Alt Accounts?

I agree with you, Soji. The Beowulf avatar (remember?) is fun for me to put on as it is a well known character, but 'being' the opposite gender kind of makes me uncomfortable, too. Maybe because whatever shape you put on does give you a feeling of being a bit of whatever species it looks like. I still feel like a girl, whether I'm a Raven/Wolf/Opossum, it's all in good fun anyway but in SL, people take gender very seriously. If I were to create a male av, I think I would mention I was a woman in my profile as it seems many view SL as some sort of dating site, and I wouldn't want to mislead anyone...

Yes I feel the same way. When I am a kitty, or . . . I'm drawing a blank, I know I have other shapes. Ok, let's try that again. Whenever I am a kitty or any other shape/avatar I still feel like a male whatever I am. Like a male kitty. I also do not want to mislead. When I was wandering in my female shape I almost always stated, almost immediately I arrived somewhere, that I am not actually female.

And yes, I remember - had fun with both of us as Beowulf.

I'm going to avoid the obvious joke here, because it's dirty and I don't want to offend anyone.

I stuck a female shape and skin on my alt (he's not REALLY made of pot. I was joking) and I can't believe how uncomfortable it made me. I have a handful of non-human avatars and they never make me uncomfortable, even though I'm usually a male human. For some reason being a woman felt like fingernails dragging across a chalkboard. I feel almost like I should apologize for that, like it's wrong to feel that way, but that's how it felt. Maybe it was because it felt fundamentally dishonest. If I'm running around as a dragon or whatever, people KNOW its a human running the avatar, but if I'm running around as a woman, it feels like I'm not being truthful with them. Weird - maybe it's some sort of latent prejudice I didn't know I had. I hope not.

Wait . . I agreed with everything until I became confused by the end. "latent prejudice"?

Prejudice - I don't think so. It _shouldn't_ feel dishonest, but I agree, somehow it does.

It also has to do with how people react to you. As a dragon, or whatever, most will RP with you, without even realizing it. They might not even know what RP is, but will want to pet the kitty (Ok, that sounds a bit naughty, but you all know what I mean) and say in chat "Awww". I'm not sure I would (or could) appreciate a woman being all girlie with me while I wore a male shape. You know, coy and flirty. Ugh, how do you guys stand it? LOL

lol, one of my friends has played a female av for the entire time he's been in SL (2-3 years) and I convinced him to try a male alt. He felt weird about THAT.

Did he forget himself and start flirting madly with [insert gender he flirted with in his female av], and or do any "/me leans forward and blows in [insert name here]'s ear, she whispers "Want to see my fuzzy bits?" by accident (using wrong gender in /me)?

He mostly flirted with me...although I don't recall any mention of fuzzy bits.

They're spreading!!
(this wasn't Trout, was it?)

I would think it was because he,

a) was not too much into the social stuff, apart from close friends, was more into building, etc.

or,

b) didn't mind having male avatars flirt with him, (brushed off their comments). As in he was comfortable in his own identity and didn't need to prove anything.

or,

c) was gay and enjoyed male attention.

Any of these options seem fine by me.

That one.

Also, he finds his female av more fun to ogle.

I've wondered about that - would a gay man want to be in a female shape? Then I remind myself that I seem to spend a rather significant percentage of the time as a cat and my mind wanders on to other topics.

I actually have a couple of male alts, and it has been interesting to see not only how others react to them but also how I react when I'm logged in as one of them. In RL I'm boringly straight (and female), but my male alts look at women very differently than I do. I don't really feel uncomfortable in a male avi, although I'm careful to avoid more than the lightest flirting, lest someone get the wrong idea.

If I'm using any avi besides Roisin, it's RP to me, no matter what the gender of the avi. (And I generally stay away from people who know me as Roisin when I'm logged in as an alt, unless they know it's me. That's one of the rules, although for the sake of the upcoming event-which-shall-not-be-named, that rule is suspended temporarily.)

While I'm not gay or male, I can only guess. I know that all my male friends who are gay love being men, and wouldn't trade in their bits for anything! As far as I know, they're not in SL, (the men, not their bits). They would probably all have different opinions on this as we all do.

Now I know that people joke about the bits having a mind of their own, but . . . some of your gay friends might not be in SL, but their bits might be? Wow. heh, sorry.

Gold and XP!

I was worried that I was so uncomfortable because of some prejudice on my part against guys who play women or something. I honestly don't care about someone's sexual orientation or what they play in SL, and I'd like to keep it that way. In fact, the differences in people make them very interesting and I'm enriched by having them as friends. So why did I have such a hard time walking around as a woman? It's not like I was flirting with guys or anything. It just weirded me out.

I'm laughing at Isabeau's comment, "How do you guys stand it." I often wonder how YOU women stand it when idiot guys wander up to you demanding you mak sexxies now and waving their prim parts at you. I want to punch those guys on your behalf. I've never felt anything but delighted when a woman has flirted with me, but if I were a woman and had these morons running around propositioning me, I think my head would asplode.

Orbit FTW.

Truthfully Trout, - I was going to get very dirty too. But thought better of it.

I created a male alt. I feel really uncomfortable running him. I thought I wouldn't, but I can't even bring myself to barely speak to anyone. Women flee from him. And he' really attractive. I took a lot of time creating him. I mean, I'd definately do him. I guess, I"m just too much of a women - can't get rid of those hormones no matter how hard I try. It feels really fake to me to be behind him and I just can't get into the roleplay of pretending. So, I just wander around, enjoying the sights, wishing someone would talk to me.

I'll talk to you. In fact, I'll teach you how to be a guy. Trust me. It will be great. We can drink beer, talk about boobs, race stockcars and eat lots of red meat. Then it's time for the strip club.

ok. I'm not serious. Wait! I know. I'll put on women's stuff and you can take me on a date. I have to warn you - I'm not putting out no matter how nice dinner was. I might dance a little. Maybe a little kiss. That's it. Don't get all grabby, either. I'll taze you.

/me asks Trout to lay on the couch and start telling her "how it felt to have breasts and what were the implications of feeling so vulnerable and objectified" while she sits comfortably in her chair and begins taking notes.

hehe I think I realise that no matter the shape of form or phylum or kingdom or gender Im talking to in SL..ultimately they are people behind the keyboard at home.

If you're approaching someone with notion that "I might become intimate with this avatar" then yea I can see why you feel like youre being dishonest.(and when i say intimate i don't necessarily mean sexual))

If you're a friend of mine..and a guy avatar...and we are close and in RL your'e a female behind the avatar. DO NOT tell me. In this case honesty is not the best policy. Lets keep it on the strictly SL level..I can deal with that. Youre honesty might clear your conscience...but your'e unloading your truth on someone else and you don't know if that truth might harm them or help them or push them away or pull them in closer.

I have a male alt....i originally made him for recon..now he is used as a "ken" to my Barbie . I see guy clothes that are sooo cute..clothes I could never wear..so I log him on and go shopping LOLOLOL..and yes I spend alot of time bymyself...shopping..cause guys aren't very chatty..right?...so someone speaks and I "grunt"..they're convinced

I've had the occasional female go out of her way to flirt with me..using the VERY same tactics i use as Lana...I nod..smile..and make myself scarce making sure to thank them for the compliment

~Lana

I'll have to think about that. I like some beers. I sure know about boobs. I quess racing stockcars could be fun and well I do LOVE red meat already. Strip clubs? Been to a couple in SL already. Had a surprisingly good time talking to the girls.

Ok, you're not serious. Good. Beer makes me queazy. Boobs would really bore me. Truthfully, the stockcar racing would give me a migraine and I can only manage to stuff down a petite filet mignon these days. The strip club would still be fine.

I would take you on a date. I'd never expect you to put out because I don't put out either on the first date (probably not even on a 2nd or 3rd). I wouldn't even try and kiss you. May not even be any dancing. I get nervous with that part (I can give you a specific name and he could tell you how our first time dancing went. I was quite flustered, to say the least).

Hell, I might not even flirt. I'm sworn to celibacy these days