Last month, game designers Kira Magrann, Anna Kreider, Misha Bushyager, and Kimberly Lam launched an awesome new RPG newsletter project: More Seats at the Table. This bi-monthly newsletter highlights gender-diverse designers: women, femmes, and those who don’t fit neatly in the gender binary. Two issues have already been released, and it is my favorite new resource for finding games! Every now and then, there are plenty of games being introduced in the public, especially in 666 Casino, new classic online casino games are being made for the entertainment of many people who loves playing online casino.
To quote their Patreon, More Seats at the Table grew out of a conversation between Kira and Anna “about their frustrations with the perception that games by and about not-men are perceived as being only for not-men.” Games like Night Witches or The Watch might get some attention for having a cool concept or mechanics, but ultimately be passed over when it’s time to buy or play a game, because the majority of participants in our hobby are still cishet men.Â
What I most appreciate about More Seats at the Table is the blend of new and old content. This is a really exciting time in tabletop RPGs, new games with exciting concepts and mechanics are coming out all the time! More Seats at the Table prominently features Kickstarters and newly-released games so you can get in on the ground floor and brag that you played the new-hotness before it was cool. But! Gender-diverse people have been creating games for as long as there’s been a hobby, and didn’t always have the resources to promote them when they were new, so each newsletter also includes games you may never heard of or had a chance to play, like Steal Away Jordan and Lavender Marriage (that last one is a free download – there’s no excuse for not reading it and sharing it with your friends!).
Summer is approaching. It’s a great time to invest in some new games. Subscribe today to More Seats at the Table to let the new games come to you! you can find something like 21 questions game to ask a guy or girl.
And if you love the work the team is doing, don’t forget to check out their Patreon, funds from which will offset the costs of newsletter hosting plus compensates the team for the work put into creating this awesome community resource.
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Hi Angela,
An interesting post, but I think I’ll just call out the use of the term cishet and question whether it’s perjorative in nature? Let’s be inclusive.
Also, interesting zine. I’ll give it a look.
@MDMann Cishet is neither exclusive nor pejorative, but is the accepted shorthand for “cisgender heterosexual,” a straight person whose gender identity matches that which they were assigned at birth.
Agteed. But it’s been used in some forums in a similar way to homo for homosexual. That said, I was stressed when I read the post and was more irritable than it warranted. I was heavy handed.
I tend to only see the word used negatively by those mocking those using it. I’ve never actually seen someone shout “You’re a cis male!”. I’ve seen plenty of people online jokingly saying that in a way to disparage those who use the word.
I don’t want this entire comment section to turn into a debate about the perception of a word. I’d rather hear people’s thoughts on the actual substance of it.
Angela, this seems pretty neat. I think anything that shows the diversity in gaming is a good thing. Our hobby is growing – which is amazing. More people from various types of life are making themselves heard and inspiring similar people to stick with the hobby. A few months ago, I was inside a gaming store and was tickled when a trio of girls ran into the store in excitement. Their dad hurriedly behind them and I saw the young girls argue about dice color and the like. It was really cute.
Consider me Subscribed!
Agreed. It’s good to see the hobby becoming more accepted and diverse. I’ve signed up.
Now here’s a question. I’ve played gay or bi character’s before (generally in a low key way, sexuality has rarely been important in the games I’ve played), but I’ve never done so where I’ve known one or mote of the people at the table is gay, bi or other gendered. I’m curious as to other peoples thoughts on this.
I’ve just read volume three. Debt is only the beginning (mages who struggle to make the rent where the landlord really can squeeze blood from a stone) looks interesting, as does the mortal path (podcast, dnd irreverent, pc’s have varied sexualities),
First post: As long as your representation isn’t disrespectful, there is nothing wrong with it. Mean stereotypes and stuff. I’ve actually gotten to play some gay characters in another group who had openly gay players. When I did come close to a stereotype, they were nice enough to inform me to be careful. I’ve found that if you are making a genuine effort, people are cool with it and even encourage it and that it can be a wonderful lesson in empathy.
Second post: Angela loved ‘Debt is only the Beginning’. She actually said “I hate mages but I might want to play that one!”.