RPG, Fanfic, Shoujo, Gender, oh my

[salinea]

So I'm reading RPG.net, which is a big and quality board about roleplaying games, and someone raises the idea of "Harlequin Romance... the RPG" as a possible licenced RPG to touch a previously untapped market. So I miggle in the discussion, and mention my view about the similarities between RPGs and fanfics, and freeform RPGs within the fandom community, and their potential as a RPG market. It's an interesting discussion.
Then there's this guy that comes and mentions the game he publishes, HeartQuest, which a game meant to simulate the Shoujo manga genre. Cool. Very fitting to the discussion. I google quickly the game (because I didn't know it before, does any of you guys do?) and find a blurb description (very cute) and a list of the writers :

Written by: Michael Hopcroft, Robert Pool, Dimitri Ashling, Ewen Cluney, Robert Boyd, Robert Bain, Ismael Alvarez, Travis Johnson, and Douglas Larke.

Hum? I think. I'm not sure about Travis and Ewen because I'm not that good with American names, but all of the others are very, very male names. That's an overwhelming majority (at least) of male writers to write a RPG to simulate the Shoujo genre.
So in the discussion I mention I'm surprised by that, and the guy asks me why, so I elaborate.

Quote:
Why should that shock you? It isn't like all shoujo stuff is written by women, nor is it's audience all young girls (despite being marketed to them). Just like the fact that all romance novels aren't written by women either.

Well, that not all shoujo is written by women or read by women is all well and good, and what percent of it is written and read by women? I'd be surprised if there wasn't a very big majority of women involved there, but I could be wrong, I only have my personnal experience to judge by.

I assume you've done market researches about that game? That you have some data about Shoujo audience in the US? The profile of people more likely to be interrested into that kind of game? With this game, I assume you're trying to tap onto shoujo readers (that's why you mention the next ed in manga form, no?)
I'm a shoujo reader. I'd especially kill for a game that'd let me play an unholy alliance of Shoujo Kakumei Utena and Princess Tutu complete with meta-narrative tools and fairy tale on crack ambiance. I'd probably also love to play X1999 RPG.

However I also remember a French amateur RPG which was called "Lycéenne" which was plain horrible. Shoujo seen by males and full of ill-adviced stereotypes at its worst. So I'm suspicious. And I'm Roleplayer so I know how sexist the average RPG scene can be, so I'm doubly suspicious. If I see a long list of male names as authors, I get even more suspicious. Doesn't seem like something for me. Seems like something for guys who are already into RPG and who wants to play shoujo for exoticism's sake, the kind who think Hina Love is a shoujo.

I don't know anything about the game, as I told you, I just googled it. And that's my first impression. Maybe I'm not typical of the market you're trying to touch either

Then the guy gets angry :

I find charges of sexism against my products made by someone who has not read them to be incredibly offensive. While the HeartQuest line was written before I owned the company, I still stand behind them 100%. I also find charges that they weren't written by knowledgeable individuals to not only be offensive but you are also veering into personal attack territory because at least two of the authors are members of this very board.

As a publisher I take allegations against my products very seriously and I strongly suggest that you rescind your comments, as they are based out of a lack of knowledge of the books. I do welcome anyone checking out the HeartQuest line but I find your comments to be ill-formed and offensive to both myself and the individuals who wrote these books.

I tell him he missed the point.

So he starts getting on how shoujo is totally not about women, and gender is irrelevant about discussion on RPG adaptations of Shoujo.

I don't see that shoujo or romantic fiction as being a gender issue. I don't think one gender "gets it" more than another, any more than I think that is the case for any other genre. Saying otherwise does a great disservice to those individuals, male or female, who are interested in those sorts of things.

And that's where we are.

Apart from the part where he's trying very hard to intimidate me, I find his exhuberant outrage very funny.

Comments

[mnemosyne-1.livejournal.com]

I really dislike when people say that "gender is irrelevant" because I don't believe it's true. Gender is very relevant. Men and women think differently, act differently, see things differently, etc. Of course, there are exceptions in each gender, but generally, this I see each gender as different.

I think what he does, which some people tend to do, is assume that "different" means "not equal" (i.e. that one gender is beneath the other) and that is simply not true.

I think it disturbs me that it is all men who've written the game (as far as I know, Ewen and Travis are both male names - I know of no females with those names). Even if it's a good game, I prefer to deal with companies that at least make an effort to include another gender. Even if female players are a smaller crowd than the male players, it does not mean they are nonexistant.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

I really dislike when people say that "gender is irrelevant" because I don't believe it's true.
Especially when it's that groundless!

I wouldn't have mind him having male writers. It's the fact he didn't even have female writers. I think 50/50 in such cases is mandatory!

I think what he does, which some people tend to do, is assume that "different" means "not equal" (i.e. that one gender is beneath the other) and that is simply not true.
I think it's self entitlement. As man he's offensed (offensed he tells us!) that anyone could consider him or any other male as not the best alker on the subject of a female genre. He should be entitled to talk about anything he wants, damnit! *chuckles*

(as far as I know, Ewen and Travis are both male names - I know of no females with those names). Thanks for the info. I wasn't sure of that, and that makes it all the more upsetting.

I admit it might be difficult in such a male medium as RPG to find female writers for a small, starting compagny... but when you deliberatly try for a genre like shoujo trying to find some female writers should be mandatory.