Gay Simulator

‘Gay Simulator’ is an interactive virtual reality artwork and video game which will immerse the user in the experiences of a lesbian girl. It’s an artistic ode to sexual preference, sexuality and love with a serious issue: the discrimination that lesbians still face today.

‘Gay Simulator’ is an interactive VR artwork and game, based on Iris her own experiences as a lesbian and those of others. It’s a colorful and fun experience, but with a serious undertone. The aim of ‘Gay Simulator’ is to create awareness in a playful manner by showing the verbal and physical violence which lesbians are still confronted with today. ‘Gay Simulator’ presents a mirror to highlight the blind spots within our society in relation to the acceptance of lesbians (and indirectly, of queer people in general). It is an ode to love and sexuality, about the exploration of your sexual orientation and about being embraced by the lesbian and queer community. It is a celebration of diversity and inclusivity. 

By Iris van der Meule

Gay Simulator is about experiencing the life of a lesbian. Your journey starts by creation your own lesbian avatar. Guided by the godly voice of a female narrator, you are invited to enter the poetic virtual world and to discover your sexual orientation, meet fictional like-minded people, experience a coming-out, go on dates and so much more! This is followed by experiencing other people’s reactions in the public space. The player gets to experience the way in which you’re treated differently as a lesbian in terms of inequality, discrimination and sexual harassment. Next to these difficult situations, the player will experience the positive side of life as a lesbian, such as the warm embrace of the queer community and celebratory moments like the annual Pride. 

Like every other game ‘Gay Simulator’ consists of a number of levels that the player has to complete. In each level the player can earn Pride Points by how ‘brave’ they are in the level. The ultimate goal is to earn all the Pride Points and get a high score. Using the point system will motivate the player to experience and act in a certain way in scenario’s they might not find in real life. Players with the high score will be eternalized in Gay Simulator’s ‘Hall of Fame’.

Though the story is linear, Gay Simulator offers several variations in certain levels that are random picked by the computer, resulting in giving each player a unique experience and share their story with others. By mapping ‘the life of a lesbian’ in a fun and interactive way, ‘Gay Simulator’ provides connection, more understanding and a celebration of love.

Production details:

Country: The Netherlands
Status: In production, expected in 2024/2025
Running time: 30-45 minutes (and more!)
Language: English (and more!)

Animation VR art work & game

Gay Simulator was presented as part of the Gap Financing Market at the Venice Biennale, the XR Market / New Images, the Impulse market / CinemArt 2023 and the Immersive Tech Week as well as the Holland Film meeting / The Netherlands Film Festival 2022.