Race and Second Life

Does your AV have the attributes of one race or ethnic group, while you yourself have a totally different racial background, IRL? If so, what considerations did you have, when you chose your AVs racial characteristics? And how differently have people treated to you, and what interesting things have they said to you, while playing SL in a different skin?

By 'race', what do you mean?

Ope Rand isn't even human.
The Hobbits aren't either.
And Brak, who knows?

Are those wearing fairy wings still 'white' or 'black' or 'hispanic'?

Oracle Omega

Well, I think we'd have to put fantasy/sf AVs in the category of Other. Then again, you might be able to make the case that anime-influenced AVs are Asian, or generally perceived to be. (That would be a question for folks with anime AVs: do some people assume by your appearance that you're Japanese-American, or from Japan?)

But primarily, I'm talking about skin tone, hair and facial
characteristics on "realistic" AVs. Linden Lab has made these so widely adjustable that you can pretty much pick every major ethnic/racial characteristic, as you like. (Much more than fantasy MMORPGs, for example.) And looking at the 1st Life photos of users in their profile, I've noticed that their real life race is sometimes different from that which they portray in their AVs. Nothing wrong with that at all, of course; it's just a curious thing I noticed, and worth talking about here. (Hopefully!)

Personally, I don't think people make much of their race while online. I've gotten to know at least 5 people who are all of separate race but I had no idea until they actually told me. In other words, their AV didn't give anything away.

I might be wrong though, since I'm the average suburban white yankee boy, and never really had my race pushed on me by anyone. I've had friends from various races and never faced troubles so I don't think much of race.

*shrug* whatever.

I usually have no clue what race anyone really is. Heck, I don't even know what gender people are half the time!

I use avs of all races and such. I just assumed that most people do too.

The old Charlie AV, (before all black). was intended to portray my Native american heritage. If you were to see me on the street you'd never know, unless I had one of my deep red Native summer tans.

So I guess since I am all black but still have a mohawk yes mine is an extension of a part of me that I hold dear.

Altho most of my blood is of European decent. And wish I was 100% Cherokee. But thats a whole nother issue .

You'd never guess my race by my Av's. From a Green Winged Demon, which I'm not (at least I don't think I so) to a Native American, from a Bare chested, bearded sea captain to a chubby, butt cracked plumber (also not me). I think being what ever you want in SL is the greatest. I'm proud of my English heritage, but it's also nice getting away to fantasy land sometimes.

Hmm....I guess my race IRL would either be 'White' or 'Middle Eastern', since I am jewish. I could also be Spanish, since my family was thrown out of Spain in 1492. My skin IRL is quite fair, and, I don't tan, I burn, so, in SL, I made sure to have very tan skin, to reflect what I want in my RL.

imma mutt

=0))

Me too, Steller. I'm German-Irish-English on my mom's
side, Chinese on my dad's. (I'm not white, as I usually
put it, and I'm not yellow: I'm lemon meringue!)

Whenever I play fantasy CRPGs, I tend to select
"half-elf" as my race, and even though it wasn't
usually a conscious decision, in retrospect I think my
own half-n-half background influenced that preference.
Being all of one race or another doesn't feel as, well,
comfortable, to me personally. So based on my
experience, I wonder if others also factor in their
IRL race, when they create their AV: for example,
that many folks choose racial characteristics that
match their own, or conversely, that many choose
characteristics which don't, but want to have fun
role-playing with, online.

One thing interesting thing that we look over in SL is that no one is ridiculed for the way they look, probobly becasue apperiance is the choice of the person behind the avatar. There is no descrimination at all in Second Life.

Generally nothing is assumed about anyone IW, unless they are female and wearing a tacky orange shirt, male and wearing a shirt with one stripe, or wearing te american flag texture (generally considered newbies), and the american flag isn't always certain.

I dunno, I've made fun of a few people for some stupid outfits before

Me too James. Heh, I also made sure I had a big... I didn't say that.

I think this is still on topic: isn't it interesting the ways in which people shape and clothe their avs? You have a lot of male and females avs that were modelled (apparently) on A&F or Victoria's Secret models. Who knows what thought goes into anyone's avatar's appearance. I think a lot of it has to do with simply appearing attractive to other players. Although how do you know what other people really find attractive? Well, you could try the common denominators in Victoria's Secret. We have a hundred different facial permutations at our disposal, but everyone's faces still seem to be reflecting the conventional notions of beauty.

I always play what I am, I don't lie IRL and that translates to the game. I always assume nomatter who I meet in the game they are a extremely fat man named bob on the other end of the keyboard.

Xavier

hehe, I thought I was the only one who thought that.

I thought about playing a different person in SL, but I really am too lazy...

The fact that people are assumed to be white by default suggests that race is not left behind. One could be all utopic and idealistic and say race doesn't exist online, or offline for that matter (as some argue since race as a category is not longer supported scientifically), but the truth is that race is a very real social construction that many of our societies continue to struggle with.

The internet itself is a very raced place, produced with white americans in mind. perhaps, rightfully so, as they are the dominant users (able to afford access). Regardless, seeing as it is a very real issue, it should hardly be ignored.

Hell I don't know, in RL I'm an citizen of Australia working in America -- My father was English, my mother was Russian and I was born in Hong Kong.. which I guess depending on whether you go with timelines or not would make my birthpace either English or Chinese...

I'm too busy wondering what *I* am to give thought to what other are

Mind you, due to my stylin' Djinn AV's clothes some people have asked if I'm gay... Does that count?

Siggy.

IRL I am your average mediterranean type. Not too dark, not too white, with dark brown hair and eyes and lots of hair scattered all over my body, LOL
In SL I am currently dressing up as a genuine, kilt-wearing, blue-eyed scotsman thanks to my very talented friend Fey Brightwillow who was kind enough to make this way cool outfit for me and not put it up for sale (yet)
Why did I dress up like this? I dunno, I've always had this fantasy of dressing up as a scot ever since I was a kid and the new skirt feature ROCKS! I would definitely not want to be white(r) or blue-eyed, if anything I would like to be a little bit darker, which I probably would be if I ever bothered to go outside and catch some rays

Outside, Eggy?

I've heard of this place... Some say it has a high ceiling, painted blue and white...

On a sort of link to a previous thread about sexuality and avs, I tend to think of a person's av as the prevalent characteristics of the entity, rather than the person behind it - they are your prescence in-world after all, and that means more in SL than who or whatever they are on the other end of the keyboard.

When I picked my first av, I thought I might as well be honest, and try to go in as me, effectively. Which was nice, for sure, until I thought "I have all this freedom, and can do things I could never do in RL. Why do I have to project the look I see in the mirror every day?". So I spent a little time, and played around until I had something that was different and a little fun.

The result - I'm a six foot zebra, and I like it. To hades with nationality, race, or gender.

Some changes I've made in my av:
1) My eyes are not light light brown
2) My hair is not always straight (unless I perm it religiously)
3) I am not quite as short as my avatar appears to be

A few differences doesn't qualify as a lie, does it???? Nah...
Just a little fun with the avatars.

To no-one in particular

My assumption, I must admit, was that this was a role-playing game. I will say, right out front, that I have shot no-one in RL, and am not planning to. I have less money in real life than in second life - but then the market for land and for security guards is simpler in second life. I live in a different kind of house in SL, one like I wish I had in RL. I am also very little like my avatar, but it represents the role I play in Second Life. So, there are many differences between SL and RL for me.

And there are similarities, as well. I carry the same universal ethics, pretty much, that I carry in RL. I speak about as much and about as plainly and honestly. I am about as generous and about as belligerent. I am just as trustworthy - despite the earlier mentioned differences.

I can be trusted to NOT represent myself in a way that causes another person to be hurt. I can be trusted to be an adult player - a responsible player. For instance, I am not single. And, therefore, you will NOT catch me playing eye-winkies with the boys at the hot tub parties. If you think you see me staring at you with love in my heart, it's because I'm asleep and drooling into the keyboard. Sorry.

So, can we just accept our avatars on "face" value? They are what they mean to be. They're the people we mean to present. They are who we WANT to be.

If that frightens some folks, then I guess that's tuff cookies This is a game for adults. No one else is allowed, as far as they've told me

wou have a great way with words