Discussions of Fantasy Characters and Demonstrations of a Defensive Hybridity in Gamer Masculinity
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Author/Creator ORCID
Date
2022-03-31
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Citation of Original Publication
Dashiell, Steven. “Discussions of Fantasy Characters and Demonstrations of a Defensive Hybridity in Gamer Masculinity.” The Journal of Men’s Studies, (April 2022). https://doi.org/10.1177/10608265221084017.
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Use is restricted to non-commercial and no derivatives
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Abstract
This paper situates gamer discussions of the fantasy race the drow, or dark elves, in masculinity theory. I examine threads from a Facebook group discussing the topic, and code the reactions of men participating. I discuss how some gamer masculinities that are displayed reinforces a belief of epistemic privilege among White men that allows for hegemonic responses to discussions that involve structural racism. I propose larp gamer masculinity as a hybrid masculinity, complicit in its support of hegemonic models but appropriating elements of subordinated populations to allow individuals to feel like an “outsider.” In these gaming discourse spaces, men employ an anti-intellectualized form of digital hooliganism as a rationale for their claims. These men dismiss claims of discrimination as they see those as characteristics outside the scope of the game. The resistance exhibited by these men reacting to changes should be viewed differently than extremist discourses.