This paper situates gamer discussions of the fantasy race the drow, or dark elves, in masculinity theory. I examine threads from a Facebook group discussing the topic, and code the reactions of men participating. I discuss how some gamer masculinities that are displayed reinforces a belief of epistemic privilege among White men that allows for hegemonic responses to discussions that involve structural racism. I propose larp gamer masculinity as a hybrid masculinity, complicit in its support of hegemonic models but appropriating elements of subordinated populations to allow individuals to feel like an “outsider.” In these gaming discourse spaces, men employ an anti-intellectualized form of digital hooliganism as a rationale for their claims. These men dismiss claims of discrimination as they see those as characteristics outside the scope of the game. The resistance exhibited by these men reacting to changes should be viewed differently than extremist discourses.

This article uses a feminist lens to critique and repurpose the concept of homohysteria. Eric Anderson (2005) created the term homohysteria to explain seismic changes in social behavior of men, particularly noting how a society’s relationship with homosexuality will explain sanctions enacted on men’s behavior. I argue that while Anderson and his adherents developed a novel concept to discuss shifts in male behavior, the all-encompassing nature of a macro-concept, applies too broad a stroke in terms of explaining modifications in relations with manhood. Instead of dismissing the theory, I assert Anderson’s original scope was limited, and that homohysteria is best understood at a meso-level of implementation and change. Further, I argue the concept of effeminophobia must be central to homohysteria, given the fear of the effeminate in a masculine form (Allan 2018). This research is pivotal in demonstrating wider use for Anderson’s concept by expanding its relevance.

The present article analyzes the impact of discourses surrounding Black ethnicities in tabletop role playing games. I use discursive thematic analysis to examine the descriptions of individuals represented as Black in the Pathfinder game setting, a game system related to Dungeons & Dragons. I critically analyze descriptions in the game materials that discuss in-game Black ethnicities. I demonstrate how the discourse represents a symbolic violence surrounding blackness. While the descriptions provide imagery and word use to highlight the positive aspects of the characters, the overemphasis signals stereotypes of a conceptual “other.” These characters then become examples of “good Blacks” that differ from “bad” individuals. The positive imagery provokes a stereotype threat, and a need to uphold this “good Black” mentality, lest one becomes the Other. While thinking of race and ethnicity in tabletop gaming continues to evolve, even advancements fall into tropes which reinforce symbolic violence.

This research looks at the role of gender capital in sensitive topics in game studies. Grand Theft Auto is a game that has been linked to negative portrayals of women and glorification of violence. With the potential release of Grand Theft Auto 6, a rumor was leaked concerning the possibility of a woman as the main playable character. We examine posts on a tweet discussing the potential of the lead character in Grand Theft Auto 6 being a woman ( n=182). We note three ways how masculine gender capital is employed to manipulate masculinity via discourse. When used by men, linguistic gender capital is used to either affirm support or to lament the possibility. For women, masculine gender capital is used to diminish the masculinity of those men who have a problem with the potential of a woman as the lead character. Even those who support the idea utilize homophobic and belittling language to dismiss and ridicule others, weaponizing masculinity. In short, even attacks on a “toxic” masculinity are themselves harmful, demonstrating how the damaging utilization of masculine gender capital – from whatever source – is the crux of the problem.

This paper examines the nature of conversations that occur at gaming tables in tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs) and the degree to which gendered communication impacts how individuals participate in gaming sessions. There is a host of research discussing barriers for women and minorities in terms of full representation and interaction in gaming and “geek” spaces (Garcia 2017; Reagle 2015; Stang and Trammell 2019). I assert that one rationale for this limitation is the domination of gaming spaces by men, particularly middle-class White men, and the subculture that comes along with this demographic. Dunning (1986) discusses the concept of male preserves, how sports in particular create subcultures that prize behavior and language that are associated with men and embodied in the male form. I discuss how the TRPG table is a male preserve, encouraging a level of dominance that colors table talk and acceptable norms (Dunning, Murphy and Williams 2014). The masculine nature of the discussion style of this table talk is more difficult by subaltern groups because of the clear association with “stereotypical” gamers, commonly White and male, and this difficulty is demonstrated in various ways (Bowman 2013; Hendricks 2006; Ilieva 2013). I surmise that while diversity has always existed and proceeds to improve in tabletop gaming, the subcultural elements of a male preserve remain difficult to uproot.