By Kelly “Fern” Perfetto
This upcoming forum is about and for women and gender minorities. As such, only those who fall into these self-defined identities should attend.
On Friday the 23rd of August, from 7 pm to 9 pm (end time variable depending on interest), there will be a combination presentation night and forum discussion about Women and Gender Minorities in the Realms, hosted and moderated by Kelly Perfetto.
This meeting will be split into two parts. The first is a moderated forum which will be recorded. The second is a more free-form discussion which will not be recorded. The recorded portion of the forum will be shared at a later date for anyone to watch. A way to access the zoom link will be shared prior to the forum in both the Realms Discord server and the event description, located here: https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1990
Dani (Elizah) and Nataliya (Shader) plan to present about the Knights of the Lunar Aegis and the Huntress Guild, respectively.
We plan to have a wide range of topics relevant to the experiences of women and gender minorities in the Realms. Topics for discussion include:
- The roles and expectations of fighters and support casters
- Experiences in the Realms in the past and present
- What behind the scenes work does and does not get recognized
- How women and gender minorities are identified in comparison to male counterparts
- Women and gender minorities in leadership
- And more
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A quick note from Kelly:
Most events these days are getting a ‘Why I Want to Go’ article. While this is not an official event by any means, I want to share my thoughts behind holding this forum.
I joined the Realms in October of 2021, and people I talk to keep saying the community is changing a lot, even in comparison to just five years prior. A lot of these changes are the natural result of time passing; people step away from the game, plot lines wrap up, leadership turns over, new plots begin, new people join and learn the ropes of the community.
Some changes, however, involve stepping away from rote expectations of the past. Even after less than three years in the game, I have seen improvements in the safety of weapons and fighting styles. The Realms is more dietary restriction conscious than many restaurants I’ve been to, and some feastocrats are trying to find even more ways to allow people to enjoy food at their events. Even the wording of the Omnibus has changed and adapted over time.
I know the way women and gender minorities interact with the game and community is changing as well. There are more leadership opportunities available across the board. There are some incredible female fighters continuing to teach the next generations how to work with their bodies, instead of against them. Support casters and fighters now more often work as a team rather than a main character and extra. Previously thankless tasks like kitchen work, garb making, and organization are becoming more recognized.
Our broad experiences still differ, though, from the experiences of the bulk of the Realms population. Come join me this Friday to talk about our shared experiences, ways we know the Realms has changed for the better, and ways we want to keep our game growing and changing.
