Culturally Inclusive and Gender-Blind Casting
Dearest Debutante incorporates a variety of different cultural backgrounds in the characters and families for ethnicity inclusivity. We would be very happy to adapt the ethnic backgrounds of characters and entire families if a player of colour would prefer to play a character with their off-game ethnicity.
Due to the family structure and interconnectedness of characters, in order to allow our larpers of colour to play on their own ethnic backgrounds, some white players may end up playing non-white roles. Since character families need to have internally consistent names, we would rather prioritise our players of colour by choosing names that reflect their backgrounds (if desired) rather than defaulting to Anglo-British names.
The current version of the families are designed to reflect the cultural diversity of the source material and our world at large. The cultural backgrounds are intended to change to mirror the diversity of our players, but we wanted the original vision to honour our intentions for the game and our desire to challenge conventions and common practice in larp of having white-coded characters as the default.
All players cast as characters from a different ethnic background to their own are expected to approach their character’s ethnicity sensitively and without stereotyping; this may simply mean playing a character whose name does not match your own ethnicity. Recommendations on how to respectfully play a character with a different cultural background will be sent out alongside player documents and character sheets.
Our stance on asking white larpers to play outside of their ethnic background is one of cautious encouragement, since larpers of colour are frequently expected to play white characters. If you disagree with this policy, we welcome dissent and dialogue, so feel free to email us or start a conversation on our Discord server.
It is important to note that the race and ethnicity of players should not impact their casting at this larp. We do not want our players to feel restricted to certain characters; we aim for casting to be race-blind and culturally inclusive. Request whichever characters you would most want to play and we can make adjustments to their backgrounds as needed and desired.
Additionally, a player’s off-game gender will not preclude them from playing a character of a different gender identity. On the sign-up form, players will be asked what gender identity or identities they would prefer to play and/or be open to playing, and they will be cast based on these preferences.
Casting Policy Exceptions
We will make exceptions to our casting policy for larpers of colour who are uncomfortable with white co-players playing characters of their cultural background. If it would be detrimental to your experience to have characters from your culture played by players who don’t share your ethnic background, there will be a section on the sign-up form where you can express this. We will honour any such wishes and, if you’d like, we will reach out during the casting process to ensure the casting works for your in-game preferences and off-game comfort.
We understand the concerns of players of colour playing on their culture alongside players who do not share the same background. We are still working on the best way to address this without pigeon-holing larpers of colour into certain roles or limiting casting options. If you have any questions, concerns, or opinions on our existing policies, we are very open to discourse and amending policies to suit the comfort of our players of colour, so feel free to reach out to us any time through our email or Discord server.
Scholarships
Financial Need
The high cost of larps, especially for multi-day events like Dearest Debutante, is a financial barrier to entry for many in the community. At Secret Garden Studios, we aim to increase accessibility to larp however we can.
The exact number is dependent on player sign-ups and sponsorship, but a handful of scholarship tickets will be offered to those who indicate need on the sign-up form. We will not ask players who request the scholarship for proof or explanation, but we do ask that only those who could not otherwise afford to attend the larp apply for these limited tickets.
Commitment to Diversity
In its present form, larp is not the most racially or ethnically diverse hobby. We aspire for this larp to be as committed to inclusivity as the material and fictional world that inspired it. Therefore, Secret Garden Studios would like to do its part in increasing the diversity of the larp community by offering discounted tickets for larpers of colour.
If you are a larper of colour, you are welcome to apply for a discounted ticket on the sign-up form. No one is obligated to apply for a discounted ticket, and we may not be able to offer discounted tickets to all who apply for one. Nevertheless, we aim to make this event as welcoming to larpers of colour as possible through offered discounts, weighted casting, and character diversity.
Accessibility
This larp and the venue where it will take place is fully wheelchair accessible. There is an elevator in Taylor Hall with a lower level entrance for wheelchair users and the only floor it doesn’t reach is the fourth floor, which only contains player rooms. Additionally, most (if not all) bathrooms are wheelchair accessible.
There are nine total shared bathrooms in the building where player rooms are located, and single rooms may be requested by players who will be negatively impacted, physically or emotionally, by sharing a room.
If any prospective players have questions about the accessibility of the larp or venue, please reach out to us on Facebook, Discord, or by email.
Anti-Discrimination Policy
Secret Garden Studios proudly supports members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people of colour, and individuals of all backgrounds and identities. We are committed to fostering a creative environment rooted in respect, consent, accountability, accessibility, and mutual care. Dearest Debutante will include fictional, in-character depictions of class, economic, and gender-based inequality as part of its setting—none of which are reflective of the real-world values of Secret Garden Studios.
Depictions of racism, homophobia, transphobia, or ableism are not welcome or appropriate in our world, and discriminatory language will not be tolerated at this larp.
Community members who experience or witness discrimination, harassment, or unsafe behaviour are encouraged to report concerns to the organising team during the larp, or after via email (dearestdebutante@secretgardenlarpstudios.com). Reports will be handled promptly, respectfully, and confidentially.
tldr: Don’t fucking do it (discrimination).
There is no leeway on this. We are not fucking around.