Ghostlight Diversity, Inclusion and Ethical Considerations
First, let me tell you the things I’m not going to do. I’m not going to use vampires as an allegory for queer people. I’m not going to use werewolves as a stand-in for people struggle with mental illness. I’m not going to use witches as feminist messaging, or ghosts as commentary for people who have been abused. Do you know why? Because it’s 2024, and if you want to play a queer character, a feminist character, a character with struggles or trauma, play that character out in the open with your full chest. Be any race, and gender, any variety of human having a human experience that you like. And maybe they’re also a vampire, or a witch, or a spirit medium, or a werecreature.
Next, let me tell you another thing I’m not going to do. I’m not going to make supernatural characters exotic. They’re people. The things that make them special don’t make them better; if anything, they make them more vulnerable. If they’re evil, it’s because they’re evil, not because they’re supernatural or coded. If they’re noble, it’s because they’re noble, not because they can overcome their baser urges (or coded). They are, and I’m going to repeat this a lot, just people who are different, but not different in a way that’s meant to represent something. Because you can just make that character, without hiding them behind allegory.
Why am I taking this approach? Because representation matters, and coded representation isn’t full representation. Carving out a special niche for certain groups of people isn’t inclusion. Trying to be sly about things is performative and frequently dishonest. Because trying too hard often ends up falling into the trap of misappropriation, the exact opposite of what I’m trying to accomplish. Worrying about people who are against diversity and inclusion getting upset only leads to less diversity and inclusion, so the offended parties are invited to sit down and shut up.
I am doing my best to make sure communities are represented in the setting, and that there is diversity within the supporting characters described. Beyond that, I can only say that all are welcome to play this game, and I cannot wait to see what people do with it.
