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!”
