Discussions of Fantasy Characters and Demonstrations of a Defensive Hybridity in Gamer Masculinity

Abstract

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.

The habitus of misogyny: Bourdieu and the institutionalization of sexist abuse in the video games industry

“…Finally, the role this industry sexism plays more broadly in society is worth exploration. “The dominant men in gaming subculture can fortify boundaries between gaming and mundane social worlds,” as one scholar put it (Dashiell, 2023, p. 14). That fortification has mental, physical, and financial implications for every company in the industry.…”

Symbolic Violence in the Language of Game Descriptions of Blackness: The Case of Pathfinder

“…Contemporary interpretations of this practice have led to criticism of racist essentialism, proclaiming that an entire group are, in effect, born bad. In character groups like the drow and orcs are commonly scrutinized, given how physical and cultural presentations seem to echo elements of Black culture (Dashiell, 2022; Stang & Trammell, 2020). This ability to gloss over an entire group and apply a moral leaning is indicative of the symbolic violence associated with the Bekyar.…”

“…Because of the complicated relationship between TRPGs and the topic of race, the overarching impact of racial discussions tied to blackness might have can be summarily muted. Indeed, because discussion of other species, notably orcs and dark elves, have been seen as analogs for Black people in games, the symbolic violence represented by descriptions of the Garundi or Mwangi might seem somewhat muted (Dashiell, 2022). However, the creation of rich black ethnicities does not end the racialized associations made with these other groups like orcs and dark elves; the fact of recognizing and centering black ethnicities only complicates an already unclear circumstance.…”