For those of us in the LGBT community, it's incredibly easy to feel very misrepresented in video games. I don't want this to be another one of those threads where people whine about being discriminated against, but I have a difficult time identifying with my in-game avatars when there is no option for transgender. I am what I am, and it's unfortunate that I struggle to find other outlets to express myself. I have always had a strong preference for RPGs due to the fact that I can always be something in virtual reality that I can never be in real life. I know that it's a challenging issue when there are many who are very uncomfortable with LGBT issues bleeding over into the gaming community, but it's 2012. We need to move past certain hurdles that prevent a large group of players from feeling connected to the rest of the community. As a transgender woman, I would definitely appreciate the ability to create a character in this game that would reflect who I am in real life.
There are several ways to successfully implement a feature like this without alienating other gamers. My first suggestion would be to consider making an Elf like race have no specific gender. If it's left ambiguous, it is much easier for transgender players to identify with these characters. Other options could include elemental type creatures, such as stone golems. It is a fair compromise for those of us who are just trying to find an easy outlet to connect with characters in a fantasy universe.
I apologize if something like this has been covered but I did a forum search and I didn't find a question like this. I am very passionate about donating a lot of money to this project if it is going to be something that will help me immerse myself in a universe that I can truly be at home in. I also apologize if something about this was offensive to you, as I found it to be incredibly reasonable. I don't see why it would be detrimental to the community to have races or characters that could be identified as both (or neither) man and woman. I don't find it to be selfish when it's an OPTION, not something you're being forced into. Elves are androgynous as it is, why would it be out of the question to continue to paint them in a light that members of the trans community could identify with? Again, I'm sorry if it offends you if you have very conservative views about life that prevent you from seeing other people as equals but I just want this project to be the one I can happily give my money to.
