Broad-Game

(Some of my friends are creating a board game, and they’ve asked if I could draw up their characters. I am not given a lot of physical characteristics, so I’m going by their background and storyline, as well as props they use, such as a sword. None of us are LGBT, but one character is a lesbian.)

Friend #1: “This is Sharon?”

Me: “Yeah. How do you like it? Anything you want to change?”

Friend #1: “She’s a lesbian.”

Me: “Okay. Do you want to show that, like by giving her a rainbow bracelet or something?”

Friend #1: “You can, but she still doesn’t look like a lesbian.”

Me: “What do you mean?”

Friend #2: “She means give her short hair or something.”

Me: “Lesbians have all kinds of hair lengths and styles.”

(I pull out the drawing for Ava, a warrior character, whom I’ve drawn with short hair, and less busty.)

Me: “You mean, like Ava?”

Friend #1: “That looks like a lesbian!”

Friend #2: “Yeah. Switch the hair around.”

Friend #1: “Actually, why don’t you just use this drawing for Sharon, and remove the sword.”

Me: “Um… All because of the hair?”

Friend #1: “And boobs. Big boobs attract men, so lesbians want to look flatter.”

Me: *long pause* “You have stupid, stereotypical ideas!”