Saturday, August 23, 2008

The Gender Blogs: V. Playing Female

The Gender Blogs

V. Playing Female

Lots of female avatars have male typists. Some female avies are mere vehicles for the typist’s lust. Others are played quite seriously as females.

I have nothing but respect for female avatars who are played seriously, regardless of whether they are controlled by males or females.

It would be too much of a stretch to suggest that most males who play female avatars seriously are transgendered, but it is certainly within reason to say they’re getting in touch with a part of themselves in a way that would be diffiult in real life.

( And certainly many male-controlled female avies ARE controlled by transgendered people. And male avies by female-to-male transgendered people as well.)

If a male plays a female in a serious way—putting together an attractive look and wardrobe, making friends, building a true second life—it’s bound to lead to new insights and understandings, and so is a good thing. It can’t hurt for a man to have a better understanding of the distaff side. Or vice-versa.

But many things in Second Life can lead to sexual feelings—and that’s where things can become confusing.

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