I was also really surprised that to find out that in fantasy worlds where people can fight dragons and spit fireballs from their hands, there was a notion that women at LARP can’t do things as well as men. I kind of assumed that because it’s a fantasy world then people would just treat others equally, but it seems like that is not the case on occasions.
LARP has a Woman Problem at Larp.guide
Also watch Ann Eriksens great Nordic Larp Talk, Girls in Armour – a Danish Feminist Movement
Interesting discussion although my personal experience isn’t quite that grim… Having played a variety of characters and Character classes I didnt have much of the impression that “women aren’t accepted in some character classes”. Sometimes the historical attempt to accurately portray e.g. chivalry or rowdies leads to kind of misognystic behavior, but if one either reacts to that it or (at worst case) takes someone aside ot saying ” hey you’re out of line” did the trick. Had to do that twice in eight years of LARPing. On the other side I have heard stories that make me shiver, true. Maybe its just me and I manage to avoid that sort of thing.
On another note its sometimes also a level of confidence or willingness. Especially if “the girlfriend” of a larper starts, that often ends up as her being a healer or something similar… That may be the same socialization issue that shies girls off sciences…
Complex thing… No easy answers… I guess. But I’m glad to hear a guy rant about it 🙂
Situations are of course of different for different people, but as you can see in the video by Ann, it becomes quite easy to find systemic misogyni just lifting the lid a bit.
Thanks for sharing!