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[Fniff]

Hey there, folks. I've been working on a videogame recently about Prime Minister David Cameron ordering 90% of Britain to be murdered. And I need your help with it! The videogame, not the murder.

I decided to make the protagonist a transman. However, I don't want to mess this up. This forum has a not-insignificant portion of trans* folks, so I decided to ask here.

I'm interested in asking a few questions to anyone with personal experience, though I would prefer to do those in private messaging. Let me know if you're interested in that. The purpose of this thread is also for people to submit any advice they might have on the subject, detailing pitfalls and mistakes, and perhaps share any resources I could look over. If you wish, I will credit you in the game itself. However, you can choose not to be credited. Also remember to mention that.

Thanks in advance!

[Urist McScoopbeard]

Hey there, folks. I've been working on a videogame recently about Prime Minister David Cameron ordering 90% of Britain to be murdered. And I need your help with it! The videogame, not the murder.

Mhm, I see you've set the tone nicely.

I decided to make the protagonist a transman.

Why? Does that ADD something to the story? I mean unless it's got plot relevance, indication at such should probably only incidental. Of course, if you're adamant then just write said person like you'd write any character. Unless, the transgender part is central to their character that is.

The purpose of this thread is also for people to submit any advice they might have on the subject, detailing pitfalls and mistakes, and perhaps share any resources I could look over. If you wish, I will credit you in the game itself. However, you can choose not to be credited. Also remember to mention that.

My advice is don't get racy with it. I mean i'm sure being trans is a very important trait of nearly anyone who identifies that way, but at the same time you can't just have you character go around and shove it in the player's face through plot or game mechanics.

[NJW2000]

It sounds great. Shoving stuff in people's faces is fun. I can contribute to this in no way at all interms of knowing much about the issues, what kind of game is it? A shooter in which you can shoot Tory MPs? A puzzle game in which you can drown Tory MPs by hacking into a pipe system?

Oh, and the trans thing: @Scoopbeard, it really does require a huge amount of thought to write a trans character, as to decide from binary genders even the voice of the novel is a complex process which should be thought over, so trans would require even more thought, even to only decide the narrative voice of the game.
  Making a serious trans character is an ambitious decison, so I'm not going to question your writing skills as I don't know you, so am sure you took this into account, and have good reasons for wanting/needing to challenge yourself this way.

And as to racy-ness? While many Bay12-ers would enjoy a little several buckets of spice, unless you're really focusing on the trans thing, I would agree to not do too much, just as a writer, as IMO it's very hard to write a sex scene with a POV/perspective/character that is arguably different from you. Though again, your writing, I know very little about, so up to you, not us. From the topic, I think people will only play if they don't mind thinking a little, so with that mighty and exclusive barrier crossed, a little statistically unusual sex might not deter them.

  And while Fniff can probably explain best why a trans character, isn't it just good sometimes to write from an unusual perspective, and do what other people don't much? I say write, though I know little about the format...

[Urist McScoopbeard]

All i'm trying to say is that you shouldn't be making your main character trans for the hell of it. Personality quirks are okay, but there comes a point when you just arbitrarily decide things like gender, binary or not, and it can show through. I'm not trying to dissuade him from making the character trans, but it's all about what you want to accomplish, you know? The only reason I even bring this up is that, even in today's relatively accepting society, identifying as transgender is something that is a somewhat foreign concept to people... So then your game becomes less about the English prime minister wanting to exterminate the British populace and more a commentary on how transgender people are saving the world. There's nothing wrong with that, just be mindful of what you want to accomplish when you write in a transgender character.

In addition, let me say that the same applies for male and female characters as well. Think about how radically changed your story would be then. Of course, it also doesn't have to, you can write your characters how you want to and make them do whatever you want them too.

#2cents

EDIT:basically almost a rehashing of what NJW has said.

[Fniff]

Thanks for responding, I was worrying that this topic was doomed. Good advice as well.

Mhm, I see you've set the tone nicely.

It sounds great. Shoving stuff in people's faces is fun. I can contribute to this in no way at all interms of knowing much about the issues, what kind of game is it? A shooter in which you can shoot Tory MPs? A puzzle game in which you can drown Tory MPs by hacking into a pipe system?

The game is a twin-stick shooter in the vein of Hotline Miami. You'll be killing a few Tory MPs, along with hard working British families who just want you dead so things can return to normal. Though I'm definitely stealing the drowning Tories thing.
Now, I have considered this. This isn't a decision that was taken lightly. I considered the character for a long time, and decided that him being transgender would make the most sense considering his situation. The plot relevance is limited to backstory and influencing the character's behavior, but it does have a great effect in those areas. I wouldn't make him transgender for the hell of it, for on that path lies madness and bitterness.
I am not entirely certain of my ability to write this subject well, hence I was asking for assistance in this. However, no amount of writing ability can help you if you don't know much about the topic.
And I hope the message of the work isn't 'transgender people saving the world'. The character himself wouldn't agree with that message one bit.
All in all, I'm basically doing what NJW2000 says. I'm making a transgender protagonist because I feel no-one else will and it will make an interesting challenge.
Speaking of, I might as well throw a few questions out since this thread probably does need a hook for people to get engaged. I'll go general for now.

If you were playing this game, what tropes/clichés/plot developments/etc relating to the character would make you stop playing? I've heard a few clichés and stereotypes relating to transgender people in media (Stereotyped as psychotic, murderers, sex workers, etc, etc), but it would be worth it to narrow it down to avoidable pitfalls.
Can you recommend any reading material on the subject of transmen? Because I'm lazy! But mainly because transmen seem to be rarer then transwomen and there's not a lot of books on the subject, at least easily findable ones. I could simply focus all the energy towards reading about transwomen, but that would result in a less accurate experience.

[StrawBarrel]

If you were playing this game, what tropes/clichés/plot developments/etc relating to the character would make you stop playing? I've heard a few clichés and stereotypes relating to transgender people in media (Stereotyped as psychotic, murderers, sex workers, etc, etc), but it would be worth it to narrow it down to avoidable pitfalls.

I don’t really have much except general information that you probably already know, but I’ll post it any way.

Sex versus Gender versus Sexuality:-Always remember that sex, gender, and sexuality are different things.
+Sex-A person’s biological sex can vary. Most people have either XY or XX chromosomes, but some are born with X, XXYY, XXY, XYY, XXXX, XXXXX, etc. In terms of reproductive organs, some people have male sex organs, female sex organs, both male and female sex organs, or incomplete or no reproductive organs.
+Gender- People can choose to indentify as male, female, agender, androgynous, gender fluid, bigender, trigender, and probably more than I can think of. Transgender people are generally people that were born in a body that does not correctly match their gender.
+Sexuality-A lot of media portrays transgender people as strictly heterosexual, but that is not always the case. Transgender people can be heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, asexual, pansexual, and a lot more that I can not think of right now.
Visual in Spoiler:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Discovery:
-Some transgender people always have felt they were their gender and knew they were born in the wrong body.
-Other transgender people find out later in life (teenage years, adulthood, etc.) that they are transgender.
Openness:
-Some transgender openly tell people that they are transgender, while others try to keep it as secret as possible to those around them.
Transitioning:
Transitioning is different for all transgender people. There are transgender who just crossdress and stop feeling gender dysphoria. Many change their given names. A large amount take hormones to change their bodies. Others add on surgery to remove reproductive organs, change breasts, modify their face, and/or other parts of their body. It really depends on the person on what need to do to address their dysphoria. You can decide what your protagonist wants to do or has already done.
Height:
Common clichés -Transmen are short and transwomen are tall. Height probably isn’t that important, but it something I notice at least in some media where transwomen are usually tall and played for laughs.
General:
-Normal clichés that make a character dislikable. The story line is extremely predictable. Write good story and I’m sure you’ll get a great game.

Can you recommend any reading material on the subject of transmen? Because I'm lazy! But mainly because transmen seem to be rarer then transwomen and there's not a lot of books on the subject, at least easily findable ones. I could simply focus all the energy towards reading about transwomen, but that would result in a less accurate experience.

*Note: I did not read or watch a majority of these.*

General TV Tropes on Transgender Issues
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/UsefulNotes/Transgender TV Tropes Useful Notes
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Transsexual TV Tropes Transsexual Article
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GenderBlendingTropes TV Tropes Gender Blending Tropes

Youtube Videos
Trans 2.0 | First Person #1 | PBS Digital Studios https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABZP5b6w5Pw
Skylar Kergil’s Youtube Channel http://www.youtube.com/skylarkeleven
20/20 - A Story of Transgender Children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfqmEYC_rMI
Transgender Parents Who Conceived Two Sons Naturally (The journalist asks and says some pretty rude things towards the end of the piece.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwuRSS2whTg

Online Articles:
http://everydayfeminism.com/2014/03/too-queer-for-your-binary/
http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/05/male-privilege-trans-men/

For Fun (I actually read this one.)
It is a slice of life, coming of age dramedy webcomic that focuses on the title character Rain, a transgender woman. It’s pretty educational on LGBTQ topics, great examples of complex dynamic characters, grade A plots, pretty funny, and overall good writing.
http://jocelynsamara.deviantart.com/gallery/27273884/Rain-Comic

Q: Are there rules for posting links on the forum? Did they work?

[birdy51]

Hrm.

I haven listened to this either, but it might help. It's a TED Talk, which is basically a person goes up on a stage and makes a presentation on a social, scientific, or artistic issue and speaks on the subject. In this case, the topic is Transgender Poetry. You might be able to find other materials on the site, but that's the first thing I spotted.

https://www.ted.com/talks/lee_mokobe_a_powerful_poem_about_what_it_feels_like_to_be_transgender

[Sheb]

I can't really help, but I'm definitely curious about this project. So just PTW I guess.

[Fniff]

Heya, guys. Thanks for all the advice, it's really helped refine the character into something (hopefully) special. I especially liked the piece on the effects of the patriarchy when you're a transman, it was actually informative outside of this project.
If you're interested in the game itself, it's called SCUMWAR. All caps is required. I'll be making a topic soon, probably in Creative Projects.
Once again, thanks. I don't have any questions at the moment, but I still have to read all the great links you sent me. By the way, links are completely fine and they worked well.

[Tiruin]

To add on the above, I'll give personal notes. (Also thanks for dropping that comic StrawBarrel. I'm not alone!)

Detailing how to write a character...takes a lot of time to get the specifics out, so I'll try to detail what you should be aware of (that isn't directly mentioned above, anyway)

Write the character as if you're writing it from their characteristics - likened to writing a friend's story after knowing who they are, and writing a story about them because you have the feeling you know them, instead of writing something to describe them from an outsider's perspective.
A nice note to poke at with this awareness, in technical and theoretical terms, is Developmental Psychology (and Sociology).
Note that society, community, *biology, family, education (knowledge), beliefs, culture...and many more things influence how a character is - analogous to ActionVideoGameAmerica, I can see the presence of several beliefs and factors in play which would affect a character more than in other countries, though present in all attitudes. (ie "Openness/closedness wouldn't be a concern if there was no negative assumption slapped onto the idea", like in parts of Asia - Gender identity is treated as an internal belief of the person, which equals a ton less kerfluffle on THIS IS WHO YOU ARE AND HOW YOU PRESENT YOURSELF)

Spoiler: *? (click to show/hide)

When I say Biology, I mean the anatomical and physiological differences between the two sexes. Height, growth, skeletal structure, effects of hormones [as in, 'hormones', the regulatory substances which affect the WHOLE body and not "hormones" which is implied to only pertain to the gonadotrophic hormones...I'm unsure where that assumption came from but that's what I observe in some conversations these days].
Those sorts under biology.

In general, speaking about a videogame, you'll have to consider how things are shown and the setting which you place your characters in, plus the theme. Writing a trans-person is no different from writing any character, though there are differences in what you'll consider. From an external viewpoint, "trans-" is a descriptive term. From an internal viewpoint: It's technical; most (or as far as I personally know <_<) people who are transgender...prefer just being known as the 'other' gender, without the connotation of 'trans' into the identity.
I think I worded that sloppily, but that's all I could write at the moment.

...Also that 'Cliche' thing is supported, in tiny parts, by biology. Generally, males are taller than females...stuff like that. >_>

General:
-Normal clichés that make a character dislikable. The story line is extremely predictable. Write good story and I’m sure you’ll get a great game.

Make a characterizing and relatable storyline even if the plot is extremely predictable, too.

[Neonivek]

Blah di blah di blah

You have three options
1) The characters gender is all important: AKA the plot is about them being transgendered
2) The characters gender informs their character: AKA the plot is influenced about them being transgendered
3) The character's gender is unimportant: AKA they are transgendered get over it

In my opinion start with them as a character first.

Then if the fact that they are transgendered is important then influence their personality that way.

You can either make them "Play the game" (as in play by the rules) or have them be "Against the system".

But here are my two pieces of advice
1) Do not forget to have an appealing character first
and
2) Do not be afraid that your character plays to or against stereotypes... This just becomes a caustic line of thinking.
in fact
3) Do not go out of your way to make sure your character plays to or against stereotypes.

Honestly transgendered characters aren't too tough to write... unless you want to make a point of it.

And if you want to make a point of it... Use the "Good for a girl"

Which is! If the character does well, they are doing well "for a transgendered person". Just make it subtle...

[Jo]

I'm a science fiction writer (publishing this summer). I've been thinking on your question for a bit, I have in the past written from multiple genders and sexual orientations.

Unfortunately I can only wish you luck here. I am experienced enough to know how freakin' hard writing from a trans perspective can be.

I guess my one piece of advice is to get an intelligent trans person to play through it and make sure it isn't completely appalling before you release it.

Good luck!

[Tiruin]

-snipadvice-

...If this works, I'm up for signing in beta (alpha?) testing.

[Sappho]

The http://fixyourwritinghabits.com/ has LOADS of advice for writing characters from different points of view, and I think they even have a tag specifically about writing trans characters. (At least one of the writers of the blog is trans so the information is firsthand.)

I don't have any more specific advice than you can easily find there or that others have given you already, but I just want to throw this out there: I really hate it when people say "don't make your character (different) for no reason." This is the same as saying "If your character doesn't have a specific REASON to be female/black/gay/blind/trans/etc then you should never write the character as anything other than a straight white male." That's the "default" character, and there's no REASON for a character to be straight or white or male any more than to make them Asian and trans and queer and also in a wheelchair. It makes people uncomfortable because they're not used to it, but that's exactly the point. If people wrote more diverse characters, for no reason other than because the world is a diverse place and why the hell shouldn't the characters be diverse, people would get more used to it. This has the added benefit of helping people learn to empathize better with people who are different from them.

Others have written pages and pages on this topic in the past, so I'll leave it at that. But seriously, I'm a mostly-female-but-very-androgynous autistic demisexual bipolar person. I exist, right out here in the world. I have a life, and things happen to me just like they happen to everyone else. And I'm tired of hearing that someone like me shouldn't exist in a book or film or game unless there's some really good reason for it. I want to see a character like ME, and I don't want it to have to be in a story that is specifically about my issues and differences. I want to see a character like me go on an adventure and slay a dragon and fly to another planet because why shouldn't someone like me be allowed to do that?

It's like the comic book character Daredevil. I had a big fight with a friend recently who insisted that he shouldn't be blind, because there's no reason why he HAS to be blind. Meanwhile, every blind kid in the world is like "FUCK YES WE CAN BE SUPERHEROES." Why should he NOT be blind? No. Reason. He kicks ass without eyesight and that is amazing.

tl;dr - Totally write this! Don't be afraid to screw up. You will. But people will be happy to help you fix your mistakes, and writing this will do more good than harm, for sure. Congratulations on making a cool thing!

EDIT: Here is a blog by a really nice trans woman. She sometimes posts stuff about what trans people want and don't want people to do when writing/portraying trans characters in the media. Good starting point! She's pretty friendly too and will probably answer questions if you ask nicely.

[Fniff]

Hello, sorry for the delay in writing back. It's really great to get all this advice on the subject, and it's good to get positive reinforcement. All this has been very illuminating, and one of the posts in Fix Your Writing Habits was especially helpful: instead of trying to understand being transgender as 'what if I wanted to be the opposite gender', think of it as 'what if the way I looked made everyone think I was the opposite gender'.
One thing that was notable were the people mentioning I should come up with a character first. The interesting thing is that the character originally wasn't transgender. In fact, I didn't realize their gender was male, I considered them female at the beginning. In a way, it's as if the character came out as trans.
This has all been great. SCUMWAR will be all the better for your contributions. I'll be sure to credit you in the game itself, unless you'd like to remain unnamed.