Dungeons, Dragons, and Diversity - The Third D
Dungeons & Dragons, and gaming in general, has an interesting history with diversity and inclusion. Despite rough beginnings in a culture that promoted sexism and gatekeeping, it’s become a way for players of all shapes, sizes, and identities to connect, build communities, and belong. I’ve been fortunate to avoid most of the dark side of gaming, while experiencing all the support and interpersonal relationships it has to offer.
I started getting into D&D right around the time the community was experiencing a surge in popularity, thanks to mainstream shows like Stranger Things and Critical Roll, which feature the game heavily and are responsible for introducing it to a wider audience. Although I’d been wanting to play for a while, the timing was fortunate for me because the influx of different types of people who were suddenly interested in D&D forced it to grow beyond its old stereotypes and assumptions. Suddenly, it wasn’t just seen as a game for “geeky boys”, and the quickly-diversifying player base demanded more diversity and acceptance from the game and its creators, too.
Take safety tools, for example. This term refers to resources gaming groups can use to set boundaries and create safe spaces, before a campaign even begins. Now it’s highly recommended for a group to first hold a “session 0”, where, in addition to learning details about the game they will be joining, the Dungeon Master (DM) and players can go over what content everyone is OK with, what’s off-limits, and everything in between. This is also when many DMs will introduce safety tools that allow players to signal, even in the middle of a session, if something makes them uncomfortable, or if they wish to recognize someone who is doing a particularly good job of supporting their fellow players. For example, the “X card” safety tool is exactly what it sounds like: a card with a giant X on it. The DM lays it on the table before starting each session, and whenever someone feels uncomfortable with what is happening in the game, they can touch it, and everyone will move on, no questions asked.
Another aspect of D&D that I really appreciate is the increasing tendency of DMs to include lore and mythology from around the world in their games, rather than just the classic medieval European settings and monsters most commonly associated with fantasy roleplaying games (RPGs). I’ve played in and run adventures that included Oni, winged serpents, Cthulhu, mummy lords, Slenderman, Eastern dragons (which, believe it or not, are very different from their Western counterparts), the Babadook, and Krampus. I even have copies of the Asian and Latin American Monster Manuals, and my players love it when I introduce a creature they aren’t familiar with, often asking to learn more about the original myths behind the D&D versions.
Finally, the most poignant (to me) thing that I have witnessed in the gaming community is when someone is able to use it as a safe space to explore certain aspects of their identities, before they’re ready to “come out” in real life. And I’m not the only one who has been blessed to witness and help create these accepting and welcoming environments. Stories abound of queer players tentatively exploring same-sex romances between their player characters (PCs) and other PCs or NPCs (non-player characters run by the DM), and transgender or nonbinary players who can finally embrace the gender identity (or lack thereof) that they’ve always wanted for themselves, even temporarily and in a fantasy setting. Some even credit their gaming groups with giving them the courage to finally be true to themselves in the real world.
For many of us, D&D is more than just a game or hobby. It’s a place where we can be fully accepted, where we can meet so many different types of people and be exposed to new cultures we never would have encountered otherwise. As D&D grows in popularity and exposure, I look forward to seeing how else the community can grow to welcome and celebrate its player base even more.
