'I want to hold you close’ : an auto-ethnographical discussion of sexual harassment in and around larp in Flanders
- Author
- Kyria Van Gasse (UGent)
- Organization
- Abstract
- In this paper, I will look at the larp scene in Flanders, Belgium, with particular reference to sexual interactions and possible harassment both in-game and off-game. I look at these through an auto-ethnographic lens and talk about my own experiences, but also through experiences and articles by international larpers. I then go on to zoom in on Flanders and our larp scene, as a base for the rest of the discussion. I will consider how a player might change their behaviour as a result of experiencing certain situations, but also how our evolving landscape is challenging whose responsibility it is to change. Throughout the years I have encountered many experiences in larping. I will be discussing the positive sides – good mechanics, good rules – but also the negative – grooming. While larp might be a nerdy hobby, it also attracts certain people - ones that we should always look out for. But other than asking to look out for each other, I also want to emphasize the unique qualities and efforts of larp.
- Keywords
- larp, sexual harrassment, vampire, vampire the masquerade
Downloads
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01JT0EKHFC6K43G3GGACDV6C3X
- MLA
- Van Gasse, Kyria. “’I Want to Hold You Close’ : An Auto-Ethnographical Discussion of Sexual Harassment in and around Larp in Flanders.” Anatomy of Larp Thoughts : A Breathing Corpus, edited by Simon Brind et al., Fantasiforbundet, 2025, pp. 336–49.
- APA
- Van Gasse, K. (2025). ’I want to hold you close’ : an auto-ethnographical discussion of sexual harassment in and around larp in Flanders. In S. Brind, N. Lipsyc, & J. Särkijärvi (Eds.), Anatomy of larp thoughts : a breathing corpus (pp. 336–349). Oslo: Fantasiforbundet.
- Chicago author-date
- Van Gasse, Kyria. 2025. “’I Want to Hold You Close’ : An Auto-Ethnographical Discussion of Sexual Harassment in and around Larp in Flanders.” In Anatomy of Larp Thoughts : A Breathing Corpus, edited by Simon Brind, Nadja Lipsyc, and Jukka Särkijärvi, 336–49. Oslo: Fantasiforbundet.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Van Gasse, Kyria. 2025. “’I Want to Hold You Close’ : An Auto-Ethnographical Discussion of Sexual Harassment in and around Larp in Flanders.” In Anatomy of Larp Thoughts : A Breathing Corpus, ed by. Simon Brind, Nadja Lipsyc, and Jukka Särkijärvi, 336–349. Oslo: Fantasiforbundet.
- Vancouver
- 1.Van Gasse K. ’I want to hold you close’ : an auto-ethnographical discussion of sexual harassment in and around larp in Flanders. In: Brind S, Lipsyc N, Särkijärvi J, editors. Anatomy of larp thoughts : a breathing corpus. Oslo: Fantasiforbundet; 2025. p. 336–49.
- IEEE
- [1]K. Van Gasse, “’I want to hold you close’ : an auto-ethnographical discussion of sexual harassment in and around larp in Flanders,” in Anatomy of larp thoughts : a breathing corpus, S. Brind, N. Lipsyc, and J. Särkijärvi, Eds. Oslo: Fantasiforbundet, 2025, pp. 336–349.
@incollection{01JT0EKHFC6K43G3GGACDV6C3X,
abstract = {{In this paper, I will look at the larp scene in Flanders, Belgium, with particular reference to sexual interactions and possible harassment both in-game and off-game. I look at these through an auto-ethnographic lens and talk about my own experiences, but also through experiences and articles by international larpers. I then go on to zoom in on Flanders and our larp scene, as a base for the rest of the discussion. I will consider how a player might change their behaviour as a result of experiencing certain situations, but also how our evolving landscape is challenging whose responsibility it is to change. Throughout the years I have encountered many experiences in larping. I will be discussing the positive sides – good mechanics, good rules – but also the negative – grooming. While larp might be a nerdy hobby, it also attracts certain people - ones that we should always look out for. But other than asking to look out for each other, I also want to emphasize the unique qualities and efforts of larp.}},
author = {{Van Gasse, Kyria}},
booktitle = {{Anatomy of larp thoughts : a breathing corpus}},
editor = {{Brind, Simon and Lipsyc, Nadja and Särkijärvi, Jukka}},
isbn = {{9788269263329}},
keywords = {{larp,sexual harrassment,vampire,vampire the masquerade}},
language = {{eng}},
location = {{Oslo, Norway}},
pages = {{336--349}},
publisher = {{Fantasiforbundet}},
title = {{'I want to hold you close’ : an auto-ethnographical discussion of sexual harassment in and around larp in Flanders}},
url = {{https://nordiclarp.org/w/images/1/1b/KP25_PDF_-_small.pdf}},
year = {{2025}},
}