What are the special needs of girls in RPGs?
Girls must be encouraged in RPGs because most referees reward aggressive behavior over social behavior. The folks who designed computer games for girls at Purple Moon (a short-lived computer game company which has since been bought out by Mattel) did a lot of research about this very problem. Theydetermined that girls enjoy such games just as much as boys, but that the games that boys play reward aggression and competition while girls respond well to an atmosphere of cooperation, encouragement, and socialization. As a result, it is important for a girl to roleplay in groups that can foster this kind of interaction. If the game is purely about who kills what, who gets what treasure, then the game usually won’t be much fun for the girls. RPGs for girls do not have to be frilly or pink, just fun in the way they tend to appreciate.
