The Sims has championed diversity and inclusion ever since the very first game was released, way back in 2000. Yet, ensuring that everyone feels represented is a daunting task that is constantly ongoing. This commitment of enabling all Simmers to be able to create themselves in the game has led to many players using The Sims as a tool to discover their sexuality and gender identity. Molly, also known as storylegacysims, shared how The Sims gave them a way to explore ideas considered taboo in their conservative Southern household.
“My best friend had the first game” Molly tells me. “At sleepovers, we’d stay up all night and make our Sims play out the most ridiculous stories. When The Sims 2 came out a year later, I was able to convince my parents to buy it for me.”
Molly says their parents “were unaware of what exactly a ‘life simulator’ entailed, especially one as inclusive as The Sims.” It didn’t come without strings either. “One of their conditions for me playing was that I wouldn’t allow my Sims to engage in any sort of sexual behavior,” they recall.
However, Molly went into the series “with an extremely open mind and a lot of questions” after an earlier incident left them scared to face their sexuality. “When I was about eight or nine, I very proudly announced that I wanted to marry a girl one day. I was informed that that wasn’t allowed, it would send me to Hell. My sexuality immediately became my most closely guarded secret.”
In a conservative household, such views around sexuality are common, and like many others in the same situation Molly was left scarred by the revelations. “I think this was a great source of pain for most of my upbringing.”
Feeling like your sexuality has to be a secret, and hiding your true self from others, is something many of the LGBTQ+ community face. Being told that you will go to Hell for something that you have no control over is a terrifying thing to be told, especially at such a young age, and by someone you love and trust. Molly chose to use The Sims as a safe space to explore the truth of this statement.
“The more I played the game, the more I explored the diversity I didn’t see reflected in the world around me,” Molly says. “When I started experimenting with same-sex relationships in-game, I was extremely careful not to get caught. Subconsciously, I think I was determined to play out these relationships to see if my lesbian couples actually would go to Hell and, obviously, they never did.”
The Sims franchise has allowed players to live out gay and lesbian relationships since the very first game, and these have always played out in the same way as straight ones. In The Sims, there is no homophobia. Pride is celebrated freely, exploration is encouraged and diversity has increased over the years. It’s this which was a beacon of hope for Molly.
“It didn’t take long for my explorations to expand past what The Sims offered in game,” they tell me. “I started secretly consuming more diverse media. Everything I learned eventually brought me back to the game, where I could improve my understanding. While I came to terms with my sexuality pretty early on, gender identity was something I didn’t start exploring until a few years ago. As an independent adult, I thankfully have access to resources completely free of shame. Ultimately, I still often use the game to create a better understanding of myself.”
In 2017 Molly became more proactive with The Sims, designing custom content for the game. “I wanted to create basic things that I felt were missing from my own game,” Molly says. This desire led to the creation of their Tumblr account, Storylegacysims, which they use to share their creations.
The Sims community holds a special place in their heart and through their custom content, and the stories in their own game that they share, Molly stays connected to the people they have learned so much from. “The more I became involved, the more I learned,” Molly says. “There are so many incredible people in the community willing to share their own diverse experiences. You’re never too old to learn about the people around you, and I love being part of a community that constantly broadens my horizons.
“I always knew that I was somehow different than most of the people around me,” they recall. “I had Sims of all backgrounds with drastically different stories, but they all coexisted in the same world. Our world may not work that way, but it was comforting to see it happen - even if it’s in a video game.”
The theme of a safe space is one often emphasized by players and The Sims team is constantly working towards it being as inclusive as possible. Recently they unveiled the work being done on adding pronoun choices to the game, something that is clearly being done with huge attention to detail, and in every language. They also announced that the latest game pack, My Wedding Stories, will not be released in areas where the lesbian relationship story told in the pack would be subject to censorship.
These steps highlight the game’s role in the lives of many, something Molly is keen to celebrate.
“The Sims has been a major part of my life since I was eleven, and I don’t see that changing any time soon,” they say. “It’s so important to have somewhere you feel safe enough to explore, especially if home isn’t that safe space. The Sims team has done a wonderful job of creating an inclusive space for gamers, and I’m hopeful that they continue to do so!”