Your Internet Gender Bending is NOT OKAY! (In China)

I have never played a MMORPG. Mostly because I cannot afford subscribtion fees or another addiction. But I have several friends who do, which is the plus side of attracting geeky friends: I have some of the best stories. Former housemates had epic stories of the Bard Protest and the Million Leprechaun March in Dark Age of Camelot. A Warcraft friend told me about a Horde raid during an online funeral. And my friend who indulges in Final Fantasy XI once explained gender politics in the game this way: “If you see one of the leather clad catgirls running around? It’s a male player. No questions asked.”

But, as bulletproofheeb pointed out to me this morning, China says NO MORE of this gender bending nonsense! At least, not in one of their games.

Now, I understand that China has it’s share of problems, but asking people to verify gender via a webcam? That’s more than a little ridiculous.

I guess I’m just upset because role play gender bending is occasionally amusing. While I have never been part of an MMORPG, I have…and still do…participated in online text based RPGs…in many of them playing a male character. I will not claim that I play it as true to life as possible, but it’s the fun of getting to act like a “guy.” On top of that it’s a great study in gender politics and attitudes towards the opposite sex, what does a girl think a “real” guy acts like and vice versa. And I think that’s even more revealing in a repressive society like China’s.

Plus, let’s face it, in a lot of games you can’t really hack and slash with a female character. This is why I will run to Kilik just about any day of the week. Well, that and there’s ample opportunities for “staff” jokes.

free music