Guild Wars 2

Why does sexual identity or orientation have to be an issue at all in Tyria? In my many, many hours playing I’ve never seen a single NPC point out these concepts or try to draw attention to them. IMO, this is trying to inject a IRL issue (that may or may not be controversial to the individual) into a world where nobody seems to give a flying kitten about it in the first place.

And if we’re going to talk about equality, then why should ANet go out of their way to make a transexual or homosexual NPC be some kind of revolutionary hero (i.e.- “killing the next dragon” as the OP put it)? Perhaps they are the ones that awaken or ally with the next dragon? That seems fair to me.

No. I dont want my game infested with this sort of stuff. People can do what ever they want irl but keep it away from the game, why have to push it on us?

Smooth Penguin.5294:

Greetings all. There are those who may not be aware of this, but Anet is one of the most LGBT friendly game companies in existence. Not only do they have a bunch of openly transgender people employed in development and music composition, but they are the first to incorporate homosexual relationships in GW lore, and had the first same-sex kiss in the main story line of a top MMO. To add to this, GW2 also features the first transgender NPC mesmer in Lion’s Arch!

Being a pioneer in gaming, I think it’s time for Anet to once again push the envelope further towards equality for all. I believe the time is right for Aid Worker Sya to join our heroes in the next Living Story arc. What better way to teach acceptance and tolerance than to put a transgender character front and center in a main story? The story could detail the struggles that a transgender person in the world of Tyria, why Symon became Sya, and how she overcomes adversity in the face of Elder Dragon threats. Dare I suggest that Sya be the one to deal the killing blow to the Elder Dragon in the next expansion?

As a straight liberal male, I salute Anet for all they’ve done to connect with all types of players. Good job MO and Colin (if you still lurk our forums)!

Bolded parts

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_themes_in_video_games

I’m not sure what you mean by pioneer, could you explain?

Remember Trahearne? Our characters should be the central figures in game, not npcs.

Storytelling can take a number of routes, but it has to be done carefully and not draw away from the overall theme of the game. Also, the devs responsibility is to provide a fun and compelling gaming experience through their product, not to teach us customers real world lessons. Gaming platforms are here for a reality escape, we don’t really need to mirror real world struggles because then that opens the door to many others.

I’m not opposed to much, but I am opposed to how things like these are delivered and how much the devs shift the experience away from our characters. I don’t oppose this topic specifically, but if npcs and their mirrored real world struggles become central to any story, then we open that door to things like lessons of violence, mental health issues, slavery, animal abuse, war, politics, religion… you see where I’m going?

Smooth Penguin.5294:

Greetings all. There are those who may not be aware of this, but Anet is one of the most LGBT friendly game companies in existence. Not only do they have a bunch of openly transgender people employed in development and music composition, but they are the first to incorporate homosexual relationships in GW lore, and had the first same-sex kiss in the main story line of a top MMO. To add to this, GW2 also features the first transgender NPC mesmer in Lion’s Arch!

Being a pioneer in gaming, I think it’s time for Anet to once again push the envelope further towards equality for all. I believe the time is right for Aid Worker Sya to join our heroes in the next Living Story arc. What better way to teach acceptance and tolerance than to put a transgender character front and center in a main story? The story could detail the struggles that a transgender person in the world of Tyria, why Symon became Sya, and how she overcomes adversity in the face of Elder Dragon threats. Dare I suggest that Sya be the one to deal the killing blow to the Elder Dragon in the next expansion?

As a straight liberal male, I salute Anet for all they’ve done to connect with all types of players. Good job MO and Colin (if you still lurk our forums)!

Lol really? Sorry but I don’t care about someone’s sexual orientation, weather they used to be a man or woman. Really I don’t care. What I do care about is when people make a song and dance about awareness, acceptance and rights. My step farther is trans, he and my mother are no longer together for reasons beyond that. So I know what I’m talking about. There is enough drama in the real world with out adding it to a game. I have no problem with there being NPC’s for every type of person out there. But thrusting things on us for no good reason other that, look how accepting we are.

If people want to fight for acceptance and awareness do it in real life. It is not needed in a game. The real world is where a difference will be made, not on a video game.

all i hear is “I want this game to further our agenda”

don’t push agendas in video games, no matter how good or bad your motives, an MMO is especially not the place to do it.

now here is one thing to consider, with all the magicalness around us, that “trans” NPC probably isn’t even “trans”, it’s probably full on transFORMATION, because magic. No HRT, no voice lessons, none of that. Just decided I feel like being a woman then BAM he became a she, and can go back at any time he/she/xir/xe/fur/attack-helicopter feels like. There is no “transitional” phase in this magical world, there was no slow transformation to a woman and having to deal with societal problems and norms, it was just “i’m a woman now, i’ll get used to this” that is the “transitional” phase if there is one. The whole “Suddenly I don’t have a wang anymore, I’ll have to figure this fleshy enigma out over the new few days.”

D&D had a thing like this, 2 of them in fact, there was an archway (of sorts) and a girdle of sex change. put on the girdle, your gender gets switched, walk under this magical archway, your gender got switched.

TLDR: agendas in video games, not even once

actually an edit: Nobody actually cares if there are LGBTBBQ characters in video games, I actually truly don’t care nor mind. It just seems like devs have to point out these characters and make a point to KEEP pointing them out at every opportunity like “LOOK AT THIS GAY CHARACTER! WE’RE SO PROGRESSIVE! LESBIANS!”.

A good example is the whole marjory and her lover relationship (can’t even remember her name, sorry i haven’t played in 8+ months). All you had to do is point out they were a couple and I’d have been like “ok fine they’re lesbians, whatever”. But throughout a good chunk of that scarlet living story we got those 2 constantly having to point out they’re still lesbian for each other. The worst culprit was the Krait spire event, the 2 of them standing on a hill with a few other NPCs and the 2 of them just have the most hammy dialogue I ever heard between any lovers in any game EVER. It was the blonde being all scared or worried and marjory all like “Don’t worry hunny bunny, I’ll protect you”. You just know there was a collective facepalm but a lot of the players who heard that. It’s this constant pushing this into your face mentality about pointing out these special snowflakes that ticks people off. They don’t do this with hetero relationships (at least not in here) You may get a line from an NPC thinking about his wife or his girlfriend, etc. But that is it, it doesn’t go beyond that, it’s brought up and dropped. Tha’ts what the equality should be, as perhaps cold as it may sound. A character (male) would say “I wonder if my husband is alright”, and then the NPC fades into obscurity like all other NPCs, anything else and you’re trying to be that special snowflake and the LOOK AT ME mentality. Don’t be that person.

Please, no. I don’t want an LGBT character in the spotlight. I pay enough for my Total Makeover Kits as it is already.

Quite frankly I couldn’t care less how many or few new NPCs we get in the next story, as long as my own character gets some dialogue in too!

Plot twist, King jenna and princess logan thakery, when the queen is more manly than the hero knight……

Once in a while is aceptable if content is well written i guess, every time in story is to much.

It’s good that they put such heroes into the game. Some people live in homophobic and hateful countries and games seems to be nice and different reality to them.
If you don’t like it, then don’t play this game. I am happy and proud that they’re supportive and show that everybody has the place in GW2.

enough already. seriously. i get that there were many years where transgenders were ignored, but does everything now have to revolve around this? anet already has done a great job with different sexual orientations. it does not need to be more than that. i would like to enjoy my gaming without politics and liberal agenda. not everything is racist and not everything is ignorant or discriminating. how about just enjoy what we have in life instead of non stop complaining about everything wrong in this world.

It’s not Agenda, it’s life. Wake up people.
There are homosexuals, bisexuals, transgenders and other people everywhere.
Plus that interracial or ‘bro+sis-mance’ of Rox and Braham! Less salt, more sugar!

eNeRgOo.5463:

It’s good that they put such heroes into the game. Some people live in homophobic and hateful countries and games seems to be nice and different reality to them.
If you don’t like it, then don’t play this game. I am happy and proud that they’re supportive and show that everybody has the place in GW2.

Stop, just stop. No one said they didn’t like it. The just feel a game is not a place to promote flavor of the month causes. If people really want to make a difference do it in tea life. Get out there and get involved. I play games to get away from reality. I don’t want the problems of the real world following me in to it.

100% agenda. I stopped watching mainstream tv because of the blatant sexuality thrown in my face in every show, commercial and etc. Tired of it. ~2% of the population constantly complaining to the other 98%. I play GW2 to get away from the BS.

What does 2 characters forced love story/dialogue/background have to do with killing elder dragons?

CMM.6712:

What does 2 characters forced love story/dialogue/background have to do with killing elder dragons?

What does the Player Character’s upbringing, college of choice, first invention, vision in the dream, or warband choice have to do with killing elder dragons? Not much, but it adds flavor, side-stories, and details. A story without little details like that really isn’t much of a story.

A few things.

- There’s a lot of elaboration and wordplay in the OP. ‘Pioneer in gaming’ who even says this about a company as a normal player?
- The last line about being a ‘Straight Liberal Male’ is irrelevant to the request being made, rather it is simply a part of a series of buzzwords meant to get a response…

Conclusion: OP is setting up a large bait with a large net, many of you fell for it.

Disregard the request, Smooth isn’t serious about this and is probably laughing in their seat about all the replies.

MarkoNS.3261:

i been playing since gw1 find 1 gay character there.

Fair enough, there aren’t any there that I know of. Still doesn’t negate them being in GW2 since launch, though.

RoseofGilead.8907:

CMM.6712:

What does 2 characters forced love story/dialogue/background have to do with killing elder dragons?

What does the Player Character’s upbringing, college of choice, first invention, vision in the dream, or warband choice have to do with killing elder dragons? Not much, but it adds flavor, side-stories, and details. A story without little details like that really isn’t much of a story.

A lot more than some background characters. The player character is something I want to know about though. Forced story/dialogue about background characters don’t spice anything up they make it taste like crap. … and yeah since this is a bait thread it’s time to move on.

I appreciate a good character. I think what we all realise about equality as we reach a certain ability of wordly comprehension is that homosexuality, transgender (add more categories here pls..) does not have any bearing on the quality of an individual’s character.

Therefore, I would rather they made the character first, and simply added any pieces of flavour on the side. My issue with guild wars is that it seems like the social justice paradise, where evil is evil and good are good and also LGBT too. The main cast of Guild Wars 2 are all in some way social rejects in the sort of way that makes me feel like I’m watching some angsty teen drama (Skins, anyone?) rather than seeing a really fascinating world with lots of grey shades and conflicts.

Currently, Guild Wars have taken the high-fantasy setting into a high-fantasy of social-utopia and I find myself loathing the fact that some of these characters BORE me so much because all they’ve got going for them is the fact they can be categorised as ‘LGBT’. That’s how they’re portrayed at least, I don’t doubt the talent of many of Anet’s writers to create something compelling.

Anyway, please leave your social agenda at home and instead give me a compelling story. Being ‘LGBT’ is not a characteristic, and therefore a character should not be touted as being particularly interesting on that basis alone. Give me real characters first, put your social agenda on the side and I’ll read into it, get engulfed into it if I like it.

I would love to see more characters who have inconvenient opinions on things that really matter. If they’re gay or whatever, that’s cool.

The only requirement I have for including Character A or Toon B in the story is: does it make for a better game? (more fun or more compelling or whatever). That condition fails if the only reason to add something to the game is external to the game.

I’ll let other argue whether Sya (or other characters in the game) would add something to the story. I don’t think I know enough about where LS3, LS4, and Expac II will take us to offer a meaningful comment about it.

look as much as u want people to accepot homosexuals, bi sexuals, transgenders, so should u accept that there are people being uncomfortable with it. im ok with it as i have a gay best friend and a transgender ex brother in-law. but there are people uncomfortable with it and it should also be understood.
im also uncomfortable to go in a unisex bathroom, but not because of transgender women using it, but all the perverts exploiting it…
making a story too much about political correctness trend, will backfire as not everyone feels comfortable with certain things. not all of those people are homophobic, but they are allowed to not feel comfortable with it irl. games are there to bring us joy and also to relax us and should not have political agenda like elements in it. anet is already great with respecting all genders and sexual orientations, it does not need to be highlighted.

“Fact that humanoid female characters have (especially humans) overly sexualized clothing, it’s racist and transphobic, when Asura and Charr can wear same clothes regardless of sex!” End of the joke.

But in all seriousness, I never cared about MarjoryxKasmeer nor did I ever notice Symon/Sya’s existence, despite myself playing usually characters of opposite gender.

Bringing in identity politics that is going on IRL, can ruin the whole game, as I’ve seen how many of those people are actually very greedy and self-centered, who would rather see an idea completely destroyed, because they didn’t like it and “no one else should, when I hate it”. At worst, some of the vocal ones seem to show signs of a personality disorder and they genuinely despise the very people they are supposed to help…
Of course I’m not saying everyone of them are like that.

An empathetic person will accept the identity of others, but in no way can accomodate to every single ones demand on every turn.
It’s once more “live and let live” thing, you can do anything you want while not infringing on others choices in their own life.

Example: Trans-female cannot demand heterosexual biological male to like them the same way as a heterosexual biological female, as the heterosexual biological male is doing what his biological imperatives drive him: reproduce.
Sadly for now, since transitioning operations are not that advanced in today medical technology, it can only create imitations that don’t work and cannot change body structure at will.

I’ll admit that I have my own problems regarding my biological sex, But I’ve found it quite helpful by using the internet and RPG videogames and simply “project” my mind into it.
Sadly it seems that transitioning has an issue of being imitation and is possibly a self-sterilization (while I do desire to have my own kids, the chance of loosing that biological function scares me), while I myself desire to be the opposite sex down to all functions and chromosomes…

As a gay male, I think its great that they’re going out of their way to do things like Kas and Jory’s relationship, and Sya, because they’re characters who aren’t defined by their sexuality, and instead are defined by their actions in Tyria. Unlike other games, where LGBT characters’ sexuality is their main way of identifying them.

For example, Marjory isn’t “the lesbian private detective”. Shes just “a private detective, who happens to be lesbian.”.

Despite this, I don’t want to see any more stories or characters regarding human relationships at all, regardless of sexuality, because we have virtually no knowledge of how other races manage relationships, straight, gay or otherwise. I’d also like to see an interracial couple, because we know thats a thing in Tyria. Rox and Braham perhaps?

Sya doesn’t have anything which would make her useful to DE2.0 or the plot of GW2, she is just a citizen of LA doing her part. She’s fine were she is, transgender people on the whole don’t want to be shoved into a spotlight they just want to be left to their own lives like everyone else.

Since Sya being put into DE2.0 serves no real use for the group it would be very obvious this was done purely for a quota and no one likes quotas, let her be and stop trying to use her as a political tool (she’s happy where she is and not for you to use).

What exactly does my sexual orientation have to do whith my ability to fight the Dragons? Are there male or female straight characters who’s sexual orientation needs to be emphasized to establish their importance? I do not think so. Why would you want to single trans or gay npcs out? I enjoy the world for the fact that all are equal and sexuality is not a major plot point. If you feel it is i may suggest you look who sexualizes the game. My experience is that players emphasize female characters breasts and then small kitten of every one with a legendary or that certain characters styles are considered as gay. You and i know that there is no talking with those people. I fear singeling out transgender characters for their sexuality might not serve your intention of increasing awareness in a good way. The course you strive for is good, it really is. But you can not force change in a or several societies through a game. Speak with your local contacts in politics or contact awareness campaigns. But in an anonymus place like an online game you will not change anything. This is a topic so laden with agendas that a serious discussion is not possible on anonymous grounds. You are right that arenanet is in fact very open in their approach of this important matter, but they allways did it through integration and inclusion not singeling out sexuality as important characters defining matter.

Shoe-horning anything not just LGBT+ into any story plot is just bad writing. Simple.

Some of the comments I have read in this thread about the transgender community have actually shocked me, these are other human beings you are talking about. Who cares what gender they were assigned at birth, their lives do not effect your own so please just stop.

On another note, look at all the tv shows lately which have short life spans of lesbian characters this year. Anet don’t you dare follow suit just yet.

Silberfederling.9302:

What exactly does my sexual orientation have to do whith my ability to fight the Dragons?

It’d determine how stylish you moves are in combat, which can bedazzle your enemies and raise morale of teammates.

While the social progress angle is a noble one I just wanna have some left main handed characters (especially my elementalist, guardian, and thief, my warrior, revenant, and druid can remain righties since they’re based off right handed characters). Just look at the technical sophistication that went into the HoT cutscenes, if you can make a big detailed dragon made of plants then I’m pretty sure you can make a toggle to mirror our characters into lefties. Nintendo did it for Twilight Princess (they flipped the entire game) since most people are righties and would feel more comfortable with Link as a righty. I didn’t buy Twilight Princess for this reason as a traditionally lefty character swapped just for the majority’s convenience. It’s really no big if a character is right handed usually, I’m used to playing as righties (shield being used as a weapon in Dark Souls if equipped righty and left handed swords being kitten was disappointing especially given you’d need extra coding to kitten his left but I got over it) in games. It’s only a big deal if a former lefty becomes a righty.

Agemnon.4608:

While the social progress angle is a noble one I just wanna have some left main handed characters (especially my elementalist, guardian, and thief, my warrior, revenant, and druid can remain righties since they’re based off right handed characters). Just look at the technical sophistication that went into the HoT cutscenes, if you can make a big detailed dragon made of plants then I’m pretty sure you can make a toggle to mirror our characters into lefties. Nintendo did it for Twilight Princess (they flipped the entire game) since most people are righties and would feel more comfortable with Link as a righty. I didn’t buy Twilight Princess for this reason as a traditionally lefty character swapped just for the majority’s convenience.

i see your point but most of us dont have an issue with gay characters in particular just when its forced on us.

Doggie.3184:

Silberfederling.9302:

What exactly does my sexual orientation have to do whith my ability to fight the Dragons?

It’d determine how stylish you moves are in combat, which can bedazzle your enemies and raise morale of teammates.

I did not know. Well nude male charr it is then.

Please, can we close this thread?

why do people assume that if they include a lgbt character it will be just a token character with awful background to be put 8n a pedestal just to show how progressive anet is?
would you react the same to a straight character?
its is not about being a sjw, or microaggresion bs, but including a trans npc should not create such trouble in the first place. it is just a npc in a mmo story, why would people be in arms about such a simple thing?

Smooth Penguin.5294:

Greetings all. There are those who may not be aware of this, but Anet is one of the most LGBT friendly game companies in existence. Not only do they have a bunch of openly transgender people employed in development and music composition, but they are the first to incorporate homosexual relationships in GW lore, and had the first same-sex kiss in the main story line of a top MMO. To add to this, GW2 also features the first transgender NPC mesmer in Lion’s Arch!

Being a pioneer in gaming, I think it’s time for Anet to once again push the envelope further towards equality for all. I believe the time is right for Aid Worker Sya to join our heroes in the next Living Story arc. What better way to teach acceptance and tolerance than to put a transgender character front and center in a main story? The story could detail the struggles that a transgender person in the world of Tyria, why Symon became Sya, and how she overcomes adversity in the face of Elder Dragon threats. Dare I suggest that Sya be the one to deal the killing blow to the Elder Dragon in the next expansion?

As a straight liberal male, I salute Anet for all they’ve done to connect with all types of players. Good job MO and Colin (if you still lurk our forums)!

Maybe the best troll post I’ve seen in a while. It’s an RPG so play what you want. Its the internet so be who you want.

Sorry, unless you want to solo a guild, now that’s discrimination.

Guys, being transgender is a pretty complex set of things that science, psychology and law have not come to a settled opinion on yet. Transgender people should be treated with respect and protected from intolerent attacks (as with any minority) but GW2 is not the right forum to be plantiing flags for people you almost certainly don’t even know.

Sya in game is treated with respect and is happy doing what she is doing, the motivations the OP used boiled down to “lets be the first!” which is not the way to be tasteful or appreciative of a complex issue (which the OP almost certainly has no personal experience of).

Transgender people believe strongly they have not been born correctly, this comes with a whole lot of pyschological issues which we must be sensitive to and they have also had to convince loved ones of this too. This push to discuss this in the same
terms as gay people who were told they were wrong by society (but could feel perfectly alright in themselves) is a mistaken conflation.

I have tried to be as sensitive as possible and I hope you’ve understood why pushing such a complex set of issues into the foreground in GW2 and trying to explain Sya’s thoughts (which will not even be representative of most transgendered people) is not the correct place to have this debate. I think its great the game has her but we as a society need to learn more about this issue before we start trying to race to be the first game to include someone explaining their experience in depth being transgender.

I realise people pushing this are doing it from a place of acceptance but it is also from a place of ignorance, this is not meant as insulting, we are all extremely ignorant on this topic and that is why GW2 is not the right place.

coso.9173:

why do people assume that if they include a lgbt character it will be just a token character with awful background just to show how progressive anet is?
would you react the same to a straight character?
its is not about being a sjw, or microaggresion bs, but including a trans npc should not create such trouble in the first place. it is just a npc in a mmo story, why would people be in arms about such a simple thing?

The problem is that you want to include a trans NPC, instead of an NPC who just happens to be trans.

it might be hard for you to understand but those are two different things.

coso.9173:

why do people assume that if they include a lgbt character it will be just a token character with awful background just to show how progressive anet is?
would you react the same to a straight character?
its is not about being a sjw, or microaggresion bs, but including a trans npc should not create such trouble in the first place. it is just a npc in a mmo story, why would people be in arms about such a simple thing?

Because the OP is asking to shoehorn this char into the story based only on SJW reasons, to feature and spotlight that the char is transgender and to be able to say, “Oh look. See how progressive we are to put her in the story!”

That’s not good storytelling. That’s storytelling by checking off “important SJW topics” to make yourself look progressive.

Envy.1679:

coso.9173:

why do people assume that if they include a lgbt character it will be just a token character with awful background just to show how progressive anet is?
would you react the same to a straight character?
its is not about being a sjw, or microaggresion bs, but including a trans npc should not create such trouble in the first place. it is just a npc in a mmo story, why would people be in arms about such a simple thing?

The problem is that you want to include a trans NPC, instead of an NPC who just happens to be trans.

it might be hard for you to understand but those are two different things.

hit the nail on the head. +1

coso.9173:

would you react the same to a straight character?
its is not about being a sjw, or microaggresion bs, but including a trans npc should not create such trouble in the first place. it is just a npc in a mmo story, why would people be in arms about such a simple thing?

Yes, yes I would. If somebody said, “Hey, we need more straight people. Lets add more straight people just because I want to see more straight people.” I would indeed have the same reaction.

The original post was not made about adding a character to the story based upon their merits. They simply want them added because of their orientation, that is what I dislike. I want characters of all groups to be added because they are an interesting character, not to make a political statement. As I said, just let people be people, not marketing stunts. If you want true fair representation, the sexual status of a person should not even enter the debate when deciding if a character is proper to add to the story or not.

RoseofGilead.8907:

Please, can we close this thread?

coso.9173:

why do people assume that if they include a lgbt character it will be just a token character with awful background to be put on a pedestal just to show how progressive anet is?

Because people are posting in this thread in response to an OP asking for exactly that.

I have to ask, what ‘struggles’ are the transgendered NPCs going through in Tyria? Every NPC I’ve seen talk to Kas and Jory seem to have little care that it’s a homosexual relationship and Sya even gets praised for living their life the way they want to. Not to mention in the Sylvari story there have been hints at and even outright statements of homosexuality and pansexuality.

Tyria is not the real world. Characters in it do not suffer from the same strife. Besides, I’d rather something like that happen naturally in the story and not be forced in ‘just because’ and I trust ANet’s writers feel the same.

In short, no, I don’t agree with Sya being part of the main cast.

Exactly, it’s very important to not over do it.

Like someone said:

coso.9173:

Envy.1679:

coso.9173:

why do people assume that if they include a lgbt character it will be just a token character with awful background just to show how progressive anet is?
would you react the same to a straight character?
its is not about being a sjw, or microaggresion bs, but including a trans npc should not create such trouble in the first place. it is just a npc in a mmo story, why would people be in arms about such a simple thing?

The problem is that you want to include a trans NPC, instead of an NPC who just happens to be trans.

it might be hard for you to understand but those are two different things.

hit the nail on the head. +1

@coso, you keep asking the same or making the same comments over and over wanting an answered. Many have and imo this is the best one by Envy:“The problem is that you want to include a trans NPC, instead of an NPC who just happens to be trans.”
it might be hard for you to understand but those are two different things."

The thing is there is 2 sides to every coin yet you refuse to even pick up the coin to see the other side to know it exist.

I for one and from what it appears the majority doesn’t care one wit if there is a gay straight or trans character in the game. What I care about is not to single out someone or point out "hey look at that npc they are transgender and because of that it makes them special. Every gay person I know doesn’t stand on the rooftop saying pick me pick me pick me, I’m the best because I’m gay. Instead they are saying pick me pick me pick me because I’m the best player on the field.

A persons station in life is not based on their sexual identity it is based on accomplishments their contributions to society. I would be extremely offended if someone pointed out my accomplishments and contributions to to society only have merit because I’m gay. And that is exactly what I get when reading your comments.

Edit, oh that and your obvious disdain for anyone who doesn’t agree with you.

IS something like this really needed? Seriously other than just for the sake of inclusion to appease a small group, how would this improve anything as far as gameplay or content is concerned?

Funnily,Symon is still Symon in the game,only using illusionary magic to alter appearance

when a fictional character is made, nothing just “happens” all is there for a reason. this is not real life. when you put a strong female protagonist it is not because it just happened that way. it’s because the author has a point he wants to show through his/her character. every part of every fictional character is there for a reason. Does that mean everything is an agenda then?
if you put a trans character it’s of course because the author wants to express their point of view on some issue, but that doesn’t mean that the character will be only valuable because he/she is trans and won’t be an important and coherent part of the story.

coso.9173:

when a fictional character is made, nothing just “happens” all is there for a reason. this is not real life. when you put a strong female protagonist it is not because it just happened that way. it’s because the author has a point he wants to show through his/her character. every part of every fictional character is there for a reason. Does that mean everything is an agenda then?
if you put a trans character it’s of course because the author wants to express their point of view on some issue, but that doesn’t mean that the character will be only valuable because he/she is trans and won’t be an important and coherent part of the story.

i think everyone gets that but thats not what the OP post was about!

There’s a lot of people who misunderstand what I’m suggesting. I’ll break it down:

• I’m not asking for any type of forced sexual preference based story. I’m just asking that a NPC, who happens to be transgender, be included in our party. Yes I’d personally want to see Sya made into a hero, but I think it’d be a nice gesture to the LGBT community to have an even more diverse cast in GW2.

• Anet’s writers are top notch. They’re able to include homosexual characters into the Living Story without having an agenda pushed. That’s what I’d like for Sya as well.

• Yes I push for social justice in real life. Everyone deserves to be treated equally with respect. The way you do that is to show different lifestyles as normal, everyday occurrences. That’s how you break barriers in society. As an example in real life, my Muslim friends avoid going outside when someone in the news does a terrible thing in the name of their religion. People make incorrect assumptions that the whole religion thinks the same, where in fact only a small radical few ruins the image for the whole. How you combat this is through education. Call it propaganda if you will, but unless someone’s willing to address the fallacies, the masses will keep thinking the assumptions are real.

• As a compromise to my position, I would be happy if Anet made a side quest that involved Sya. Completely optional, non-forced story. Maybe like for the next Greatsword Legendary journey.

TL;DR – Inclusion doesn’t have to be forced. The mere existence of a transgender NPC in the main story is all that I suggest.

“The story could detail the struggles that a transgender person in the world of Tyria,” is the most problematic line in your original post, regarding this issue.
You can’t detail the struggles of a transgender person in Tyria because there literally are none. No one cares at all that she used to be a man. No one is giving her a hard time about it. And no one stopped her from doing it. It’s exactly the way it should be. I’d say we already have all the inclusion possible.

If we were to include a trans person into the main story, you’d have to give a good reason why. And you’d have to pretty much never mention his/her trans status. Our current heroes don’t introduce themselves as “Hi. I’m Brahm, and I am a heterosexual!”. Because we really don’t care in what configuration he decides to do the moist macarena. He’s an adult. He can make his decisions. And telling us about his decisions for no reason makes people think he’s pushing some cis-male (or generic tumblr variant word) agenda. Its the same with any trans person. Don’t bother telling us you’re trans, because we don’t care. Your surgically modified sex organs won’t help me kill a dragon.
I hope. I don’t know, we have a lot of dragons we don’t know about. But that’d be weird, right?

Smooth Penguin.5294:

There’s a lot of people who misunderstand what I’m suggesting. I’ll break it down:

• I’m not asking for any type of forced sexual preference based story. I’m just asking that a NPC, who happens to be transgender, be included in our party. Yes I’d personally want to see Sya made into a hero, but I think it’d be a nice gesture to the LGBT community to have an even more diverse cast in GW2.

• Anet’s writers are top notch. They’re able to include homosexual characters into the Living Story without having an agenda pushed. That’s what I’d like for Sya as well.

• Yes I push for social justice in real life. Everyone deserves to be treated equally with respect. The way you do that is to show different lifestyles as normal, everyday occurrences. That’s how you break barriers in society. As an example in real life, my Muslim friends avoid going outside when someone in the news does a terrible thing in the name of their religion. People make incorrect assumptions that the whole religion thinks the same, where in fact only a small radical few ruins the image for the whole. How you combat this is through education. Call it propaganda if you will, but unless someone’s willing to address the fallacies, the masses will keep thinking the assumptions are real.

• As a compromise to my position, I would be happy if Anet made a side quest that involved Sya. Completely optional, non-forced story. Maybe like for the next Greatsword Legendary journey.

TL;DR – Inclusion doesn’t have to be forced. The mere existence of a transgender NPC in the main story is all that I suggest.

Including a character specifically because they are transgender, for the sake of adding a transgender character, not for the sake of the story, seems like a bad idea to me.

coso.9173:

when a fictional character is made, nothing just “happens” all is there for a reason.

Not sure that this is correct. Allow me to rephrase that, it is incorrect.