Gaming As Other ⋆ StrixWerks

What is Gaming as Other?
Gaming as Other is an initiative whose goal is to make the gaming community more inclusive and welcoming towards minority members.

Why are you involved?
I am a Hispanic woman who loves gaming and wants to help the gaming community become healthier, happier, and more robust. Unfortunately, I’ve personally experienced discrimination and harassment because of my minority status. I’ve talked to a lot of others who have experienced the same thing. I want to prevent this kind of alienation from happening to people who are only looking for a place at the table. There are a lot of great things about gaming, but the prevalence of discrimination isn’t one of them.

What can I do?
If you’re asking that question you’ve already taken the first step. If you’re a designer or an artist, I would encourage you to get introspective about how you design your games, and what your art says to people outside the status quo. If you’re an organizer, I would encourage you to develop strategies to actively invite marginalized groups to your events. If you’re a player, educate yourself on how your behaviors can affect others who don’t come to the table with the same amount of power and privilege as you. Most of all, REACH OUT! (Email me. Seriously.) Ask questions. Become an ally. Experiment. Fail. Nothing will move forward unless folks are willing to make a change.

Resources

Articles
Why Minority Settings Matter By Whitney “Strix” Beltrán
Interview with Strix: Myths, minorities, and feminine horror
Gaming’s Race Problem: GenCon and Beyond By A.A. George

Games to Grow Panel
Culturally responsible gaming