lördag 22 april 2017

Some arguments for more lesbian romance in larp

I want to write about one of my favorite subjects: Lesbian romance.
And I want to connect it to my main hobby. So I will try to write a little bit about why there should be more lesbian romance in Nordic Larp, or in any kind of larp.

Although I have encountered lesbian romance in the 1980 is Just a little lovin'(1) , after the catastrophy at Landsväg(2) and in another world during the height of armed conflict at WarHeart(3) I still think there is too little lesbian romance and lesbian eroticism in the larps I play. So to encourage more lesbian romance in larp I organize larps which feature lesbianism and I write about it and make it a subject to explore by other designers and players.

I enjoy the company of women. I think women are sexy and exciting and intelligent.
Here are some good things about larping lesbian romance:
  • Inclusion: Lesbians are larpers too, so it's nice to feel normal, wanted and included in your hobby.
  • Shared experiences: Many women enjoy playing closely with people of the same gender.
  • Emotional labour: Many women have been brought up to be able to speak about emotions which makes consent negotiation much smoother between them.
  • Trust: Many women have an easier time trusting other women which makes intimate play much easier.
  • Counters hetersoexism: Since we are brought up in societies that expect heterosexuality from us, larping lesbianism can be a way to explore other romantic and sexual feeling within ourselves and broaden our alternatives.
  • A sensory experience: larping lesbian relationships can mean a chance to experience a romantical closeness with other female bodied individuals.
  • For straight male larpers who try crossplaying(4) lesbian romance can both feel more relaxed and also frees them from the stereotype that a female character is defined by her relationship to a man.
Some arguments for designers to include lesbianism in their writing

  • Women's stories are important and valid.
  • Lesbian stories are important, valid and relevant. In our world lesbians are oppressed both as women and as homosexuals. Larp stories can both touch upon this oppression or choose to leave both the patriachy and heterosexism behind.
  • It can be a way to explore deeply feminist subjects.
  • Have a presence of lesbian characters in works of fiction opens us up to understanding and compassion for a marginalized group.
  • Lesbian designers get to write about sexuality and relationships who are relevant to them.
  • Every time you include lesbian characters there is a chance you might at least educate a larper about lesbianism, and you might even help someone come out of the closet.
  • When you are writing larps about historical events the inclusion of lesbianism will both increase the your knowledge of the history of lesbianism and will also give a more true reflection of the era you are writing about.
#thelesbianagenda

(1) Grasmo & Edland https://nordiclarp.org/event/just-a-little-lovin/
(2) Sortti, Carlslund & Sjöberg http://beratta.org/landsvag/
(3) Berglund et al https://nordiclarp.org/wiki/Krigshj%C3%A4rta_(Campaign)

(4) Playing a character of another gender than your regular one.
A swedish sex-ed magazine from 1933.
This issue is about homosexuality.


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