Women in Tabletop Gaming - an Interview with Board Game Barrister

June is Women In Tabletop Gaming month -- an event celebrating women who love gaming and want to share their passion with the world.

I stepped into the building with a growing sense of unease. I’d just arrived at Oak and Shield, a geek-themed pub that was currently in its soft opening stage. I sat at the bar and ordered a drink (the Weeping Angel) and scanned the pub.

I didn’t know what the man I was planning to interview looked like, but in the end it wasn’t too challenging to spot him; he was wearing a Board Game Barrister shirt.

I’d never interviewed anyone for my blog before and I was nervous. I didn’t have to be, because Glenn was a very sweet man who seemed eager to answer my questions about women in tabletop gaming. He started our conversation by apologizing that none of the female managers were available to speak with me (which I really appreciated).

For context, Board Game Barrister is a local Milwaukee tabletop gaming chain. It sells an impressive selection of games and holds regular gaming events. It has also partnered with 42 Lounge, a geek bar, to open Oak and Shield, a space where geeks can come to eat, drink, and play board games.

How many women do you see come through your store on a weekly basis?

The branch I manage is within a mall, so we see a lot of foot traffic from the general population, so I do see a lot of women stop in. In terms of actual gamers, I’ve been in this business for 11 years and I’ve definitely seen an upswing in terms of women coming in. This could be because gaming is becoming more mainstream, or because we’re a more casual game store with a code of conduct. We want our store to feel less threatening so that everyone feels comfortable when they set foot in the door.

Have you noticed any trends in the types of tabletop games women are buying?

It’s a really broad range of games. I see a lot of women coming in looking for RPGs. In terms of DnD specifically, I’d say about half of our customers are women. We also see a lot of women picking up some of our lighter games that don’t require say, 6 hours of play time, such as Catan or Ticket to Ride.

Do women seem comfortable in your store while they are shopping?

I’d like to think that they’re comfortable. We try to foster an open environment in our stores. Our associates are trained to give every customer equal treatment and to not make any assumptions. Don’t assume a woman is shopping for her son or her boyfriend, because more likely than not, she’s shopping for herself.

I like to be on the floor and interacting with the customers, so I’m always greeting people and asking if they have any questions. One time a woman flatly said to me that she was a gamer and didn’t need any help. I apologized if I had come off as rude - that’s just how I treat all my customers - but I get why she was defensive.

You hold a lot of events at Board Game Barrister. Do many women attend the events?

Yes, we have a lot of women attending our events. If I had to say the type of game, I’d say they tend to favor the more co-op and social games at events, rather than the competitive ones. Our Magic events for example are very male-heavy. But we have an event policy in our store that players can come in when they want, bring their own character or use a pre-generated one, and can just drop into a game.

Do you believe that the tabletop gaming community can feel unwelcoming towards women?

Less than it used to, but I think some parts of the gaming community can still give that impression. The internet gives a loud voice to a small minority of people. So while it still exists I think it is more noticeable online compared to in-person.

A lot of gamers can be socially awkward, so sometimes men may miss the social cues that they are making women uncomfortable which can turn women away from tabletop events.

How do you try to make women feel welcome?

We have specific rules at our gaming events that we require all players to follow. Our veteran players are used to these rules and will help to enforce them if a player is being sexist or derogatory in another way.

As a woman interested in tabletop gaming, I often feel intimidated to attend events due to established communities and lack of tutorials for new players. What advice would you give?

We do hold some learn-to-play sessions, and we have a great woman who runs those once a month. Our staff members can run demos and we often run games that most people don’t know, so everyone is coming in with more equal knowledge of a game. Not all of our events are catered towards new players, but some are.

What I tell my staff is that we need to make sure we’re not making anyone, including women, feel stupid because they don’t magically know the rules of a game. We need to use less jargon with new players.

You’ve teamed up with 42 Lounge to open up Oak and Shield Gaming Pub. Can you tell me a bit about your vision for the space?

We know games and 42 Lounge knows bars, so we’re combining our skills and talents to bring about a bigger, better gaming community.

Have you thought about holding events geared especially towards women, here or at Oak and Shield?

We haven’t held any events only for women, just a couple geared towards families. That’s something I’ll have to look into.

What do you think the tabletop community can do to make women feel more welcome?

First off, store presentation. Stop putting scantily clad anime girls on display. Show off other games. We actually have given feedback to publishers before that their cover art was inappropriate. We actually just don’t carry some of those games.

Plus everyone needs to remember that the more women who play games, the bigger the market gets, which means more money for more games.

Do you know of any kickass women running local campaigns right now?

FORGE is a new geek girl group that’s just started, and BeBo has some great videos about inclusive gaming.

I did this interview with a local board game store because I wanted to prove what I already know -- that women are playing tabletop games more than ever. I feel lucky, because growing up as a geeky girl in the 90’s I found that I was never made fun of for my hobbies. The idea that women aren’t geeky or that they aren’t participating in “hard” geek hobbies like DnD is completely antiquated.

As I’ve mentioned on this blog before, I do play DnD. But I do have to say, part of the reason my friends and I started our own campaign is because we were intimidated by the outdated attitudes that women don’t play. The idea of joining a local campaign made me anxious, as it did many of the women in our group. I am glad to see that as time goes on, more and more women are being vocal about their love for hobbies like this.

Tabletop gaming isn’t the only geeky hobby that tries to shut women out. While women gamers are much more public now, we still have to deal with catcalling and sexist comments in MMOs, and men still whine about women protagonists in games. I tried live action role playing several years ago and while I liked the hobby, I was also one of only several women and the undertones of sexism made me take a step back from the group -- even though it wasn’t overt.

Men, don’t be such babies about women joining in your hobbies. And women, be proud to be a geek and don’t let sexism dim your passion!

Kick-Ass Geeky Women

Real Women of Gaming - A website all about women and gaming
The Broadswords - An all women actual play DnD podcast
Board Gaming Pinup Girl - A gaming instagram that will get you pumped about new games
The DnD Grandma - Proof that everyone loves tabletop gaming
RPGs Designed by Women - A great list of women-designed games
Our Turn - Podcast about women in gaming, convention reviews, favorite game lists, and more
The Rules Girl - Providing entertaining game guides to new players
Ladies Slaying Dragons - A weekly podcast of women talking about gaming
The Female Pally - A blog by a female gamer who also hosts not 1, but 2 podcasts!

Find out more about women in tabletop gaming month!

Images courtesy of womenintabletopgaming.com and boardgamebarrister.com

This Was Why so Many People Shipped Them - FanFact, an Excerpt

Clara’s life is fairly unremarkable. She goes to school, is preparing for college, and spends her free time writing fanfiction about Liam and Blane, her ship in the popular Hierarchy Of Magic book series.

But everything changes when she discovers the world from the Hierarchy of Magic, including Liam and Blane, is all real. Not only is it real, but she’s stumbled into the world in the middle of the soon to be released, final book in the series. Her knowledge of the series is a big advantage for not only Liam, but the reigning Hierarchy Party, who seeks to dispose of any magician who does not fall into line. And Liam is the biggest target of all.

But how much of Clara’s knowledge is helpful versus a hindrance? Who can be trusted? And are Liam and Blane really falling for each other? As Clara gets swept up into the politics and danger of this magical world, she can’t help but wonder...is she meant to be a part of the story, or is her presence the force that will make Liam, and everyone except a select few, lose everything?

***

You can read the first excerpt here.

A low, amused sound came from Blane’s throat. “If it’s true and some book series is about you, it’s because you’re such a loser and don’t have a specialty yet.”

Liam glared. “You’re a side character. I’m the main focus.”

Blane leaned down, looming over the shorter boy. “People are only main characters in a book when they have a lot of growing up to do.”

Liam stepped towards him, bumping my chair roughly in the process. “You’re the one who has growing up to do. You think you are the greatest thing to walk this Earth, just because you knew about your dangerous specialty since you were a little kid.”

I glanced at Principal Sanders. She twisted her wrist, towards herself and then me. A kettle from the back corner of her office lifted into the air and spilled steaming water into two cups. A teabag landed in each with a small ‘plop’ before the cups floated over to each of us. I accepted the mug, fingers grasping the porcelain clumsily.

“My specialty isn’t dangerous,” Blane practically growled. His features were sharp and elegant, even when he was angry. “Do you know how long it has taken to try and get rid of that stereotype? Just because I have the ability to fight and defend myself doesn’t mean my magic is dangerous.”

Liam’s gaze was cool. “Objectively, it’s the most dangerous of the specialties.”

Blane stepped somehow closer, practically on top of Liam now.

This was why so many people shipped them.

Unionize The Goblins - Better Writing Through DnD (Plus Bonus Content)

“The cave is dark. Even when straining your eyes none of you are able to see more than a few feet in front of you. A sense of dread falls over the group. It feels like you shouldn’t be here, but the dwarf you swore to protect is trapped here somewhere.”

“I start searching the cave.”

“Your steps echo loudly in the space. It sounds large and open as far as you can tell. And suddenly, a loud screech comes from somewhere up above. Torches burst into flames as hundreds of goblins come crawling out of the cracks in the walls. Their arms and legs crackle and creak as they scatter down the wall to surround you.”

I don’t know how we’re going to get out of this. Our party of five can’t possibly handle all of these goblins. I string my bow and hold it at-the-ready, not that I imagine my arrows will do much good against a horde. Azar’s fire may hold them at bay, but not for long-

“What benefits is your employer offering you?” my companion, Enricho calls.

“What?” Our Dungeon Master’s voice pitches louder, probably as confused as the rest of us.

“Your benefits,” Enricho says again. “Do you get health insurance from the Goblin King?”

“We are mere goblins, we do not receive benefits,” our DM says, dropping quickly back into character.

“That’s illegal!” Enricho shouts. “You put your lives at risk, and for what? What is your compensation for all this hard work you do?”

This goes on for a while, and after some amazing rolls, our party has successfully unionized the goblins and got ourselves out of a huge fight. Later when faced with a Bugbear, we convert him to our religion -- bread. We’re not great at fighting, but we are really good at finding creative ways out of the many problems we face. Our bard pronounces us The Band of Surprisingly Effective Fuck Ups.

On Writing

I’ve found DnD to be an incredible tool for writers. Three of our six players have English degrees, one being the DM, making our adventures both compelling and utterly ridiculous.

Of course when writing a novel it is important to structure your plot, write out detailed character goals, and follow a basic formula to keep the story moving at a decent pace. But there is something to be said for the spontaneity that games like DnD provide. While playing I don’t have time to carefully consider what my character will do. She must make a decision, then and there, or risk being killed on the spot.

So sometimes, I try to use this approach in my writing. I always have an outline while I’m working on a longer project, but as the book progresses sometimes that outline has to change. That’s usually not a problem, especially because my outlines are fairly bare-boned. I find if I write an outline that is too detailed, I lose motivation to work on the actual novel.

Sometimes I allow my characters to make split-second decisions on the page to see what they’ll do. Other times I do this on my own for my notes, so I can better understand my characters. My wife and I have even roleplayed Liam and Blane aloud, just to spark conversation and see where it will go in the spur of the moment.

Much like how fanfiction has changed my novel, DnD and roleplaying has also had an impact on not only my characters, but how I tell a story. Characters are the driving forces behind any plot. If all the events happening around them are external, it doesn’t make for a very compelling tale. That’s why using techniques like this are so important to help me better understand my characters.

The Challenge

I asked my followers to present me with a situation or piece of dialogue, and I would write the immediate reaction my character had to it. This is an amazing writing exercise and a lot of fun!

Too much rice - Anne M.
Featuring - Blane

I hated rice.

I’d hated rice for as long as I could remember. I hated that it had so many varieties, and there was no way to know what kind it was until it was in your mouth. It seemed like rice could be flavored with anything, and even rice that looked flavored could be plain and bland. Some of it was sticky and refused to go down your throat, while some of it was so dry you couldn’t even get it on a fork. And all of it got stuck in the crevices of your mouth, forcing you to swallow down tiny grains of rice throughout the day as you finally worked them free from your teeth.

And there was always rice in the cafeteria of school meals. It drove me crazy. I realized it was cheap and I knew the Hierarchy Party was cutting costs for education across the country, but this was getting ridiculous. Not only did they want to choose our careers for us and eliminate people like Liam, people with no hope for their magical specialties, but they were serving rice at almost every single meal.

I really, really hated rice. And I had to do something about it. But until I could I sat with Orion and our other friends, cleaned my plate, and waited.

Not enough rice - Deanna V.
Featuring - Clara

My mom had gotten used to cooking for four of us, so whenever my brothers came home for a visit she never managed to get the proportions right when it came to food.

This was especially true when it came to sides. Anyone could figure out that with six people at the table, you needed to serve six chicken breasts. Estimating how many potatoes to cut, vegetables to steam, or rice to serve was a lot harder.

My mom was terrified of wasting food, had been ever since the money from her artwork had dried up. In the early days she’d always overestimated how much rice to make. After several years of complicated trial and error, she’d figured out the formula so that each person at the table got one serving of rice. No food wasted, and the food lasted longer.

Even now that money was stable, my mom had never changed her ways. And everytime my brothers came to visit, and my mom tried to stretch our four servings of rice into six, it reminded me of how her dream of being an artist had broken her.

So I didn’t really mind not having enough rice. It was just a reminder that I had to think harder about my decisions about my future.

Can’t get an easy-open can open - Jocelyn W.
Featuring - Liam

Getting a can open should not be difficult, yet here I was. It was summer vacation, meaning I was back home and my parents were God-knows-where. I’d been up since dawn training, stopping only when the mid-afternoon sun had become unbearable.

And now I was inside, fighting with a can of chili.

The damn thing had a pull tab but somehow I’d managed to break it. I’d tried everything I could think of to get it open. I’d tried a slicing spell, but I’d never been very good at those. I’d tried using a force spell to force the lid of the can off. I’d thrown it into the wall in frustration. And now I just had a closed, dented can of chili, sitting on the counter, mocking me.

I couldn’t even use my magic to open a damn can.

I growled and lifted my hand, pointing my closed fist towards the can. I narrowed my eyes and sprang my fingers open. There was a loud, metallic clanging as the can burst open from the explosion. Globs of pungent, cold chili went flying through the air, sticking to the walls and ceilings, sliding slowly towards the ground and landing with a clear ‘plop’. I grimaced and waved my hand at the mess, quickly scrubbing it up. I tossed the can in the recycling dish, observed the kitchen, and sighed.

I decided to make a sandwich instead.

Childproof caps - Mike S.
Featuring - Sylvia

Ever since that kid had broke into her mom’s sleeping pills using magic, there had been magical childproof caps on all pill bottles.

It seemed to drive people crazy. The caps on medication were impossible to open without the exact right hand motion and spell pronunciation.

I didn’t know what the big deal was. It wasn’t that hard, people just had to pay attention and do it right the first time.

Babies.

Your character see a homeless man on the street with a dog - Emily Z.
Featuring - Orion

School breaks were some of my favorite times of year. I enjoyed my time at school well enough. It was a great place to network, develop relationships, and further my career. And of course, I did get to improve my magical skills while I was there. But keeping up appearances and doing so much work was exhausting, and it was nice during school breaks to just have some time to do whatever I wanted.

Christmas was in a couple of days, meaning I had a week off to do anything I wanted. Well, after I found a Christmas gift for my parents. The challenging thing about being rich was that it was really hard to shop for your parents.

A shiver worked its way through my body. I scowled and flicked my hand. A pleasant warmth spread through my body, leaving my fingers and toes tingling. I’d never managed to stop the tingling, it drove me nuts.

I rounded a corner on the street, still trying to adjust my warming spell, and fell. I flailed as my legs hit something short and warm, quickly casting a levitation spell to break my fall. “Watch where you’re going,” I snarled, turning around.

I’d tripped over a raggedy dog, attached to a raggedy leash which was being held by a raggedy man. Oh, great. A homeless man. And it was Christmas so it was expected of me to give him something, even though he was the one who couldn’t keep his life on track.

“Sorry about that,” I said, trying to mask the irritation in my voice. I pulled a coin from my pocket and levitated it towards the man (I certainly wasn’t getting any closer). “Merry Christmas.”

He probably said something about my generosity, but I’d already stopped listening, flicking my fingers again and again to try and get that damn tingling to go away.