When you think of Dungeons & Dragons, what do you think of? Most people, based on the way its portrayed in movies and TV, imagine the stereotypical group of socially-awkward, white, male-types playing an odd, possibly cultish game, around a table in someone’s basement. The game and the people who play it have changed a great deal in the last 50 years. And right now, Dungeons & Dragons, along with all table-top role-playing games are experiencing a revolutionary renaissance. With a more diverse pool of players—- in gender, age, race, religion, nationality, and social status—- role-playing games are pushing against their traditionally racist, sexist, and colonial history and tropes. Role-playing games are being developed and used to increase marginalized representation, promote open communities, and effect real, personal (sometimes therapeutic) changes. With more women and non-binary folks creating, running, and playing these games, ideas of “consent in gaming” and “safe gaming” have become the new norm. With more BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) creating, running, and playing games, inherently racist systems, genres, and tropes are being replaced by anti-colonial, anti-oppression inspired settings and systems. The same is true for GLBTQ participation in the games; leading to better representation in both settings and player characters. Involvement by people with disabilities are leading to both greater accessibility to the games themselves AND more accurate representation of disabilities and characters with them in the games. These changes are not without their detractors— but waking up and choosing to be better is rarely an easy process. The industry has a long way to go to before it can be claim to be free of these biases; but the change has begun. And judging by the popularity of Dungeons & Dragons, and the other Table-Top Role-Playing Games, these changes ARE a healthy sign for the hobby and the gaming community.
The Coyote & Crow Table-Top Role-Playing Game