[MISC] AskWTF!

[joonsexual]

Discussing rp seriously is something I can't do with family. My brother listens to my rambling but no one else understands or even cares. I have some friends that r, but they either do D&D or are considered barely par in skill with say a beginner rper. So we usually end up arguing, and my D&D buddies just swap stories.

I'm not really shy about saying I rp, but even still most people have this stigma towards it and don't understand why I do it.

I think one of the hardest things about being a role-player (of any sorts) is telling other people that this is something you do. The notion that role-players aren't "normal" is so widespread and so entrenched in society, it's difficult to convince people otherwise. Or maybe that's just my personal experience and this isn't the norm.

I mean, when my best friend accidentally let slip to some of our peers that I role-played, there was shock, surprise, and then a few minutes of relentless teasing. People were asking me: Do you... dress up as a cat and stuff? Etc. There's a definite "base" connotation to the whole activity that I don't personally identify with, but when you say things like, "I role-play," other people will automatically connect to those preconceptions.

My friend did clear that up really quickly (showed them various samples of what I do), but it was still a mortifying experience. Most of my friends don't discuss RP as an active hobby. It's more of a on the down-low.