One of the most amazing things Rp’ing includes is that you can be whoever you want to be and even be a different gender if you want to. Exploring every side of every type of person can be interesting and challenging.
There are a certain type of behaviours that are considered ‘manly’ or ‘feminine’ and though these stereotypes are slowly fading into history, it can still be challenging for people to seek out their inner man or female
I know that all my male characters are WAY too emotional but then again, who says guys can’t be?
Personally, I do these things to separate my male characters from the female but these are all personal preferences as well.
Tip 1. Dominance vs Meek. (hehe)
Most of my male characters are more dominant. They will take the first move, tickle the boundaries and are more confident. They are often protective and caring almost like the ultimate ‘big brother’ type. My females are always softer and more accommodating. Though these are personal preferences, I always like it when the girl is weaker. This is partly because I try to keep my females a lot like me and my males like me but stronger, and emotionally somewhat more stable (lol).
Tip 2. Handling emotions.
Though I said my male characters are probably a bit too emotional for males, I always have them bottle it up if a female character is present and in the need of comfort. I always make my males the ‘strong ones’ and shelf their feelings. I kinda get stuck in those old-school type of guys that ‘aren’t allowed to show their feelings’, but always end up making them too emotional anyway.
Tip 3. DON’T CARE 
Don’t get stuck on whenever or not your character is too feminine or too muscular. Just have fun and try things out. Trial and error is part of creative development and you can’t grow if you don’t try things out. Whenever your character identifies themselves as male, female, both, neither, or either, it’s how you write their interactions and how much fun you have as a writer that makes the RPs fun.
Personally, I’m stuck between being ‘old-school’ and very open to what gender people identify themselves in, but I’ve stayed more to the basic male-female terms because those are what I grew up with and know the best. I don’t like to give tips on what I don’t know well enough because I don’t think it’s my place to tell.
I’m learning and am willing to learn, but I still have a lot to learn lol.
@RPers do you have any other ways you play a gender that isn’t your own?
Are there any tips for other genders other than the ‘old school’ ones?
What are good ways to personalize and identify what gender your character is?
