Thoughts on the Consent In #DnD Gaming:

An aspect that is rarely discussed on this topic... GMs don't owe you a game. We all have limited time, limited energy, and our creative drives have minds of their own. If our muse tells us that dark themes are all the rage for us...

there's nothing wrong with telling a player who can't deal with those themes to take a hike. It's nothing personal. It's not some horrible act of exclusion. It's a matter of respecting that GMing is a labor of love that requires a ton of commitment.

This is reciprocal.

GMs don't have games without players. If our preferences are too out there, our behavior is uncalled for, or they just don't like what we're running, players have the right to leave us.

I tell all prospective new players what's on the docket thematically. I ask them if

there's anything they don't want to deal with. I had a trans player say they didn't want to deal with transphobia or homophobia. No big deal.

If they would have said no graphic violence, it would've been a deal breaker for that game. Or most of my games for that matter.

Is it shitty if some players have a harder time finding a game because they've got more things that are off the table? Yeah. In an ideal world, they'd all have no problem finding the games they want to play.

But y'know... I'm not running games I don't want to run.

If you want to be a hero and shoulder that weight, I commend you. But I'm not going to be a hypocrite or a liar. I'm willing to admit I'm selfish with my time and energy.

My job, my wife, my kids.. that's a lot of time right there. My hobby time is all what I want.