Hey guys. It looks like another expansion is just around the corner and I see quite a few character customization options will be available, including the ability to change your gender at the barber shop.
I was looking at swapping Hyperion Vaaxe from female to male but then I thought about all the RP interactions that I had as female Hyperion.
I think I have two options here:
Completely ignore the RP history of Hyperion and dismiss my interactions with the community and just pretend Hyperion was male all along.
Respect the history of female Hyperion and RP a gender transitioning to male.
The latter approach does seem more appropriate for RP continuity and rebooting a backstory on a whim seems so amateurish. On the flip side, I don’t have any experience with gender transitioning and wonder how long of a process this should take to make this credible RP.
I am looking for guidance from the rich Emerald Dream community.
I’m MtF trans IRL. If you want some perspective from someone who’s gone through it, here is my advice.
Most trans folks know from very early on in life that they’re not the gender they were assigned at birth, the same way most gay people know they’re gay. Its not something you wake up one morning and choose.
That being said, every individual has their own experience and their dysphoria can range from something they tolerate, to something that bothers them enough to cause suicidal ideation, most fall somewhere between those two extremes. Please keep this in mind if you decide to RP as a MtF character, some people out there are really hurting inside, and struggling with this.
Your gender identity is not a personality. People who are trans are normal people, we’re all different, we all have our own lives and personalities. Having a character that is trans is great, but the fact that they’re trans shouldn’t be the defining character trait any more than a cis male or female character’s gender would define their personality.
Final thing, gender transition is a long process that can take years of therapy, surgeries, hormone treatment, and is usually a gradual progression. Everyone’s journey is different, and just because surgery is right for some, it may not be for others. Again, its not something that happens overnight. I hope this has helped and if you have any specific questions or concerns, Im happy to help! Happy gaming
Honestly I’d just hand waive it unless you want to make it part of your character’s story. That seems to me like trying to RP why some Orcs have better posture or why some Forsaken are going to have a sudden dramatic weight gain.
But isn’t that a conscious choice you made? Unless you’re opposed to the idea that our choices do not define us or we lack autonomy differential to our genetics and as some studies have shown slight neurochemical variations in the brain. Your assertion that a choice is not being made here is a bit strange.
Fun fact, if you consider yourself MtF that is part of your self identified gender/sexual identity which is indicative you made a choice to identity as such. Please educate me if I am wrong.
I believe the OP is over thinking this matter. Magic literally exists. Therefore, we have a great multitude of ways to explain/justify our characters’ gender changing.