye.

Zazen
QUOTE (Joker9125)
I may just be a poor roleplayer but seriously, to me it just seems wrong. Id much rather roleplay huge leatherclad streetpunk shadowrunners. wobble.gif

Yeah, as well as construction workers, cops, indians, sailors, and cowboys. wink.gif
L.D
QUOTE (winterhawk11)
L.D wrote:
Back on topic. Except what they wrote in SSG, there has been no mention about gay/lesbian stuff at all.

Has anybody mentioned this to Talon?

Seeing as how the main character in several SR novels is gay and nobody seems to make a big deal about it, the "policy" seems to be that it's no big deal.

Eh... Ooops. embarrassed.gif

Forgot about that one. Sorry.
mfb
what... what rules would you possibly need, for playing a runner of any orientation? random tables for breast size, penis length, and how long it takes to orgasm? what? what?
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