A Different Sort of Question. (Touchy subject matter ahoy!)

{Warning! This thread attempts to take a subject usually reserved for silliness and tackle it in a semi-serious manner.)

Today, I'd like to throw this onto the table and ask you folk about... Futanari. Goodness; I spend half an hour deliberating on the thread title, and there goes the big one just like that.

Before I get into the heart of the matter, though, I have a little admission to make: We all have our obsessions, and this one just happens to be my deepest. You are reading the thoughts of a... well, bit of a kook, to find the easiest way to put it. I've made characters in this genre for nearly a decade, now, but gauging the thoughts of others has always been a difficult thing, at best. Either it's loved as cheap smut (and I honestly can't blame them, personally!) or it's loathed as "dirty" and "weird" (and you know what? I can't blame them either.); and it's just plain not something that's oft brought out into the open.

Yet, Virtue... and perhaps City of Heroes in general... has one of the most tolerant communities I've ever had the pleasure of being part of. So I hope something may be learned from this, in the end.

That said! Where do I fall in the love/loathe spectrum? I've admitted my obsession - but it comes with a caveat! My greatest interest in the subject is in my interest in writing about it: to take a genre usually reserved for comedic or... other... purposes and turn it into something thoughtful and interesting; even if I'm the only one with a care to read into it. Weird? Perhaps. Enjoyable? You bet'cha.

Which brings me, at last, to the point: I spent nearly six years of City of Heroes telling myself that I wouldn't RP here; it just seems a little too fast-paced for the kind of lengthy, leisurely posting style I'm used to. I didn't write biographies, either - and I certainly never considered bringing my obsession into the game with me. Until recently! And... people have been surprisingly accepting of it... Well. So far. Yet this brings a bit of a dilemma with it... For a character based around character, it might not seem a necessary thing to include the appropriate label - but I like for people to know what they might be getting into should they decide to interact with the character. Still, at the same time, I don't want to confuse people into thinking that just because the character is labeled as 'Futa' that it's meant strictly for a quick lil' cyber. They aren't, in my case - and surely there are others!

So, then, what would be the appropriate way to approach this? To say, 'This darling woman comes with the good ol' twigs n' berries; but isn't interested in cheap advances - and hey, look! A story! Maybe she's just as deep and interesting as any other woman?' without actually confusing anyone?

"Intersex" seemed like the cleanest term... and yet I don't think that's entirely accurate. I believe the problem stems from working with a fictional idea (natural-born or magic/tech/mutant-made women with... a little mix-up downstairs) and attempting to find a real term for it that won't offend any of the good people out there who fall into whatever-the-term's definition.

"Not indicating it all" has been a popular answer from the few I've asked in private... and yet, that seems to defeat the purpose doesn't it? True enough - such a thing would really only be relevant in a romantic context; but even for someone who doesn't quite plan to involve her characters in such a way... it could happen! Even if it didn't... Nobody can say "You did it!" if they don't have any clue as to what it was you did.

What do you think?

Well, i fail to see how this is a genre myself. I thought the genre was Superheroes.

That said, you could always not mention it in the bio (personally I never understood why someone would, it just doesn't seem relavent to the characters back story...or at least I've never seen a bio yet that made me see it as being relavent) and send a tell to anyone who does try to get into that point of RP with a OOC tell to give them warning.

I really don't see the issue here, personally. Just tag the character and move on - if people get funny over it chances are they're not the sort of person who would be comfortable roleplaying with a potentially erotic situation in the first place, and if they're comfortable with it...well then, it's your choice if you're going to get down to nookie with them. Shrug.

You've overthinking it, imo.

I don't complain about it but I also don't care for it. I see a lot of folks with the tag in their profile, flying around and "searching for the lucky winner" just meandering around the area. More power to them, I'm not going to impede their progress or even consider them right there. Unlike some trolls who, while having no intention of RPing, simply walk up and attempt to ruin another's day by acting downright disrespectful from the get go. Honestly, would rather have people openly abbreviate it in their profile so you don't get those awkward encounters:

"Just so you know, right before we do this, I have 'extra' parts."

At least having the indicators puts it right there out in the open so people who are interested can speak to the person and those who are not can simply avoid them.


Right now my impression is futas are synonymous with ERP. That's just my personal preference, I leave room to be proven wrong but everyone I've seen has in some way attempted to interact with another like-minded person to engage in cyborz. I judge but I don't hold it against them, to each their own and whatever floats their boat. I'm down for knowing what that person is into rather than not knowing and... finding out later >.>;

I keep trying to boil down your OP to something you can put in your bio, since that's what you appear to want. The best I can do is, "Not THAT kind of Futa."

This also leads me to wonder if we need yet another distinction from the "RP" Roleplayer. First we spun off the MRP, which initially included all sex, violence, and foul language. Then from MRP spun off (or maybe more appropriately, "spawned" ^_^) the ERP, to allow the Ultraviolents to put some distance between themselves and the Sexytimers. Now it looks like we've got a subculture of ERP, who'd PREFER you get to know them for their minds, but aren't averse to letting you get to know their bodies - but first you gotta earn it.

I propose "Romance Roleplayer", or RRP for short. Then you could just put "RRP Futa" in your bio and that'd say it all. All you'd have to do is explain what "RRP" means to OVER NINE THOUSAN- ahem, excuse me. That is, explain what "RRP" means to anyone who asks.

I do have to wonder if people would eventually start relating [Male] and [Female] tags with ERP, were they to be used in bios, ha.

Don't mention it. The shock when a gentleman caller reaches out and touches base is so delicious.

Let me begin by giving you mad props. Mad props for bringing this up, and openly saying you're in to it. Nothing wrong with it, and it's dumb people shun it. I look at it this way: We have our likes, our dislikes, and our guilty pleasures. Don't knock it until you've tried it, and if you've tried it don't be a jerk about it if you didn't enjoy it.

That said, I do have a few questions for you regarding your 'intersex' character (I like that term, where'd you find it?):

Will her 'gender' cause her to act differently than a woman with regular equipment?
Will it affect her physical structure in ways other than the obvious? (I ask this question because in many cases [Futa] tags are synonymous with the Physique/Legs/Chest sliders being all the way up.)
Are you going to be actively seeking a romantic-style RP?

I think I'll be able to better answer/address your post if you're willing to respond to these. If not, no worries, and IMO, don't let anyone get you down. Just be open and let them know what's up.

I believe it comes from the point BrandX brought up. If you seriously want it to be a part but not the focus of an actual roleplay character with personality, don't treat it as something to be 'tagged', then you're just really calling attention to it. Lots of people want to be known as a Roleplayer or as an ERPer or No Roleplaying so they tag characters that way, the only possible reason to tag a character that way is for ERP, otherwise if you are trying to have a serious character it shouldn't matter that much.

You're all grown consenting adults, I don't care what you enjoy so long as it doesn't hamper what I enjoy. Keep on doing whatever it is you like, and support equal civil rights in the real world--where we really need it.

Perhaps I'm looking at it the wrong way? For the most part, I see it as a courtesy to other Roleplayers; who might like to know what they're getting into before investing time - and, occasionally, actual emotion - to it. Goodness knows there are plenty out there who would prefer to simply steer clear of anything intersex-related when they can; and would have nothing to do with it if they knew. Mind you, this is all strictly in the fantasies of roleplaying - it's fair to say I would expect; and certainly would not encourage real people to go around wearing labels on them.

In addition, folk won't know you've taken a slightly... different... direction with something if they don't know what that something is... but, again, perhaps I've taken the wrong approach from the get-go? It's something I'd like to be open and honest about, at least.

Edit: In fact, my biggest fear isn't of 'disgusting' those who dislike the idea; but of offending those real people who genuinely want the support.

Question, will you be actively looking for ERP with the character or not? I have a feeling I've been reading the thread wrong - I'm confused if this a way of broadcasting what your character is so potential partners can respond as needed, or just a way of tagging a character's trait without it coming off as an advertisment.

If that's the case then I think a link to your virtueverse profile will suffice, as well as a brief mention of the race's hermaphroditic/intersexed nature in her bio. I don't think a direct tag will really serve any purpose other than drawing undue attention to it - you'll give off the wrong impression to both crowds, imo.

If it's a 'when it happens' approach to ERP, then if someone's that interested in your character they'll likely have paid attention to your bio or nattered to you in PMs first. If it doesn't happen, then it doesn't matter if they haven't noticed, ha.

Stick with something like intersexed; be clinical. If people don't understand, they'll likely ask and then you'll give them an explanation I assume. I would really, really, really steer clear of terms like 'shemale' - they can be terribly offensive to a lot of people, and are pretty crude in and out of themselves. At best you'll just heavily sexualise the concept which, while possibly intentional, will likely skewer the initial viewpoint people have of you.

As for the disclaimer, I'd personally avoid it. Again, I think it's best that people express an interest by themselves rather than you drawing a line around it. Seems unneccesary to me.

Ha, well, they call it 'tucking' for a reason. I don't think anyone, regardless of how open minded they are, would appreciate too many emotes or descriptions about swinging and bulging. :P

Sounds like you're just going to have to go with intersexed and like it, Cat.

I'd say man up, but, well.

Yes, it does. I won't discuss the details in public however, it's rather lewd. D: