National Event Information for LGBT+ Players

[Jack Y.]

The original post, with the context of having been information aggregated by D&I in the wake of the transfer of Nationals from Denver to Crossroads, has been replaced with more comprehensive information.

For the sake of broadening the scope for understanding, India has reached out to provide a better view of personal experience in the Greeneville Area.

Answering questions regarding inclusivity at Crossroads

Hi all! India here, Crossroads National Event GM.

I was made aware of some questions regarding the inclusivity of Tennessee for the national 2023 game and wanted to address those. First I want to say that Crossroads welcomes everyone — we have always strived to be a welcoming space for everyone regardless of gender, sexual identity or race.

If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me!

The Diversity & Inclusion committee was kind enough to do the leg work and reach out to local hotels to inquire about their inclusivity and safety. A Crossroads staff member would also be happy to give you our personal recommendations and experiences at these locations.

The link to the list of hotels is here: https://airtable.com/appnkVLUw7a3ZA2Oi/shrgEOfRiBgTvrew5

There is also the option of staying with a group of friends in an AirBnB — most of the AirBnBs in the area are private residences, where you can split a whole home with a group of friends. The areas these AirBnBs are in varies, and so does distance from site, but if a hotel is not on the list for you then this is a good option as well.

Regarding the space around site:

Crossroads is well known by our neighbors; they are aware of the game that we run and know to expect a large group on our site during game. In addition to our regular Alliance games, the Crossroads site is also home to the Appalachian Renaissance Fair, and had overwhelming support from the locals. As long as we respect the property lines, they seldom interact with us. The local go-to spots (such as Ihop and the local diner) are also familiar with seeing groups of people dressed like elves and orcs and don’t blink an eye and are always very welcome to our tight-knit group.

The local hotels, at this point, are very used to seeing LARPers stay with them and roll in at random times in and out of costume. My own personal experiences have been pleasant, and I have not been made aware of any concerns from my players of different identities.

Regarding the TN Anti-Drag bill:

The “Tennessee Adult Entertainment Act” was declared unconstitutional back in June by a local Tennessee judge. At this time, this bill is not enacted. Tennessee is a place of growing diversity, like all of the U.S. Nowhere is perfect. This month, Tennessee elected its first trans official in Nashville. There is always growth to be done, but Crossroads welcomes you and will do everything we can to make everyone feel comfortable and safe.

We have also included this information for anyone who might find it helpful:

If you are transgender or gender non-conforming and traveling by air, you may have concerns about heading through TSA. If you do, please refer to this resource by Oliver Wehner of everyqueer.com.

You can reach India through the forums or Crossroads discord server.

 

[CrowtheRogue]

I'm a middle-aged cis white male who probably presents as straight in many situations, so my experience will not be that of players from more marginalized groups.

I've got friends who are various flavors of NB/trans/GNF whom I want to bring into Alliance, and I've kept a close eye on the culture at Crossroads and Atlanta where I play to make sure that I feel good about inviting them in. I do.

I don't know what the experience of staying Greeneville would be like for a GNF person (hopefully pleasant and relaxing!), but I'll say that the Crossroads player base is welcoming and friendly to players of all identities. In my observation, on-site at the game, you'll find a welcoming group who will respect you for who you are.