The 'How Did Your Airsoft Day Go? Thread

[Colin Allen]

I'm not entirely sure why it is but in this (and other -ist) ways, I've found airsoft to be a bit of a home for this behaviour. I seem to encounter it way more in airsoft than I do in my regular walks of life. The only exception to this I ever recall experiencing was Imperium, where they had a trans marshal and it was said in the brief there was no room for any phobic comments or you'd be sent home.

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It is the demographic; in my quite long airsoft experience, there is a preponderance of working class young men with right of centre views and limited educational attainment.

 

[Colin Allen]

In an ideal world, I'd love to be able to challenge that. When I'm at a site that I've never been to before, surrounded by people I don't know, I simply didn't feel safe doing so.

"Evil prospers when good men do nothing", I know, but I've gotta balance that with the risk of getting bashed.

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That shows just how far we as a society still have to go; there should not even be a need to consider that risk.

 

[Lyndication]

In an ideal world, I'd love to be able to challenge that. When I'm at a site that I've never been to before, surrounded by people I don't know, I simply didn't feel safe doing so.

"Evil prospers when good men do nothing", I know, but I've gotta balance that with the risk of getting bashed.

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Honestly that's a familiar feeling. Sites definitely each have their own culture IME, and some are more open than others. I've been to some where there was a vibe that made the idea of bringing up casual bigotry pointless, tbh.

We then just head somewhere else or to our usual haunt, and leave them to it. I guess that's how it develops; the ones who like that stick around and distill.

Big one that was jarring starting Airsoft is the whole assumption everyone is a guy by default. Every safety brief is referring to guys, guys will call you a dude because tactical gear is all cut for guys, until you speak and they realise you're not a guy. It's a vibe you don't really get in other hobbies, but also that's something a lot of players like about it IME.

I think broadly it's gotten a lot better in the years we've been playing, but you do find these lil pockets that feel like wandering into a small town pub where the old boys all stop talking and stare at you. Half expecting some hayseed to tell me they don't take kindly lmao.