Re: [DL] Stigma (was announcement).

["Nick Zachariasen" <zacharin@pluto.dsu.edu>]

> You can could call a new disadvantage Stigma and it
> can cover things like being jewish, black, chinese,
> indian, or a half breed who might have to put up with
> racists, with the value of the hinderance varying
> based on the location of the game. Things like

I'd tend to disagree with this.  Being Jewish, black, Chinese, etc. is
definitely more of a cultural thing than a lifestyle thing, therefore I
wouldn't really call it a stigma, per se.  There's already a Hindrance
dealing specifically with being a Half-breed (2 points IIRC, Ghost Dancers).
While I don't want to touch the choice side of the homosexuality matter with
a ten-foot pole, I wouldn't include it in Ferner since it's not "cultural",
at least in the sense I think of the word (skin color, ethnic background,
etc.), though bear in mind I'm a raving pedant.  I'd think a "Secret"
Hindrance may be appropriate- you could incorporate other things into it,
kind of like the guys in Really Bad Things (if you haven't seen it, don't
bother) or Ian McKellen in Apt Pupil.  The value would just depend on what
it is, though I wouldn't vary it depending on where you are.  If you go
somewhere friendly to it (like modern gays to Sanf Francisco, for instance),
I'd make it matter less while you're there.  After all, if it wasn't
something society as a whole (or at least a siginficant portion of the
general populace) thought ill of, it wouldn't be much of a Hindrance.

Nick Zachariasen
Editor Emeritus
Trojan Times