Interesting topic (only read the OP, I'll read the replies after answering your questions).
How do you approach ethnicity in your game? I don't 'approach' it really, but I play mostly white sims (I'm white myself so identification maybe?); not always though.
Do you avoid playing, marrying, creating, or interacting with Sims of certain ethnicity? No.
What personal/cultural ideals do you fell you impose on your Sims? Liberal, a bit unconventional. I do like to play the game very not Dutch by the way (I'm Dutch). By giving them foreign names and build non Dutch houses for them. I really don't know why but I prefer playing sims called Elijah or Siobhán Kobayne instead of Klaas or Marietje de Graaf.
Do you create characters of a different ethnicity than your own and give them stereotypical personalities, hairstyles or clothing? I do sometimes but not often. I dress them the way I dress all my sims - apart from a Chinese girl that lived in China - and I give them hairstyles that suit them.
Do your Sims closely reflect your personal ethnicity and cultural values in gameplay? Yes, I think I do that unconsciously.
Do you incorporate socio-economics when creating Sims of various ethnicity? No.
Sexuality
- How do you identify your Sims in regards to sexuality and gender? I don't really understand this one.. Males are males and females are female?
- When and how do you choose your Sims sexual preference/identity? The majority of my sims are heterosexual, identification again I think and also because it's easier playing a legacy. One of my heirs was homosexual because I felt he pointed me in that direction. I managed perfectly to identify with him and his partner romantically by the way (I'm a heterosexual woman myself), which kind of surprised me to be honest.
- Do you avoid creating LGBT/SGL Sims or do you incorporate them actively? Neither.
- Do most of your Sims or your main Sim reflect your sexual identity? Being heterosexual yes. I do prefer prefer choosing male heirs by the way for whatever reason.
- How do you feel about playing romantic actions with a Sim of a different gender or sexual preference than you? Like I said: it felt exactly the same. I'm not sure by the way it would also be that way if I'd play lesbians (never have), maybe it felt the same because I 'fancy' guys myself.
- If playing a couple of opposite genders, do you engage certain romantic interactions with one gender? I don't understand this question, maybe I'll answer it when I do by reading other replies.
- In same gender couples, do you place masculine and feminine roles on them? No, I didn't. They had different characters of course but not specifically masculine or feminin.
Religion
- Did you notice the absence of the word "Christmas" from The Sims team and do you have any thoughts on that? I notice they use substitutes for things like that and I like that. In a 'I like Simlish' way. I like it the sims have a reality of their own.
- Do you incorporate religion/spirituality into your gameplay? No.
- Do you view yourself as a God or eternal being among your Sims? No. I identify with them. I am them, they are me.
- How do you view/observe life and death in your gameplay? The way the game hands it to me: dead sims become ghosts and they can be resurrected if you want to.
- Do you consider your Sims to be of a certain religion? No. They're no atheists either, it just doesn't play any part in my game.
