Do trans people seriously want top surgery scars on their video game character?

[FeatheryBacon]

This is a serious question that I genuinely want an answer to.

Surely someone who has undergone surgery to transition would want to move on from their life pre and be accepted as they are post, right? Do those scars not cause negative feelings or memories for those individuals? Who asked for this and who is this actually for?
Because I really can't understand how someone who has experienced that in real life would want it in their game. Maybe some people who have transitioned do want it but I can't see it being many given how much negativity that kind of surgery can bring to a person's life.

I just don't see how anyone can view this is as a positive form of representation when it's the one part of trans surgery/transitioning in general that a person can't escape from, a physical scar that ties them to their life pre transition forever.

[deathmaster snikch]

There is a theory that the director snuck that in, because she happens to be a trans woman, but no evidence has been presented to support this.

[FeatheryBacon]

Originally posted by deathmaster snikch:

Originally posted by R-Boni:

No one cares about this stupid drama or "theories", true or not.

[FeatheryBacon]

Originally posted by criffyzou:

Scars tell your story.

Not everyone wants to remember certain parts of their story though, and I struggle to understand why someone in this scenario in particular would want that.

[FeatheryBacon]

Originally posted by bayomaycry:

...
In fact it literally is just an option for those that want it.

But who is it that wants it? That's what I want to know.

[FeatheryBacon]

Originally posted by criffyzou:

It's hard to answer your question when you've simply decided all trans people have negative feelings towards their scars, with no proof and no first hand reports.

You have a bias and I don't understand why you expect people to try and change your mind.

I haven't "simply decided" anything and I'm not biased. I said I don't understand it.

I don't want anyone to "change my mind," What I want is to understand it because right now I just don't.
Like I said, with trans surgery in particular, there's a lot of negativity around it. A lot of trans people have some very negative experiences before and while transitioning. That doesn't mean literally every single trans person doesn't like their scars or sees it negatively but even for people who don't care, I just cannot understand why they'd want this. It's like if they added suicide-attempt scars or orbital surgery scars or something, I just don't get who would want that.

Why not just add fully customisable scars so anyone can have whatever they want? That would be way better.
What really baffles me is that they added an option that [i[only[/i] adds top surgery scars with no customisability and, like I said, I just don't get who that's for.

[pr1mus]

Originally posted by FeatheryBacon:

Not everyone wants to remember certain parts of their story though, and I struggle to understand why someone in this scenario in particular would want that.

it's the prerogative of those that do want to make the closest approximation of themselves, scars can help with creating that semblance, your struggle to understand this is likely because this isn't a feature that is catered to you or your sensibilities.

Originally posted by FeatheryBacon:

But who is it that wants it? That's what I want to know.

trans men? anyone who wants to make such a character? is it really that inconceivable to you?

i've said this on this board before, but there are mods for other games with character customization such as BG3 and Skyrim where people make mods for these kind of scars, if people are going these lengths then there's obviously some kind of interest (however niche that may be) in it and Veilguard has this customization option natively.

[snailcities]

Hello. Trans man here. Though I will not be using the scars due to a preference for 'hidden' scars or fantasy-magic-scarless-flat-chest, there are a lot of reasons why someone might want this, and I know many transmasculine people who like to mod in various combinations of transmasculine traits (narrower shoulders, wider hips, scars, etc) for various personal reasons. Some to consider:

1. There are plenty of trans people who are proud of their transition, and of the signs of it. That they survived and got the surgery and made it to being who they want to be is an accomplishment. It tells a story of self-determination.

2. There are plenty of trans people who want to see themselves mirrored in the games that they play, which includes the scars. Particularly in a game with romances - the hope that a partner would be ambivalent towards or attracted to the scars is comforting.

3. Many transmasculine people have no choice but to have very visible scars in their final surgery result. Some of us who started with less have an easier time under the knife, so to speak, but there are *many* for whom the perfect natural scarless chest is simply an impossibility. One must come to terms with that, in one way or another, and it is healthier and easier to wear it with pride than with disgust. Some are even unable to retain their nipples (or choose not to. It makes the surgery simpler).

4. There are people, both trans and otherwise, who are attracted to the scars. Transmasculine people who are primarily attracted to other transmasculine people especially.

5. If one is going to create their 'fantasy' body with no signs of transition, then one might as well just make a standard cis male character and move on. I know guys who do this because they prefer it. I personally do not, but that's their business.

6. "looking exactly like a cis man" is not always the goal of transition. There are plenty who prefer a more inbetween aesthetic. These people may be nonbinary, they may not.

I for one would have preferred fully customisable scars in general, but I know others who are excited for it. I honestly don't know how I feel about there being a toggle specifically for this, because I fear the reaction and the attention that it brings to us. The more visible we become, the more extreme reactions seem to get. If I didn't have that fear, I wouldn't think twice about the toggle being there. It may not be for me, but I know many who will find it affirming.

[CR45H_0V3R1D3]

The majority of trans people do not want to be reminded of their "transness"
They are trying to escape the feeling of DYSPHORIA.
That is the point.
A TYPICAL trans person would just pick their target gender.

Everything else is just some edge case, whether its activism, fashion or some fetish etc
Which is what this game is catering too.

[ayrtep]

Originally posted by FeatheryBacon:

Do trans people seriously want top surgery scars on their video game character?

Why should anyone care.

Its a single player game so other players can do whatever they want, even if I don't have the ability to grasp why.

[snailcities]

Originally posted by R-Boni:

How do you feel about the fact that it is in a medieval fantasy game?

That aspect doesn't bother me. There are necromancers. There are healers. There are surgeons. There are witches.

In a setting like this, there are plenty of individuals who would and could alter the body, scars or no. I would pause if it was set in, for example, historically accurate mediaeval England, but even with that said, trans people have been attempting (and sometimes succeeding) to alter our bodies and pass for our desired gender for as long as people have had the consciousness to dislike their body for some reason or another. Modern medicine is a marvel that means you're *far* less likely to die from the attempt than you used to be, but that doesn't mean that there weren't always attempts in some form or another.

And, as its a fantasy game, not a historical account, it's perfectly reasonable that trans people might simply be accepted and go unremarked upon by the majority of the population. Just a cultural/societal/world difference, like the existence of mages and elves.

[FeatheryBacon]

Originally posted by ayrtep:

I'm sorry you are so closed minded that you don't even attempt to understand other people who are different.

[snailcities]

Originally posted by dulany67:

Originally posted by snailcities:

I for one would have preferred fully customisable scars in general, but I know others who are excited for it. I honestly don't know how I feel about there being a toggle specifically for this, because I fear the reaction and the attention that it brings to us. The more visible we become, the more extreme reactions seem to get. If I didn't have that fear, I wouldn't think twice about the toggle being there. It may not be for me, but I know many who will find it affirming.

Do you see the toggle as pandering or virtue signaling?

No, I don't know why they chose to do it, and I don't really care in the end. The decision would have passed through the hands of multiple people, each with their own reasons to accept it.

It's there, it gives people an option. I don't dislike it. It's nice to be acknowledged, but it's frightening to be centre stage. That's all.

[Planguy]

Funny that someone can make a character that has chest scars just like them, while another person can't make a character that has their large chest. Or anything other then a flat butt.

[FeatheryBacon]

Originally posted by snailcities:

Hello. Trans man here. Though I will not be using the scars due to a preference for 'hidden' scars or fantasy-magic-scarless-flat-chest, there are a lot of reasons why someone might want this, and I know many transmasculine people who like to mod in various combinations of transmasculine traits (narrower shoulders, wider hips, scars, etc) for various personal reasons. Some to consider:

1. There are plenty of trans people who are proud of their transition, and of the signs of it. That they survived and got the surgery and made it to being who they want to be is an accomplishment. It tells a story of self-determination.

2. There are plenty of trans people who want to see themselves mirrored in the games that they play, which includes the scars. Particularly in a game with romances - the hope that a partner would be ambivalent towards or attracted to the scars is comforting.

3. Many transmasculine people have no choice but to have very visible scars in their final surgery result. Some of us who started with less have an easier time under the knife, so to speak, but there are *many* for whom the perfect natural scarless chest is simply an impossibility. One must come to terms with that, in one way or another, and it is healthier and easier to wear it with pride than with disgust. Some are even unable to retain their nipples (or choose not to. It makes the surgery simpler).

4. There are people, both trans and otherwise, who are attracted to the scars. Transmasculine people who are primarily attracted to other transmasculine people especially.

5. If one is going to create their 'fantasy' body with no signs of transition, then one might as well just make a standard cis male character and move on. I know guys who do this because they prefer it. I personally do not, but that's their business.

6. "looking exactly like a cis man" is not always the goal of transition. There are plenty who prefer a more inbetween aesthetic. These people may be nonbinary, they may not.

I for one would have preferred fully customisable scars in general, but I know others who are excited for it. I honestly don't know how I feel about there being a toggle specifically for this, because I fear the reaction and the attention that it brings to us. The more visible we become, the more extreme reactions seem to get. If I didn't have that fear, I wouldn't think twice about the toggle being there. It may not be for me, but I know many who will find it affirming.

I genuinely appreciate this kind of response. I especially appreciate the fact you weren't passive aggressive or plain ♥♥♥♥♥♥ about it.
I know a lot of people make troll posts about this kind of thing but I really did just want to hear some opinions from people who care about this and you clearly do, even if you don't want to use it those are all good points from various perspectives.

[FeatheryBacon]

Originally posted by Planguy:

Funny that someone can make a character that has chest scars just like them, while another person can't make a character that has their large chest. Or anything other then a flat butt.

The fact all the sliders are as limited as they are is absolutely ridiculous but this is not the post to be complaining about that.