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Gender Norms and Discrimination in Runeterra

Swhale··6 votes·7,911 views
3 myths in the transgender bathroom debate

I've just received 2 Mechs Vs. Minion boxes from the last preorder. I was very excited when I saw the box, as I wasn't expecting it until June!

The box is beautiful, the pieces are unique, and overall it feels high quality. I'm very excited to start a campaign with my friends.

It's quite a heavy box too - as board games go. I managed to lift it to read the text on the bottom but I was very surprised by one of the bullet points of "neat amenities" on the back.

http://imgur.com/a/faDqk

"Bathrooms for both male and female Yordles! (That are different rooms!)"

A special point being made to declare the fact that the school offers gender separated bathrooms?

I can't help but read this within the current political context where in some states transgendered individuals are facing persecution for choosing bathrooms based on their gender identities.

It seems like some sort of statement concerning these transgendered people and the turmoil in many states over gendered bathrooms. In fact, it seems to support some anti-trans messaging or at very least it reinforces the gender binary norms that are causing this kind of discrimination in the first place.

I'm very confused as to why any sort of statement about gender separated bathrooms is within the realm of necessary for this board game (or the topic of bathrooms AT ALL), especially considering the real world social issues occurring at the time of development and reprints.

I was a bit shocked and disappointed at reading this, because from what I understand of the company and the diverse culture at Riot, I wouldn't have expected something like this to pass.

[EDIT] To be fair, I have not played the game yet. Is there some sort of gameplay mechanic which requires male and female yordles to make use of different bathrooms or something I haven't learned of yet?

31 Comments

Oleandervine5 votes

I think you're kinda jumping the gun here. This is just silliness, and I severely doubt that this is intended to be anything other than a joke about the fact that Rumble's campus actually has legitimate facilities that normal buildings and establishments have.

This is a point where a problem is being made and perceived over a silly joke. There is no actual battlefield regarding trans-bathroom rights on the back of this board game (in which all of the text is absurd), so creating a problem over something as absurd and benign as this is actually detracting from the legitimacy of actual battlefields over trans-bathroom rights that are happening in states like North Carolina.

Warlord Scrap3 votes

Because its a worldwide game sold to contries that dont always except transgender people. So they cant do anything for the lgbt community unless its completely out of the game. Ie a character can be gay or lesbian in a story but cant do anything homo sexual in game.
Now with the recent reversal of this policy with the graves cigarmaybe this will change. But that was the policy during wave 1.

Swhale2 votes

"they cant do anything for the lgbt community"

I don't understand where you are coming from. Not including a phrase about gender separated bathrooms (in a game where there's nothing to do concerning bathrooms) is not equivalent to being for the LGBT community.

I'm not saying Riot is supposed to show some sort of LGBT support. I'm talking about the inclusion of an unnecessary statement way out of left field concerning a sensitive topic or perhaps supporting a harmful political/ideological agenda.

Warlord Scrap1 votes

Because that along with multiple other thinks are based on real life college brochures and acceptance letters. Which normally state if there seperate or coed bathrooms. And actually read either riots interview on making a lgbt or blizzards for overwatch. While its accepted in america its not in numerous other country that league and its merchandise is sold. And there not gonna prevent a country from access to the game over having something like trans bathrooms. Hell even america is divided on the subject so how do you think a county like russia or china which have stricter laws on the issues with china only recently taking homo sexuality off of there mental disorders list.

Also we cant have skeletons in lol because of chinas culture. And heres the big thing riot is owned by a chinese company.

Swhale1 votes

Once again, I'm not saying anything needs to be pro-trans rights. I would think it would be silly to have some statement about any-gender bathrooms available or any such thing. That's not what I'm talking about whatsoever.

I'm just saying this statement seems to be anti-trans or at least reinforces the gender norms which underlay the discrimination we do see.

There are pro things, and there are anti things, and there are neutral things, and then there are just no mention of anything to do with the topic. Given the social environment this game was released into, it can easily be perceived as an anti kind of statement.

I don't feel like it was necessary to mention anything to do with bathrooms at all, let alone something that could be mistaken as a statement discriminatory to trans people.

Warlord Scrap1 votes

its mimicking college brochures which state which kinds of bathrooms that have. Your making up an anti trans statement in your head. Its not discriminatory your making it up.

Swhale1 votes

In light of the current social situations in the media and in law concerning the exact same topic of segregated bathrooms, this is not something that I'm fabricating in a vacuum.

Though, I digress. Gaming forums are not necessarily the place to have civil discussions about inclusion and diversity. I overestimated the community.

Warlord Scrap1 votes

While yes they are serious topics in real life your complaining about a board game that has to show appeal and not be offensive world wide. The lol boards are not the place for political discusions. And yes you are making up anti trans statement for a board game designed to be in the same universe as a teen game. You still fail to see how including pro trans gender ideals will get the game banned in other countries and then those people wont be able to play it but congrats at least you felt included.

Swhale1 votes

Again, you are misinterpreting what I'm saying. Let me quote myself from a reply to you earlier: "Once again, I'm not saying anything needs to be pro-trans rights. I would think it would be silly to have some statement about any-gender bathrooms available or any such thing. That's not what I'm talking about whatsoever."

Warlord Scrap1 votes

Again your missing the point its based off college brochures and you making a big deal over alot of nothing. Your wasting energy on a fight that doesnt matter in a board game when you could be actually pressing the real life issue. Should lucian be removed because he has the worst firing position of any adc and feeds into the stereotype that black people cant shoot. Or how about any frejilord champ feeding into the stereo that nordic cultures are barbaric.

NGNL Asian1 votes

{quoted}

"they cant do anything for the lgbt community"

I don't understand where you are coming from. Not including a phrase about gender separated bathrooms (in a game where there's nothing to do concerning bathrooms) is not equivalent to being for the LGBT community.

I'm not saying Riot is supposed to show some sort of LGBT support. I'm talking about the inclusion of an unnecessary statement way out of left field concerning a sensitive topic or perhaps supporting a harmful political/ideological agenda.

Um vi and cait??

UnboundHades2 votes

because its fun to make fun of attention seeking idiots

Hethalean2 votes

Perhaps you could put a screen shot of the paper in question cuz I'm from the show me island.

Swhale1 votes

I added an image of the text.

TyrekGoldenspear2 votes

Why? Just why? Of all the things in the world that need improvement, you choose to spend your time and energy...

On bathrooms.

cheolkeong2 votes

I echo Oleandervine's sentiments.

2 things to know about Rumble

  • He has a reputation for making things out of junk, therefore people would assume he has shoddy facilities.
  • He loves Tristana.

Rumble knows Heimerdinger and Ziggs would be interested in mech stuff because they are tech geeks. He wanted to advertise his program as being inclusive of male and female yordles to try and help persuade Tristana to attend. Pretty much his entire motivation for this entire thing is to impress Tristana and spend time with her. 99% sure Rumble used all the relatively nice junky parts to make the female bathroom and that the dudes' bathroom is god-awful. If you look on the back of the invite he has R&T written in a heart and on his to-do list he has Tristana first with more hearts. He later on the to-do list has "learn how to run a school." He's just flying by the seat of his pants on a shortsighted plan to get to know Tristana.

I think there is a point of inclusion to be made here but I think your missing it. This wasn't meant to be transphobic but rather to be inclusive of females in tech. Also we are talking about fictional rodent people in a cartoony world. You could complain about whether Rumble's obsession is healthy or whatever but it is a cartoon game. It isn't meant to be such a social commentary. However, Tristana's inclusion does give representation for female players should they choose to be her. And it isn't like she is a damsel in distress. If anything, Rumble is the damsel in distress.

Swhale1 votes

I appreciate the legitimate comment jjaekkak. I don't know much of the context behind the board game or the lore behind the characters.

I can understand how it can be coming from a place of trying to include females/Trist by helping them/her feel safe in a generally male dominated environment.

You are very perceptive to have deciphered what Rumble's intentions may have been and how that might apply to the reason behind him making this particular statement.

I'm not sure if that was truly the author's intent here, but it gives at least a single valid alternative to what it might mean whereas before I had no context for or clue of how to comprehend it.

cheolkeong1 votes

If you play through the game with the radioplay thing for each mission you will get a much clearer picture of the author's intent. Riot isn't going to be on the bleeding edge of the progressive movement, especially when gamers tend to be slightly behind on that stuff. Let Riot get around to making some openly gay champs before expecting them to make a transgender inclusion statement in their board game. In the meantime let's appreciate that they at least have plenty of male fan service and give nods to champs that the community has embraced as being gay in their head-canon like Taric and Ezreal.

Swhale1 votes

Thanks. I haven't yet played so I might understand more after.

And again, I have absolutely NO desire to have them or ask them to or say they should have any sort of trans-inclusive statements. At all.

LuckerNoob1 votes

{quoted}

...In the meantime let's appreciate that they at least have plenty of male fan service and give nods to champs that the community has embraced as being gay in their head-canon like Taric and Ezreal...

In Taric's case, it's only semi-headcanon. Riot did go on the record as saying he was glorious enough for any gender, or something like that.

Thunderfrenzy1 votes

Making issues out of shit that doesn't matter only makes us care even less about shit that might actually matter.

You're hurting your own beliefs by annoying everyone that might have actually cared about real issues if they didn't have to deal with crying over a joke line in a board game.

EnglishLanguage11 votes

Wow, it's literally nothing.

Darius Strada1 votes

of course a post like this comes from NA

LuckerNoob1 votes

Please keep in mind that League, like many Fantasy settings, is based on a modified version of the European and Asian middle age , with some Renaissance added in for flavour. Those generally weren't times that were welcoming to any sort of minorities. What you describe isn't an issue of MvM, but an issue with the fantasy genre in general. You could just as well criticise D&D, LotR and many, many other brands equally. League already does a good job by having quite a few non-conventional champions in the game. Illaoi is a very strong, un-feminine, but popular character. Gragas is heavily overweight, but popular.

I'm also very fond of the "don't ask, don't tell" approach that Riot seems to be taking in that regard. The sexuality of fictional characters smashing their faces together in an arena deathmatch shouldn't matter, and in most cases of league, it doesn't. To be honest, if Riot pulled a DC and went "Look, everyone, this is our brand new GAY champion!" it would be extremely hippocritical. Like Jaden Smith attempting a gangsta rap.

Another theory (that might not be true, but could actually explain it): Considering Yordles specifically, post-rework, they seem to be semi-immortal avatars... living memes of what appear to be Runeterran concepts - best seen in Kled (Noxian ideal of a warrior), Poppy (Demacian Ideal of a warrior), Veiger (Evil magic), Heimerdinger (Piltover scientist), Ziggs (Zhaun/Noxian scientist) and so on. Odds are that a concept as niche as LGBT would be too small to manifest as a yordle.

EvilUnicornLord1 votes

Obvious troll is trolling.

KoKoboto1 votes

Even if it was intended who cares

Trolmod1 votes

If I identify as the president can i start making laws?

just to be clear

If you were born with a wiener, then you are a guy (mens room)

If you werent born with a wiener, then you aren't a guy (womens room)

for the .05%, born with both.... sorry bout that... blame pollution

Its actually got a name "gender identity disorder" aka gender dysphoria imagine that.... a nationwide movement praising insanity .... sounds like my 'merica

Fowus1 votes

plz tell me this is troll

Aptest1 votes

A special point being made to declare the fact

Does seem superfluous. This kind of statement is unusual and definitely not what you would expect to find on a college brochure. Makes you think, why the college cares about irrelevant details enough to include them in it's marketing material- maybe you are entering a cesspool of SJWism rather than a proper college?

...facing persecution for choosing bathrooms...

The entire point of segregated bathrooms is that you do not get to choose which one you want. It is wrong to allow you choice in this matter, regardless of whether that choice is bundled with other life choices you've made. I.E. the choice of gender should not grant you a choice of toilets. However it is not sufficiently wrong to make any discussion or thought on the matter worthwhile. Segregated toilets are stupid to begin with, but so does making them into any point of interest in the discussion.

anti-trans messaging

Since CIS people do not have a right to choose their own bathroom, if TRANS have a right to choose their bathroom than they have superfluous rights to CIS. To insist that TRANS have the same rights to CIS is not an act of discrimination.

I'm very confused as to why any sort of statement about gender separated bathrooms is within the realm of necessary for this board game

Does seem out of place.

especially considering the real world social issues occurring at the time of development

Are there any?

I wouldn't have expected something like this

You are triggered over a nonissue.

Colgate Gator1 votes

Oh my fucking god.

COBRA C0MM4NDER1 votes

They're exclusive...they can do whatever they damn please in imaginationland. If you're getting triggered over Yordle sexual identities, maybe you need....

Fuckit, you just crazy.

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