Fever Dreams and Heat Lightning

Today's prompt is a survey about gender roles and character sexuality.
Answer as many or as few of the questions as you like.


1. What gender of character do you play more of, male or female? Why?

I probably end up playing more female characters, but after I've played one or two females, I start itching to play a guy.

2. Is this different or the same as your own gender?

Yes and no.

3. Do you find that your gender makes it easier or more challenging to play your characters?

I have had kind of a fluid gender identity, so I think that makes it easier to slip into the skin of either sex. Now, I am not a man, so I don't know if I'm doing it "right." My guys might have been teased in school for being too "sensitive," but then, my girls were probably fairly butch. The only problem I ever had was when I deliberately tried to play an extremely feminine character. I found it more of a challenge to play a "girly girl" than to play a more androgynous character of either sex.

4. What sexuality / gender identity do your characters have?

Straight, gay, bi, transgender, anywhere in between

5. How does your character's sexuality and gender identity define / affect their personality?

I don't think it defines them as much as informs them, particularly in their relationships. There was one character I can think of who was conflicted in her sexual identity, and that affected her. She tended to "act out," but that was really more from her own reaction to her nature than to her sexual nature itself.

6. Do you tend to predominantly play characters of a certain sexuality? If so, why?

Well, there's a continuum, isn't there? And my characters are all over that continuum. If there is a predominance, I suppose it might be bi, or what they call "bi-curious." But I have characters of many different sexualities. It depends on the character.

7. To what extent to you write / play your character's sexual or romantic life?

I don't tend to write or play explicit sex, but as far as their romantic lives go, their relationships, I probably obsess over it too much.

8. How has the character's romantic life affected his character development?

I think it's more often the other way around, but I'm sure there is an effect. I can think of one case where there was a definite effect on their character developments. A good guy kind of went bad, and a bad girl went good in that relationship.

9. Do you set 'ships' or plan for your characters to be together with other characters, or do you allow their relationships to develop organically? Why?
I may have set some 'ships' in mind, but most often their relationships surprise me. It's much more fulfilling for me when that happens.  If I try to develop a love interest, it sometimes falls flat, and they end up going for some completely other character instead, and it's wonderful.


10. Do you change the gender identities / preferred sexualities of canon characters? Why / why not?
Generally, that's not an issue for me. I don't often write or game in established worlds. In the rare case where I have, I may have made some Jedi stray from their codes a bit. ;)