Gender Rolls: A History of Gender, Identity, and Nostalgia in Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Abstract

Since the mid-1970s, tabletop roleplaying games (TRPGs), epitomized by Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), evolved from a niche hobby into a profitable, transmedia phenomenon. Two moral panics involving children’s entertainment media—the “Satanic Panic” of the 1980s and the news media’s reaction to the Columbine High School shooting in 1999—solidified the public image of the gamer as a White male who was vulnerable to suggestions of violence or self-harm in games. Historically, White men and boys were the assumed audience for TRPGs. This dissertation puts the lived experiences of women and nonbinary gamers from several generations into historical context. It argues that changes to gaming culture have been changes to visibility and accessibility of and for marginalized gamers.