What Percentage of opposite sex characters do you play?

[raspberrytea]

I've spent the majority of my life playing male characters, who were frequently in relationships with others (both male & female), and I don't think I've turned out particularly badly. Why does your mother think it's weird, exactly? Can you not convince her otherwise?

[Snickie]

I don't know why she thinks it's weird. It probably has something to do with the fact that I'm underage. In any case, we've had this conversation before when I had two males in relationships, so I don't think there will be any changing of her mind.

[Cheshierekat]

Maybe she doesn't want her little girl thinking about boys....and the parts that go with boys....especially if they are in a relationship.

[raspberrytea]

But you really don't have to go the sexual route -- and if I'm not mistaken, isn't Snickie in high school?

[Cheshierekat]

Very true...but she might be worried that her mind might wander down that road. IDK...just an idea. As a mom I would worry about that....maybe...My kids are really young still so who knows what I'll be worried about by the time they are in high school. *shudders*

[masterekat]

For me, the ratio of male to female characters has always hovered pretty closely around 50%. I find it easier to make more diverse character personalities when it comes to the males for some reason. Half of my females are giggly, bubbly types. It's cute for one of them...the second is too young for me to tell if she'll turn out okay but I like her how she is so far. The other is starting to get on my nerves and I'm not sure if she'll last too much longer...a little sad because she's my oldest. My two females that I enjoy playing most are actually pretty masculine. One's butch and the other...well, she can be feminine too at times, even though she didn't start out that way. It was more of an instinct that kicked on in her because she felt like some femininity was what was needed in her situation and she was the only one around that could provide it. But she loves hunting and fighting and getting her hands dirty in a bunch of ways, so I guess she's a tomboy who grew into a serious set of emotions.

Now my boys...I've got one who is pretty effeminate, one who is so masculine it cracks me up most of the time (he really is a breed of his own) and the rest vary in between. One's a pansy boy, but he's manly enough in his own right. So it seems like my characters are all over the gender spectrum. I think the gender-bending aspect of Cantr is what holds the most appeal for me. I guess it's just that there's as much of a masculine side to me as there is a feminine side, and in real life its too easy, since I am a female, for that masculine side of me to get ignored by the people around me and even by myself at times. Cantr is one of the few places I can go, if I am having a particularly masculine day, and be one of my guys and let off some of that energy simply by trying to look at the world through their eyes, maybe even by picking a fight with another dude or dragging a really big pile of stone from one end of town to the other just to show off my muscles to everyone there who's weaker than me . Or even more ironically, if I'm having a feminine day, I can play one of my girls, be all soft and spill her guts out to another person about how she feels and what she's most afraid of (some of the time being a reflection of my own buried emotions) which is something I unfortunately can't bring myself to do in real life for some reason unbeknownst to me.

Now something I do struggle with when playing the males is entering into meaningful relationships with other characters either male or female and I'm not even specifically referring to romantic relationships. I've been in two different relationships with women at different times with the same male character and I just found it too tough to get past a certain point (I guess them sleeping themselves to death didn't help much either). And those girls had to come to my character. Now speaking of relationships in general, I think it's hard for me firstly because I'm not a man and I never have been so I couldn't imagine what effect getting close to another person has on the male mind. I know it's not like it is for females (at least for me) where the "mothering"/nurturing instinct sort of automatically kicks in. Hating another character with a male might be a little easier, but I've not been in that position either. Secondly, I am sort of self-conscious about my male characters. It's not really that it bothers me if people know who I play, it's just that I'm really afraid I'm going to RP something and the other players reading are going to be like "oh, that's obviously a -girl- playing that character". I'm not really sure why that bothers me so much, it's probably not even a valid concern, but it really does bother me. I think that's what keeps me from being more in depth with my male characters because I feel like its more likely that I'd slip up and do something that would give me away.

Eh, I guess I'm just a complex individual (and who isn't), but Cantr is really helping me figure myself out, and that's the important thing.

[Majix]

I'm female and I only have females. First of all I'm new to roleplaying so that only takes some energy to try to learn. But when I read all the comments about how interesting it is to play another gender than your own I will try that. I have been thinking about it for some time but now I will do it.

[Snickie]

The relationship my male is in is a very innocent relationship. They've never even kissed except for pecks on the cheek and top of their heads. And as far as I can tell, all parties involved are fine with that.

[Doug R.]

As a parent myself, I typically don't encourage deception in other's children. However, as a Cantr player that has experienced first hand the "they simply don't understand" phenomenon of outsiders, I suggest you just change your guy's names to female ones, so when she looks at the screen, she sees all girls. Of course, since your dad is reading this, he'd have to agree to go along with it.

[MelloYell]

understanding or not, i would never encourage a child to deceive their parent. sorry snick. even if your mom just "doesn't understand", just obey her and then when you are an adult living on your own, create all the male chars you want.

besides, i have the feeling she would still see the word "male" next to or under the chars name. xD

[Xander]

Currently, my female characters make up 40% of my fifteen characters. My fifteen tend towards behaving in a gender neutral was (as opposed to actively identifying as such), although some are quite traditionally masculine/feminine.

[Henkie]

understanding or not, i would never encourage a child to deceive their parent. sorry snick. even if your mom just "doesn't understand", just obey her and then when you are an adult living on your own, create all the male chars you want.

besides, i have the feeling she would still see the word "male" next to or under the chars name. xD

I definitely do NOT want to motivate you, snicky, do disobey at all, but I do disagree with MelloYell here.
I am currently 18 years old, and have spend most of my life doing what my parents wanted me to do. At a certain point I just realized I was not going to be able to live up to everything people or specifically my parents want for me, because they think it is good for me (which it usually is). But at that point I realized I am old an wise enough to do as I see fit. I do not have to lie about certain things just because they don't like it that I do it.
So from this point of view, I have to say, if your mother doesn't like that you play these things, just explain to her why it is not bothersome to you at all, why you even learn from it! And that, since it has already happened anyway and you are very aware of the fact that cantr is a pretendy fun-time game, there is not even a remote chance anything wrong will ever be done with your future partners. It has almost zero effect on your normal life, it's just a part of the game a new experience. I am quite sure she will respect the adulthood in such a conduct.

[Snickie]

As a parent myself, I typically don't encourage deception in other's children. However, as a Cantr player that has experienced first hand the "they simply don't understand" phenomenon of outsiders, I suggest you just change your guy's names to female ones, so when she looks at the screen, she sees all girls. Of course, since your dad is reading this, he'd have to agree to go along with it.

Of course, you forget the problem of the gender being displayed right next to the name, so she might be even more worried if she saw:

Code: Select all

Aibileen            Male
Cathy               Female
Snick               Female
Helen               Female
Miranda             Female
Zlata               Male
Sorida              Female
Naomi               Male
...

Snickie's mom says: "You're playing transsexuals now? Okay, you're done with this game for good."
Snickie says: "-whimpers-"


Disclaimer: The only 'real' name in that list is Snick. The rest are completely made up.

[Henkie]

Or your dad can go to your mom and go:

SILANCE WOMAN!




no sexism intended, just a joke (A)

[Miri]

Snick, there's completely nothing wrong with RPing characters of opposite sex. I'd even say it's quite the opposite - that is if you're trying to RP them properly. Because to do so, you need to try and think in, sometimes, a bit different way than you're used to. I would ponder if it wouldn't even help you in your future relationships, by enhancing your ability to feel for other people (here men), without having to go by the standard 'men/women are <insert random stereotype here>' that most of the 'proper for under-age girl' media would try to shove down your throat.

To understand blind/otherwise handicapped people their future guides-in-training are required to live at least a day, just like they would live everyday, while blindfolded/sat on a wheelchair. That's because the best way to learn about a completely different world you need to get into it

Good luck with your mom.
/proud player of 4/5 male chars (including one... hmm... questionably male)