This game is not for fascists, TERFs, or other bigots. The team behind Thirsty Sword Lesbians supports racial liberation, intersectional feminism, and queer liberation. We love and respect transgender people, nonbinary people, intersex people, and women. This game is a joyous celebration of lives and identities otherwise marginalized. If you don�t agree, fix your heart before sharing a table with other people.
What if... not Thirsty? The game fundamentally assumes that the characters crave connection, but that connection doesn�t need to be sexual or romantic. We offer you options for changing how the game addresses connection in our variant rules section.
What if... not Swords? It�s simple enough to swap out a different hand-to-hand combat option. Your campaign or your character can use a labrys, the double-bladed axe that became a lesbian icon in the late 20th century. You can use different styles of unarmed combat or even grapple using telepathic self-projections. It�s also possible to replace the swords with mecha, starships, or guns, but it requires some thought and the book will help you think about how to ensure that it stays intimate and relationship-focused. The conflict doesn�t have to be physically violent, either; you can use any kind of conflict that�s adrenaline-inducing and close-quarters.
What if... not Lesbians? We�ll let you in on a secret: you don�t have to play a lesbian. The game plays with themes that are common for all sorts of people who are marginalized on the basis of gender and sexuality, as well as feelings that go beyond the queer experience. If you want to play thirsty sword cishets, we�re not going to stop you�just don�t be surprised if the game turns them queer.