"I Felt Like I Was Them. I Just Didn't Know It.": Exploring Queer Identity through TTRPG Play

This study examines how queer players use tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) as a space for exploring and developing their identities. Drawing on identity formation theory and queer theory, the authors contend that TTRPGs function as a low-stakes, structured social "transitional space" where players can experiment with identities that might feel riskier to explore elsewhere. The work is grounded in semi-structured interviews with twelve participants, mostly non-binary and mostly in their twenties, and situates itself within a relatively small but growing body of research on queer play, TTRPGs as therapeutic tools, and queer representation within gaming communities.

The central finding is that queer exploration through character creation and roleplay often occurs subconsciously and depends heavily on the perceived safety of the playgroup. Participants felt most comfortable exploring queerness among queer peers, close friends, or accepting family. Ambiguous or negative reactions from group members, including discomfort or an unclear response, could halt exploration and intensify gender dysphoria. Participants also reported that games emphasizing character relationships and explicit queer representation supported exploration more effectively than combat- and mechanics-focused systems such as Dungeons & Dragons.

The study further finds that several participants used play to work through real-world concerns and to test gender presentations, some of which they later adopted and others they rejected. Players described deliberately using character choices and stereotypes to signal queerness and to challenge conventional expectations, while also critiquing harmful stereotypes within game worlds. The authors interpret these practices through gender performativity theory, arguing that game structure, supportive social groups, and explicit queer-inclusive content together produce the conditions of safety that make such identity exploration possible.