Epic Glory and Manhood Acts in Fantasy Role-Playing

Abstract

Based on a yearlong observational study of participants in a "Live Action Role Playing" group called "Dagorhir," using the manhood acts perspective, we focus on how masculinity is constructed among low-status, subordinate men who selfdefine as "nerds." We demonstrate that through fantasy role-playing, men are given opportunities to increase their group status, while women are typically relegated to subordinate positions. Increasing status in Dagorhir involved a type of selfenhancement strategy that we termed "epic glory," which positioned men as social dominants. Epic glory was earned through training activities, at Dagorhir events, and through simulating dramatic death scenes. Such actions served as a performance of masculinity that was not possible for these men outside the role-playing experience. Importantly, women were excluded from many of the opportunities to enact epic glory, which helped reproduce inequalities both among males and between males and females participating in the events.

Symbols, meaning, and action: The past, present, and future of symbolic interactionism

“…Martin et al (2015) observed the relationship between masculinity and status through a year-long study of a live action role-playing group called ‘Dagorhir.’ While low status male participants in this group referred to themselves as ‘nerds,’ through role-playing these otherwise subordinated men were given opportunities to increase their status as a group. However, women in the group remained relegated to subordinate positions.…”

Chasing theDragon(Magazine): Gender Erasure Through Discourse inDragonMagazine, 1978–2005

“…This article expands existing research on topics related to analog gamer masculinity and interpretations of misogyny that exist in the tabletop role-playing world, while also noting discussions of discourses in TRPGs (Cover, 2014; Martin et al, 2015; Stang & Trammell, 2020; Trammell, 2018b). The sidelining of women discussed herein, I argue, was not historically done as a purposeful attempt to create or reinforce a circumstance of “no girls allowed.” The aspect of warrior masculinity that is evident in the Dragon magazine articles serves three functions: It erases women from discourses to affirm the TRPG as a male preserve, they reinforce stereotypes of women as sources of protection or comedy, and they minimize the role of women in gaming to that of sidekicks and aberrations.…”

“…As noted previously, the traditional role player is not seen through a hegemonic lens and is linked very closely to the “nerd” stereotype (Kendall, 2000). However, while the traditional role player is not considered representative of a hegemonic or “high” masculinity, the role player subculture still prizes techniques and behaviors that are associated with hegemonic masculinity (Martin et al, 2015). This means spaces dominated by role players, such as private games or conventions, could be potentially categorized as what is known in sociology as male preserves.…”

‘Who unlocked the kitchen?’: Online misogyny, YouTube comments and women's professional street skateboarding

“…The use of manhood acts can conceptually redirect focus from the relentless categorisation of masculinity towards what males do 'to claim membership in the dominant gender group, to affirm the social reality of the group, to elicit deference from others, and to maintain privileges vis-à-vis women' (Schrock and Schwalbe, 2009: 289). The concept has been used to examine how compensatory manhood acts by gay churchgoers justified the subordination of women and other minorities (Edward, 2012), how men account for revenge porn (Hall and Hearn, 2019) and how men experience increased status during live-action roleplaying games while subordinating women's roles (Martin et al, 2015).…”