Ooh, I do this too! I like to throw a twist into my characters, just to make them different from me. That way they become less of a self-insert, and I get to explore a different life experience.
I also had my very patriarchal, xenophobic dwarven cleric go through a bisexual awakening after meeting some fit, hairless male monks. It was remarkable how normal it felt for him to have that dawning realization, even as he was already married (to a proper Dwarven woman). I was a much better ally after that campaign, especially when a new player joined us, who was bisexual.
For my one trans character, I asked my gender non-conforming friends for advice, so that I wouldn’t accidentally make an ignorant caricature.
Make your characters Ace! Or Pan! Taste the rainbow in your games, even if you’re limited to one or two colors IRL.
I would love to hear a good answer to this question. My mother-in-law is hitting some serious dementia, and I have very mixed feeling about how to proceed.
Don't you just hate railroading? ugh. (comicpress.socksandpuppets.com)
This comic is part of an ongoing story that might make more sense with full context....
I swear, someday I was casually brainstorming a character and my brain went "why are they not NB" and I had no reply other than "fair point." (ttrpg.network)
Panel 1: Bilbo Baggins holding a character sheet....