Names, Appearances, and A Little Trickery
by FEMAELSTROM, HSM guest contributor
One might wonder what crossdressing has to do with Home and the accumulation of items.
For the most part: nothing. It has nothing at all to do with obtaining items in Home — until you enter Lockwood’s public space, that is.
For the most part, I’ve stopped going to the Lockwood Showcase — not by any fault of Lockwood’s, though. The reasons are simple: the quantity of people there, and the lag that sometimes occurs, tends to freeze my beloved PS3. Therefore, I avoid this location. The freebies there are really very good and entertaining, so in that I have no complaint. The environment is well decorated and serves to showcase their recent items in a way that makes them desirable. To Lockwood’s credit, they have a great variety of goods that put them on a short list of places I go to when I sit at my console, PSN card in hand. That being said, this has given rise to a tweaked “survival of the fittest” idea that came to me out of the blue one evening.
First though, a little background on me. My screen name is FEMAELSTROM. It is, in fact, intentionally spelled that way. Many people have attempted to correct or mock me on the spelling of this, not aware of the play on words. Additionally, if it was misspelled, it’s a little too late to do anything about that now, as SCEA users cannot change their names. I actually added the “FE” portion because of the type of art I do. I’m an amateur sci-fi pinup artist.
Merriam Webster defines the word maelstrom as follows:
1: a powerful often violent whirlpool sucking in objects within a given radius
2: something resembling a maelstrom in turbulence
Listed synonyms are: whirlpool and vortex
This is also often used to describe great turmoil.
My friends have many beloved nicknames for me — amongst them are, “Fema”, ”Mael”, “Strom”, “FM”, “Fem” and recently “Stormy” and “Hero”, but we will save those stories those for another day. A couple of my younger friends even call me “Sir” or “Old man”, and when it’s friends, it doesn’t bother me. I actually find it endearing. I am a gentleman, forty-three years of age, (forty-four in late April,) and a hulking Mexican man of about six-foot-one. Normally I try to convey this image in the avatar I use. The character I chose to represent myself is Rahm Kota from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.
Originally I used this name before I was on home. In Gran Turismo 5, players are allowed to gift items to other online players. I used it to receive items from my nephew, and vice versa. When I went into Home, it was the name that just followed me. Primarily I wasn’t very happy with the name, but time marched on and I gained friends who made me realize that the name didn’t matter.
The name also has given rise to some gender questions. People often initially will ask about my gender, even when I am dressed very dapper and fully acting the role of an older gent.
So now then. The Lockwood Showcase.
In the Lockwood space I wander around and try to find the freebie of the day. Sometimes I get lucky and overhear others talking, and I can find it. Other times I actually do it on my own or simply find the large gaggle of people, all accessing their navigators, commenting on the quality of the recent gift. There have been times, though, that I am forced to ask a local where the freebie is. Many times I am greeted with a silent view of their backside as they walk away, and on more than one occasion I’ve been told things that refer to my state of age as if reflects to my avatar. I am not offended by rudeness as it regards my age; this is not the hill I want to die on.
I pondered how to get the answers I wanted. I simply wanted to know what the freebie was and where it was located. I mulled it over in my head, and had that ‘ah-ha’ moment.
Exiting the Showcase, I went to my Harbour Studio. Looked in my saved presets of characters and found a few that looked erroneously young. Poor attempts to look young from a man that has not been twenty for twenty years filled my presets closet.
Then it really struck me. My initial thought was to appear young, but the real moment of clarity hit me when I changed my avatar form the noble and stately gentleman Jedi to a shapely and curvaceous, attractive, pink-haired young woman in seductive and risqué clothes.
My apologies to all the kind ladies in the audience if this seems less than gentlemanly. I strolled around my home for a second and brought to mind the various things that I had seen home girls do or not do in realm. Among them:
In the natural state everyone runs, the run animation in Home is at times almost comical to watch. I paced myself back and forth across my room, realizing that if the female avatars just walk slow, it is really rather attractive as the body sways back and forth in a way male avatars don’t — and to be truly honest, the guys seem to love it. I thought of things that the girls tend to say as opposed to boys. These words helped me mimic the daintiest of girls while dressed as a real vixen.
Most of the times I see that the affirmative response, “kk” — short for “okay” — is from girls. Armed with the new gender and attitude, I returned to the Lockwood Showcase as a pink-haired siren.
I walked into the room and the response was immediate. I had a constant stream of guys sending me private messages (some offensive, most complimentary) and even a couple of friend requests. I got the item’s location from the first young man I met.
As a side note: I never accept friend requests when I dress as a lady. It’s deceptive, and the rare times I have indulged in this are because the situation just organically allowed for it and I informed the recipient of my true gender.
I sat in front of my PS3 and laughed in amazement. These were the same types that only a little bit ago had just turned me down because of my appearance of age — and now, in disguise, they are tripping over themselves to help.
That ever so wonderful onscreen blessing — “You have received a new item” — appeared, and to my comical shame, I can’t remember what it was anymore that I received, as I have done this plenty of times and in plenty of places.
Is it right to dupe people and trick them for gain?
I would contend the answer is no, and as a rule I don’t do this too much anymore. But I think there are times when the troll forces are willing to discriminate and deny aid just because I came in the appearance of an older man, and when such is the case, it may not be so detestable. I don’t accept friend requests, and I don’t carry anything out beyond the moment of acquisition. Like a thief or a ninja, I come, in disguise, get what I want that is free for all, and leave, never having left a mark on anybody’s psyche, soul, or wallet.
Home. This is a great place we have here. Sometimes, though, it’s littered with those that would force us into doing things we must to get by. Some women make male avatars to navigate their way through the wonderful worlds undisturbed. Some men like me have to utilize the female form to get things that are denied because a troll decided that I was too old to have the same fun as him. To some this may seem unsavory; and to those, I offer my apology, though it only takes one or two bad run-ins with these sorts to realize the wisdom in this kind of monkey business. Speak to any woman who has been assaulted in Home with foul or vile private messages, and some of the value starts to shine through to those who might think it not wise. Our costumes serve us in many fun ways, and the ability to change gender serves its own purpose, too.
So be careful, all you trolls out there: the next time you see a beautiful gal walk up and ask for help…it might just be me, kk?
March 31st, 2012 by FEMAELSTROM | 7 comments
FEMAELSTROM came to Home in June 2011 and never wanted to leave, even at weekly maintenance when he usually gets booted. The sand box environment appeals to the explorer in him and often is out and about as he ‘geeks’ out dressed like some sort of sci-fi character, while he people watches in popular public spaces. An artist and writer, FEMAELSTROM loves making friends and meeting people. He loves sci-fi and decorating Home estates and loves to respond “here” when people ask “where are you from?” in public places.
In my honest Opinion, Home is a matter of Respect, Self & Respect given back to you in return that you give out to other’s. If “Dressing as a lady” is your “Your thing to do” on Home, then so be it, there is no written rule that says otherwise. I did the same thing when I first went on home in the beginning, sad to admit but yes, it’s true. After I got over that & really started getting to know people, I put away my Female avi & basically went strictly male all of the time,(every once in a while, I’ll load “Her” up, mostly in one of my Private spaces), but for the most part, it’s “always in male avatar form” in public area’s. I learned the hard way. Is it deception? Yes & No. Is it wrong to do that?, only if you’re specifically Trying to pass yourself off as a woman/girl/lady to get guys for one reason or the other. Main reason I did it was because I prefer looking at the Female form, instead of a Male one. But that’s just me in general. Peace out & Enjoy Home for what it is, You create your Home experience, not other’s creating it for you.
I too am very fond of the female form. I don’t see it as “my thing to do”, I have great respect for myself , women and others. It is the lack of respect that was the genesis of this idea. The lack of respect for age and gender, that allowed others to think I wasn’t worthy of Home fun because my real avatar was a older gent with gray hair. I never troll people or try to make romantic connections. I do not think that is right. I never take friend requests, and the friends I have understand that as an artist of pin up, and a man who respects women, this is not an issue. In fact it has served as a buffer between perverts and the ladies I have as friends, as the perverts tend to look to my skimpyness and direct there vilness to me.
http://www.hsmagazine.net/2010/11/reasons-for-cross-dressing-in-home/
When I wrote that article, I did a LOT of interviews and found 7 good reasons for cross-dressing. Now I need to edit that article because you came up with reason #8
A very true and charmingly accurate occurrence in Home. I am a female and can attest to this. Good for you you beat them at their own game.
Great article Strom. I have several male friends who come out almost exclusively as females for a variety of reasons. Loved your take on it and what you did made a lot of sense too.
Ever since seeing the movie Gamer, I always assume that every female avatar I see in Home is in reality a fat, probably-naked, sweaty guy eating a bucket of fried chicken.
I love buckets of chicken!