I'm trying to start a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender friendly group near Bonham. Interstellar visitors also welcome! (: Post here to join the rebellion.

Good luck! I'm bi and one of my players is ***, so we have all kinds of sexualities in our games.

Disney (and Star Wars in general) still seems a tad squeamish about this, compared to games like Pathfinder (and even D&D 5th edition) but I'm sure it will come with time.

(Ugh, still feels weird, even insulting, that gee-ay-why is censored. I know why, but it still feels silly. It's a real word, guys. Context is everything. Assuming by default that it is a pejorative feels wrong.)

I don't think there is a straight person in my current game... But I'm in Georgia (the state, not the country). Hope you find a group.

(Also, seriously, I get why its censored but its a bit absurd to not be able to type gay).

I am never able to type about the famous comedian **** Van Dyke without the filters being set off

Just find it interesting that people would want to start up a LBGT group, when I have a hard time just forming a group

I didn't read that it was exclusively geared to LGBT, but that they just want a tolerant group. Ie if you're not bigoted, you're cool.

I didn't read that it was exclusively geared to LGBT, but that they just want a tolerant group. Ie if you're not bigoted, you're cool.

Which is a serious concern in parts of the South. I'm blessed by being in a college town, so its a lot different than the rest of the South.

I'm lucky to live in Canada, we're slightly more open-minded that much of the southern US. Personally, the last chunk of my life has been dealing with television and theatre folk, so not much makes me bat an eye.

I didn't read that it was exclusively geared to LGBT, but that they just want a tolerant group. Ie if you're not bigoted, you're cool.

Which is a serious concern in parts of the South. I'm blessed by being in a college town, so its a lot different than the rest of the South.

Yup, that is why that largest city in the US that has had a homosexual mayor is in the south

Here's a hint for Texas: Start a group, leave the sex out of it.

Here's a hint for Texas: Start a group, leave the sex out of it.

In some parts of Texas, that would work. E.g., Austin.

But there are plenty of other parts of Texas where being LBGTQ yourself, or even just being friendly to these lifestyles, well … that could be a recipe for much pain and sadness on your part.

Sad, but true.

Tolerance amongst people that love Star Wars??? THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE. I mean there is just so much hate for Gungans.

Seriously, good luck. I hope you find the perfect group.

Here in Kentucky(I know some don't consider it a Southern State), Sexuality rarely comes up in my games. The groups I play with are pretty diverse we just try and not bring up certain topics at the table. Namely, politics and religion.

My recommendation would be find people to play with. If they aren't the type you want to play Star Wars with don't. But ask yourself why they aren't and whether your attitude should change. On the other hand there are some people that suck the joy out of playing games, make sure you leave them out.

So once again good luck. If I knew anyone down in Texas that loved gaming I'd show them your post.

Yup, that is why that largest city in the US that has had a homosexual mayor is in the south

Here's a hint for Texas: Start a group, leave the sex out of it.

And its not about bringing sex to the table (though, I don't see anything wrong with playing a non-heterosexual character, its not like we balk at people trying seduction attempts to get information/out of trouble), its about not having to hide your sexuality when you are among other people. And that doesn't mean "oh I want to hit on people" it means "I want a dude to be able to tell a story involving his boyfriend without someone being a **** during pre/post/break game time.".

And dude. I lived my entire life in the South. I know what its like.

Yeah, I live in the rural southern area of Indiana, and it's always awkward for my transgendered sister when she comes home to visit. She live in Bloomington, which is a college,town, but she doesn't feel safe in, well... pretty much the rest of the goddamn state. Hell, last time we were in Bedford (a town not twenty minutes south of Bloomington), I had to physically fight off a guy in a Denny's that was trying to attack her*. So yeah, sometimes, it does matter if the people you're around are gonna be okay with you, and sometimes just not talking about sex is not enough. People get irrationally angry about that sort of thing, and even if my sister doesn't mention her sex life at all, just wearing the clothes she feels comfortable with can get her attacked.

*okay, maybe I didn't strictly have to beat up the guy. But this happened right around Trans Day of Remembrance, and after hearing the stories of all the people who lost their lives for just trying to go about theirs, I decided I was not going to let my sister become one of the names on that list.

Sorry, I guess I needed to vent a little. The way people like my sister get treated... it just really upsets me sometimes.

Disney (and Star Wars in general) still seems a tad squeamish about this, compared to games like Pathfinder (and even D&D 5th edition) but I'm sure it will come with time.

I keep hoping that some day we'll get the Star Wars equivalent of Captain Jack, an Omnisexual dude where sex and gender (and race, occasionally) is just no big thing. It just is what it is!

Ie if you're not bigoted, you're cool.

Honestly, shouldn't this apply to ALL facets of life?

Good luck putting together a game in a safe environment. I'm lucky to be up in Seattle where being gay or straight or martian is no big deal. You are who you are and everyone loves you anyway.

(And yes, the Censor sucks - but the dictionary for message forum ones are designed to be the lowest common denominator, blanking out that everything that's even remotely offensive. It's probably not FFG's idea - it was built into the forum software that the marketing department guys bought).

(And yes, the Censor sucks - but the dictionary for message forum ones are designed to be the lowest common denominator, blanking out that everything that's even remotely offensive. It's probably not FFG's idea - it was built into the forum software that the marketing department guys bought).

It runs on IPB3, which I use for a site I manage for work. I don't think there are any default settings, though they probably just imported a generic xml bad word list from somewhere. I doubt it was manually set.

I personally never even loaded up a badword list on our forums. We just set a rule about no excessive profanity or insults and let mods sort it out on a case by case basis. Of course, we also have active mods, which FFG doesn't really.

That is sad when you have to actually point out that your group is friendly towards g-a-y-s. I've been playing and running for darn near 30 years... I couldn't tell you how many g-a-y people I've grouped with, because it is none of my darn business. I can say it's been a grip, but it's never come up. It never will come up. Unless they bring it up. Well, maybe if I start doing all the side romances and all that, but that feels strange regardless of the context.

Shamrock, I'm surprised it's never come up. People in my games tend to chat before and after about non-game things, especially if the group has been together for a while. When a woman casually mentions getting her boyfriend to try out a new RPG, the take home message isn't "omg, she's straight." However, it's something that was conveyed simply by chatting. Ditto if a guy mentions that his boyfriend prefers MMOs to tabletop. Unfortunately, for some people living in certain areas, the second example might cause trouble even though neither statement should be taken as a cause for alarm.

Shamrock, I'm surprised it's never come up. People in my games tend to chat before and after about non-game things, especially if the group has been together for a while. When a woman casually mentions getting her boyfriend to try out a new RPG, the take home message isn't "omg, she's straight." However, it's something that was conveyed simply by chatting. Ditto if a guy mentions that his boyfriend prefers MMOs to tabletop. Unfortunately, for some people living in certain areas, the second example might cause trouble even though neither statement should be taken as a cause for alarm.

Not everyone talks about their personal lives with everyone they meet. I've been gaming for a while (far longer than I'm willing to admit) and I think the group of people I know now is the only one where I have some idea that one or two of them don't fall into the "normal" category for orientation. But that's because they are open about it and talk about it. Most people probably don't say and it can't actually be figured out. Just because a guy is married doesn't mean he is definitely straight. Same thing with a woman.

*okay, maybe I didn't strictly have to beat up the guy. But this happened right around Trans Day of Remembrance, and after hearing the stories of all the people who lost their lives for just trying to go about theirs, I decided I was not going to let my sister become one of the names on that list.

Don't worry, if he "almost" beat up your sister for being something that doesn't affect him, he sure did SOMETHING along the way to deserve being beaten up. (Though I wonder what kind of clothes get you attacked just like that. Apart from KKK-symbology, that is. But that is probably VERY rarely worn by transgender. Anyway, it could be that I'm digressing).

If you look at all the emancipation that started in the 80s and 90s, it's sad it's still a topic at all. When I discussed this with a lesbian friend - and she was a bit ticked off by some guy asking impertinent questions (because she was the only LGBT he knows, I guess) - we agreed that it's the same with me being a vegetarian: You would never introduce yourself as such, but when it comes up, everyone is either terribly curious or thinks he/she has to have an opinion on YOUR life. Where does that come from, I wonder.

Also I happen to play an online shooter game and one of the most commonly used insults to people who happen to kick your back-side (apart from noob) is "fa₉₉0+" (please don't kick me, admin, it's for discussion only). How often I've had to read that is simply beyond belief and it's amazing how quickly you can loose the game by starting a rage battle with these trolls. But sometimes, I just can't hold myself back.

Wow. Lots going on here. I'm about to vent a little, but there is some stuff I want to say. This post ends up rambling all over the place, but the general theme is about inclusivity at the table, and reaching out to new players.

So bottom line, anyone telling anyone (or the OP) that the solution to this problem is to just hide who you are and make sure you never mention your personal life at the table in any way that might reveal your sexual orientation? That is wrong. Quite frankly, that is not a table I want to play at. Everyone player should feel comfortable and safe at the gaming table. If it is a regular group that meets every week or twice a month or whatever for an ongoing campaign, then you have to imagine those peple are going to occasionally chit chat about things outside of game, and God forbid their orientation "slips."

The OP seems to just be interested in finding a regular group where xe can play and be able to RELAX, and not deal with the pressures of hiding who they are, or having anyone else do so. This might not be the case for that person at home, or at work, or at school. That someone is trying to provide a group like this, especially in an area that is traditionally seen as less tolerant of other lifestyles, is admirable.

Guys, the tabletop role-playing game culture still needs work. I'm of the mind that table-top role playing games are a great social experience, especially for kids like me, and I imagine many of you on the forums, that felt socially awkward during those tween and teenaged years. They gave me a group of friends, social skills, and a place I could just have fun and be myself. I believe these games can be great coping tools for those society casts aside. It is important that the industry stays healthy.

Let's get into some business dynamics here. In a recent article

(http://www.gamenguide.com/articles/12554/20140819/hobby-game-market-makes-700-million-tabletop-board-collectible-and-card-games-officially-a-massive-market.htm)

The gaming industry is now a 700 million dollar a year industry. That is huge. That is amazing. That has almost nothing to do with table-top role-playing games, which only account for 15 million. Thats 2.1%. If the average RPG book is 30 dollars, that means on average, 500,000 copies of RPG books are being sold industry wide each year. Thats it. The Twilight novel series alone, by comparison, has sold 120 million copies. Apples and oranges, to be sure, but there is a reason there aren't 40 million twi-hards getting into a vampire RPG game. We don't do enough to make them feel welcome. We don't do enough outreach to give them a chance to play. The hobby is still too dominated by straight, white, men (oh yeah, we need to do better youth outreach too).

I understand where this mentality can come from, for some of us. There are some of us who have been kicked around a bit, made fun of, bullied, and cast aside. For many of us, at the time we found tabletop RPGs, it was something that helped us through those difficult times in our adolescence. It saved us, and so it is something very near and dear to our hearts. That is why we freak out every time something in the hobby might be going a way we don't like. Especially when we see people who remind us of those that caused us to turn to gaming in the first place, coming in and playing our games. We are afraid they might take that from us too. I know that isn't the case for all of you out there, but I think that a lot of those bad actors in our hobby, this is where that is coming from.

What it sort of comes down to is this, do you think the Avengers movie was a good thing or a bad thing for comic books? Follow me here. If you go out to a bar or a convention or to the premiere of a new superhero movie, and you see a dozen little kids in marvel hero tee shirts and twenty douchey bros talking about how jacked Captain America is, does that make you angry or does that make you happy? That is what becoming a mainstream interest looks like at the extreme end of success. A year ago no one knew what a Rocket Raccoon was, now they all do. If you are a hardcore fan of marvel comics properties, there are two different ways you can react.

You can be psyched for the success, or you can be angry about it. You can be excited that because of the success of the Avengers, we are going to get so many more movies like this, and cartoon series, and comics, and talent. And here we are, the guys who were into it forever ago, that love it, and know everything about it. You can treat that as a good, positive thing that ensures something you love is going to be around for a long time. You can also treat that as an awful thing. You can be angry about all the new fans. You can be angry that they don't deserve the films, that they don't have your years of knowledge. That they didn't suffer for said knowledge like you did. In fact, that you suffered for it basically at the hands of people just like them, and that they don't even realize how much better it was in the comic where they didn't make such and such a deviation from the source material. You can choose to react that way.

Tabletop games are poised to make huge leaps and gains in the industry, and become more popular. That would mean more games and more books. It would also actually reduce the prices of books, in all liklihood. Most RPG print runs are exceedingly small (they are all fighting to sell their piece of those 500k units annually, after all). As such, the cost per unit on those smaller runs is higher. The bigger we make our hobby, the cheaper our books are, folks. And you have to ask yourself, with the big money to be made in minis and card games, and the fast growing board-game market (thanks, cataan/railroad), how much incentive is there for companies to focus on their tabletop RPG products, or to even continue producing them, when it's only 2% of the pie?

We are in a position to really benefit from the popularity of nerd culture at the moment. The general public is open-minded right now to anything perceived to fall into that category. The board, card, and minis games are crossing over in big ways. Why aren't RPGs? FFG's Star Wars RPG is tailor made as a cross-over product. The system is so simple, I have, on several occasions (through library Star Wars Day events), GMed for tables of children 6-10 years old. They were able to pick up the game within a few minutes, and enjoy a 30-60 minute demo game. This is a game that is simple and elegant, and easy to teach.

Of course, we can't do that if we tell people to hide who they are at the table. We can't do that if we belittle people learning the game for the first time. We can't do that if we aren't welcoming new players young, old, male, female, and from the LGBT community. When's the last time your game table had less than 80% straight, white, men at it? I would challenge all of you to, sometime before the year ends, go out and run one game that introduces 5 people to RPG games that have never played one before.

And finally, to get off my soap box and bring it back to the OP. I would encourage you to, instead of trying to build your group from the gaming community, consider building it from the LGBT community, and looking for Star Wars fans there. And then bring them all to this forum to post about their experiences, because I'd love to hear about the adventures from that table. Good luck with your game!

I am glad to be from the Netherlands where someone's sexuality, on general, plays no part in the friends they have, sports they play (although there are still many closeted homosexuals in soccer), game groups they are a part of or jobs they perform. Sure there are bigots here but they are few and far between.

If I were to venture a guess there would be no LGBT unfriendly groups here at all and I hate the fact that you would have to establish one or be apart of one in order to be able to be yourself at your table… Heck everyone is welcome at all times at ours. Except for bigots, fanatics and people with bad hygiene…

Mr Kappel, I just wanted to say I really appreciate your stance. Others in the gaming industry I have talked to waffle a lot because they are afraid of losing customers on the right, and I've got the distinct feeling that my inquiry into their point of view was most unwelcome.

But I would prefer if the OP wouldn't JUST look for prospective gamers in the LGBTQ community. My ideal would be mixed group. I have a feeling that the gamer and LGBTQ communities could benefit from being more in contact with each other, rather than creating insular groups on both sides of a cultural divide.

I wasn't trying to suggest that they wouldn't be welcome at my table, I have one that is super-flaming IRL (reminds me of the *** movie critic from In Living Color, Men on Films) , and another that is bi (both males). What I mean when I say "it doesn't come up" is just that, it has never been an issue, at the table. The only character I've ever had that made a point to be homosexual was played by a straight person (another male), and to me he did a heck of a job. He never made it "funny", and was always respectful of the character.

We all know the interracial couple, we all know the chubby chaser. Whatever the person is doing in their personal time has nothing to do with the game (in game), it hasn't since I was like 12, some 30 years ago.

I was saying it is sad when people feel they need to point out that they are looking for an orientation friendly game. I've been playing since well before the whole equality drive became pop culture (it's always been there, just wasn't on the news every other day). My best friend has been since back in HS, so I've been a part of the action, to some degree, for many years. I'm truly saddened that people feel the need to address it as a "friendly game". All games should be of said nature, regardless of any reasoning (orientation, race, gender, etc...), I had always assumed they were.

If you move closer to San Antonio you're more then welcome to get on board with one of my groups. I hope things work out for yous.