Who knows you roleplay?

[King]

I wanna know who knows you're a roleplayer! Is it something you embrace and share? Or is it a secret passion of yours? Why?

As for me, only my best buds, who are also casual RPers know I RP. They know I create characters, but none of my IRL friends know I'm on Iwaku!

 

[Vars]

I don't really tell anyone I roleplay. Most people know I write and create characters, though. I've had one character since around 2004. I've got tons of art, some framed, there's posters, an action figure, even wrote and self-published a book. I don't go out of my way to advertise it to people in real life, but I would say most people, if they know what roleplaying is, would assume I do it just based on the fact that I have so much stuff relating to my own characters around my home.

 

[Diana]

Everyone. Because this is my life. O_O Except for old people and people that do not understand the internet, I have to call it "collaborative writing" or they think I'm running sex websites.

I mean, I WILL BE. But... not the kind they're thinking. 8D

 

[Greenie]

Very secret passion. Besides my Mister, only three of my friends know I roleplay. Which would make sense since I met them on roleplaying sites.

Besides them though, nope. And I intend to keep my hobby a secret. >.>

 

[Jorick]

I don't actively go telling people about it, but whenever hobbies or whatever come up I tell people about it. It's not a big deal at all, really. Once you explain to people that it's basically just writing a story together with one or more other people they usually get it and don't have any weirdness about it. But when they do have the weird reactions and ask if I write any weird sex stuff I have no problem telling them I do. I have very little shame. :D

 

[Garp]

Pretty much everyone I know on a friendly level knows I write fiction, but only a few people know I roleplay online. I vaguely mentioned to my girlfriend that I thread on tumblr but I haven't mentioned Iwaku specifically (though I'm starting to leave tumblr and come back to Iwaku, so it'll probably come up at some point.) She also writes and I'd like to talk her into doing an rp with me but I don't know if she'd have the energy for it since our workload has been over the top the past few months.

 

[Kagayours]

I have no reason to keep my RPing a secret, so, most people know about it, especially my family members and close friends. I don't usually go into a ton of detail discussing it because I feel like I'm just rambling on about something that they don't really understand or care about -- not that they think it's, like, cybering or anything, it's just that the intricacies of it can be sort of lost on people who've never done it before. So like, I might occasionally mention RP stuff, and I have no issue telling people more about it if they're curious to know more -- nor do I have any reason to hide it if they see me on my computer and ask what I'm up to -- but, it's not something I spend a ton of time talking about to people who aren't into it. Just because... I have no reason to, really. o_o

So yeah, close friends and family know just because they've known me long enough that it's definitely come up at some point. I'm sure I have some friends and acquaintances who don't know, but it's not like I'm actively hiding it from them -- it's just never come up. o_o

 

[Greenie]

Once you explain to people that it's basically just writing a story together with one or more other people they usually get it and don't have any weirdness about it

I used this on my mom once to explain but she still thought it was a useless hobby so now I don't mention it at all... as if it never happened. o.o' I just say "I am on a forum."

 

[Shiri]

My friends mainly. They are the only ones who care anyway. They are my main buddies that I play with on here. <3

 

[Jorick]

I used this on my mom once to explain but she still thought it was a useless hobby so now I don't mention it at all... as if it never happened. o.o' I just say "I am on a forum."

There's no winning with people like that. Anyone who thinks a hobby has to be useful doesn't understand the purpose of a hobby. :P

 

[Dipper]

I started roleplaying with friends, so those that I play with obviously know. However, we don't talk about it much unless we plan on starting a new one.

 

[junebug]

I've never really told anyone I roleplay. I don't know why. Maybe I'm more of a private person than I thought. I don't know I don't just ask my friends if they roleplay themselves, haha!

 

[Touch of Insanity]

Oh I'll tell people. Only when it comes up naturally. I never call it roleplaying though because everyone's first thoughts are 'holy shit she's into freaky sex stuff!' Which is another top all together. So I always explain it as 'I co-write stories online with other people' and leave it just at that. I don't tell people what kind of stories, or the fact that they are all strangers >> Then there is my bf. He knows all the details. But that's because I met him through this 'roleplay' internet thing.

 

[Kagayours]

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've honestly never met anyone who jumps to the conclusion that RPing = sexy stuff, so I'm always kind of baffled to see so many people say that that's what everyone thinks RPing is when they try to tell them. o_o Maybe it has something to do with the way I've been phrasing it...? I usually say things like "I do forum roleplaying games" instead of just "I roleplay". Maybe that's it. I dunno. :/

 

[Sir Basil]

Almost every one who is a close friend or family member - except for my dad , who would probably see it as kind of weird, and would probably give me shit about it.

I also don't tel authority figures in my life, like my advisors or teachers - even the ones I'm close with - because they don't need to know. Then again, my Old Norse professor / my advisor knows I am an active D&D player and CONSTANTLY gives me shit about it. It's a loving kind of shit, though, and he encourages me to pursue RP as a subject for academic study. C:

 

[Sirona]

Everyone. Because this is my life. O_O Except for old people and people that do not understand the internet, I have to call it "collaborative writing" or they think I'm running sex websites.

I mean, I WILL BE. But... not the kind they're thinking. 8D

I call it collaborative creative writing, too! I typical get a "huh?" from whoever I tell, and when I describe what it's all about ( avoiding the word "roleplay" ), most people think it's pretty neat.

 

[Jhuton]

I don't really tell people that I roleplay, mostly because I'm pretty sure they'd misinterpret what it's all about. I doubt they'd be very interested anyway though.

 

[Poe Dameron]

Just my closest friends know... the ones who know or at least have a feel for what I'm doing day to day.

 

[Mari]

Only close friends, which is two, maybe three people at most. It's not a popular thing here so not many know about it, and for me to inform others would require additional explanation about what role play is.

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

My hubby, kids, and most of my friends know I roleplay. Everyone else either doesn't understand the concept or would take it as a whole other activity that would earn me quite a few weird looks, so I don't even bother explaining it.