LogFAQs > #965043147

GuessMyUserName posted...

2022 is a bit late to learn about parasocial contact hypothesis and the positive effect that consuming a diverse media has on humanizing outgroups to a broader ignorant society with no natural exposure to them. Like this is stuff that's been talked and forming our media for literal decades, you watch a show like Fresh Prince and you're exposed to a relatable cast of characters you can bond with, developing a parasocial attachment that allows you to empathize with people and their issues that you aren't normally exposed to.

When I was growing up, the media I consumed regularly and solely portrayed trans women as disgusting, perverted, deceptive men. Throughout my childhood and teenage years even though I was *very privately* exploring my own gender identity, I could not relate to the only depictions I was shown on TV that were always ridiculed - obvious I didn't want that to be me, and I was frightened at the thought of being found out and people thinking that of me.

The poor representation of transness in the media I grew up with kept me in the closet til my late 20s as I still had my own long-implanted issues with transphobia to unravel my own validity. I wish I could have opened up my world sooner but until time travel's a thing I'll just be glad to see greater representation for those after me.

I respect your experience and I think there's nothing wrong with having that opinion.

If you just wanna chime in that you individually don't care to be represented then good for you, sit down and you can keep not caring while others do.

However, this is where you completely lose the plot.

You seem to be under the impression that I was saying 'I individually don't care about being represented in games, and therefore no company should be allowed to create diverse characters.' And this is not accurate at all. It's basically the exact opposite of what is actually happening in this situation.

Blizzard has asserted that diverse representations of characters is the MOST important aspect of development. And based on my experience as an individual who does not consider it to be the most important thing, knowing that many gamers do not feel it is the most important thing, as well as citing and debunking Blizzard's own sources which they cited in the article that is being discussed in this topic, I am refuting their stance; it is NOT the most important aspect of development.

You know what I like to play as?

Magic wielding hero elves, talking animals, super powered intelligent robots, humans who pilot super robots, ambitious demons, deposed members of royalty, students of fantastical and unique worlds, someone who is going on an amazing journey, and sometimes even just a regular person. I like stories about drama, growth, adventure, the human struggle. I want to unify the warring states of japan. I want to link the eternal flame and bring an end to an age of darkness. I want to spend 48 hours in the life of this character getting to know the depth of their struggles, what brought them here, and what personal conclusions they come to at the end of it all.

I do not care at all about what genitals this character was born with, what they identify with, or what they currently have. I do not care what genitals they do or don't prefer to rub against. Or if they don't have anything, or don't have any attraction to anything. I don't care what color their skin is. I don't care about what part of the world the ancestor's of the person who voiced the character was born. None of those things have any bearing on, nor would they qualify or disqualify any of the characters I mentioned above. A character's appearance only matters to me as far as visual storytelling, and aesthetic appeal.

There is nothing else that ever needs to go into it.

Once again; I am not saying that Blizzard is not allowed to create diverse characters. I am saying that they are wrong about it being the most important aspect of development.