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By | mollipen | |
| Filed Under | Transgender, Video | ||
| Tags | Cross Dressing, Gender Identity, PAX East 2012, Transgender |
So, at PAX East 2012, we had a panel titled Press XY: Transgender Issues in Gaming. The point? To talk about a variety of topics regarding transgender issues in the world of gaming—from transgender (or related) characters, to games which offer certain relevant aspects, to game developers who themselves are transgender.
A few months back, I was asked to be a part of this panel. Initially, I was slightly hesitant—I wasn’t totally sure what the panel’s slant would be, and if it would be something I’d feel I could properly add to. In the media coverage of trans-related issues that I’ve done for my employer, I’ve tried very hard to bring actual worth to my coverage—versus the joking nature that other (non-LGBT-specifc) media outlets so often take when talking about trans-related issues in terms of the world of gaming.
However, I decided that the best way to make sure that the panel would be something of value would be to be on it and help it go in that direction—unlike another unnamed person who was asked to be on the panel, turned the offer down, and then insulted said panel’s effort before they’d even seen or heard it. (Yes, this is me being a little catty.)
It ended up that I needn’t have any concern—everybody else on the panel was also committed to doing something of value and quality. The panelists—beyond myself—were as follows:
- Charles Battersby [PC/Xbox Department Lead, Player Affinity] (@charlesbattersb)
- Chris Avellone [Creative Director, Obsidian Entertainment] (@ChrisAvellone)
- Rebecca Heineman [Founding Member, Interplay] (@burgerbecky)
- Jennell Allyn Jaquays [Lead Level Designer (World of Darkness MMO), CCP North America]
- Morgan McCormick [Owner, Translabyrinth] (@gingerwords)
I had originally been very nervous when thinking about the turnout that we’d get. Would anybody show up? Would anybody care about the topic?
As I walked with the group to the room where we’d be doing our presentation, I saw quite a line queued up outside. Of course, next to our room was the Mass Effect 3 room—so, yeah, that’d be for them I told myself. We got in, set up, and then when everything was ready, the PAX East staff opened the doors. To my utter surprise, a sea of people came flooding in—people of every race, gender, sex, nationality, and age group. Sure, part of me was pleased to know that so many would be there to listen to my words of wisdom—but far more than that, I was glad to know that so many were interesting in learning more about something they might not know much about. (According to my lovely co-panelist Morgan, we had about 500 or so people in the audience. That just blows my mind.)
In the end, the panel was a huge success—at least I think so. Panel organizer Charles did a great job as host, Morgan and I provided a nice dose of redhead feistiness, Chris brought some very interesting perspective from a developer’s viewpoint, and Rebecca and Jennell easily provided the most personal and touching moments of our 55 minutes in talking about their lives and experiences in the industry.
We had hoped to get direct mic feed audio from the PAX East staff, but that unfortunately didn’t end up happening. However, the very wonderful Grace (aka gtz) from Fat, Ugly, or Slutty (a fantastic site which takes a look at the harassment female gamers receive) came and took video for the panel.
If you’d like to view that slides that were used for this presentation, you can do so by clicking here.
So, enjoy!
P.S.—This is one of the few times you’ll see me actively let you see me. If I could digitally erase myself from this video, I would. *laughs* So, enjoy this rare treat!
This entry was posted on Friday, April 13th, 2012 at 4:46 am and is filed under Transgender, Video. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
I am so happy this was posted, I was really sorry to miss the panel. Thank you!!
LOL: Part 2 3:07
Very interesting insight from all speakers. (And, Morgan is really pretty!)
Thank you for posting the panel. There was no way I could make it to PAX East with my limited budget. Still I would have loved to go in person (I would have given you one of my works if I did show up).
Morgan is really pretty! And she has so many awesome freckles—it makes me rage with jealousy. *heh*
And now I’m also jealous that I wasn’t in a position to get one of your works!
Hey there! It sounds like the panel was a big hit! I wish I could have been there to support the event in person, but I’m certainly satisfied just being able to see it at all.
Congratulations to all of you on a project well-executed and here’s hoping more events like these pop up in the near future!
I actually made to the panel! :3 I’m somewhere… out there. o_O;
But anyways, I was very curious as to what would be offered in this panel. I have dated a MtF and I know a good number of people in various gaming communities who are transitioning or have transitioned. Naturally, I would be drawn to this.
Honestly, I was walking in expecting more of what experiences that transgenders have gone through going from their transition as how it affected them within the gaming industry or communities. I will say I was a little disappointed on how much emphasis was put onto the transgendered characters from various games. It was something which might be better written rather than presented in a panel, especially when the chance and potential was there.
Though, that could just be the know-it-all gamer in me who already knew most of that. In fact, I think it might be. >_>;
Of course, I respect everything that you all have gone through and maybe I wanted to know more about that but I also figured it might be a bit too sensitive. At the same note, I hope that by what you and the rest have done with this panel, it will make you stronger individuals and will make us more aware. I hope for a future where none of this will really matter in the end… because, well, that means we’re all equals if that’s the case.
The portion of the panel devoted to transgender developers was originally supposed to be longer than it was, but we realized halfway in that we were going way, way over time. So, it wasn’t due to our not thinking that part would be interesting or important—we just planned to talk about way, way too much. *heh*
Also, I was actually surprised by how many people didn’t even know about Poison. So, I think the character part was important as well, it just ended up being a bigger chunk of the show due to that going first (and us not realizing how strapped for time we’d be at first).
Anyhow, thanks so much for coming to the panel!
[…] gtz also found time to record a few other panels. Not all of them are online yet, but the first of those was the Press XY: Transgender Issues in Gaming panel. Check out the video and panelist perspectives here and here! […]