Female Gamers: An Unpopular Opinion

[solidstatemind]

Hm. I read through four pages of this... and I have yet to see an argument presented that logically presents a reason the discussion is limited to the realm of the virtual.

Here is a very simple theorem for y'all: it is reasonable to expect online social interactions to be relatively similar to real world interactions. (After all, we're simply discussing a different mode of communication, not some sort of environment which allows you to be an entirely different person... you're still going to have the same memories, experiences, thoughts, and ideas, regardless of whether or not you're interacting face-to-face with someone, or your interacting with them via a virtual medium.)

And you know what? These days, they really seem to be approaching that norm.

Now I will grant you that- back in the old, wild days of the 'IntarWebs', the population skewed heavily to side of the male demographic. 'GrrlGamrs' were as rare as the proverbial Snipe.

But these days??? Are you guys (and gals) so buried in the Internet that you don't see the similarities between real life and virtual life?

True or False: in both Real Life and on the Internet...

...there are some women who use their gender to try and gain an advantage? True.
...there are some women who would rather their gender not be considered at all? True.
...there are some women who almost seem to have a grudge about their gender? True.
...there are some guys who will adopt female traits in order to be more acceptable...

Okay, okay, on that last one, that's a bit tenuous, but I think you get what I mean: the virtual isn't that far off from the real world.

So given that we're all intelligent human beings, why exactly would we expect an online utopia where gender doesn't matter (and where participation is voluntary) when it still matters in the real world that everyone has to be a part of???

Just saying...

 

[Wolfram23]

...So given that we're all intelligent human beings...

Well, that might be a stretch.

Heh jk, you make good points and that's what I think too, it's the same in the real world. Tho perhaps in gaming, as the activity is inherently prone to anti-social behaviour, you are likely to get more males who are actually entirely uncomfortable with the opposite sex and they lash out. Immature? Oh yes, but it certainly happens.

 

[AWAR]

This is very very true and on top of that, it really applies in real life too.

 

[Hobo Joe]

The biggest problem is the 'OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD IT'S A GIRL WHO PLAYS GAMES CAN I HAVE YOUR NUMBER' attitude many male gamers have the second they see a girl enter the lobby in my opinion.

 

[Fappy]

Usually I would drop a sexist joke here because... well I just love sexist jokes, but in this case I will humor the topic at hand. There are two things that matter to me if I am to care about your opinion (regarding gaming) or play video games with you: A. Are you a cool individual that is easy to get along with? B. Are you a decent gamer yourself?

I couldn't give any amount of shits if you popped babies out of your trap door or parked your bat mobile in the dank dark cave every now and then... its honestly irrelevant. You have boobs? Cool. I have testicles? Interested?

 

[ImSkeletor]

So yes, even by listening to the OP, you are still being SEXIST,(END QUOTE)

SHUT THE HECK UP. I am sick of this stuff about racism and sexism. Because most people only see men as sexists and white people as racist. I am a white man. I was called a racist for not liking Obama and a Sexist for Not liking hillary Clinton. Please people just stop.

 

[solidstatemind]

...So given that we're all intelligent human beings...

Well, that might be a stretch.

Heh jk, you make good points and that's what I think too, it's the same in the real world. Tho perhaps in gaming, as the activity is inherently prone to anti-social behaviour, you are likely to get more males who are actually entirely uncomfortable with the opposite sex and they lash out. Immature? Oh yes, but it certainly happens.

Oh wow. That's a brilliant point. I didn't think about the inherent destructive/antisocial nature of some games, and how that might relate to personal interaction...

However, to defend my point, I think it's reasonable to say that is only a subset of the 'online experience'. When I think 'online' I think of forums like the Escapist, plus MMORPGs like WoW, and then online shooters like MW2, CS, and the like, plus other ways you interact with people you never meet face-to-face.

I'll agree that women who play online FPS games probably have to deal with more crap than in any other aspect of the virtual world... but even then, I think things are getting better-- of course, I've always been a 'glass is half-full' kind of guy!

 

[Evil Tim]

SHUT THE HECK UP. I am sick of this stuff about racism and sexism. Because most people only see men as sexists and white people as racist. I am a white man.

Hear him roar!

 

[Emberwolf]

This sort of debate is the one that comes up in my university course more than any other.

I am on a Games Design course, and out of 125 students who started there were 5 girls. By the second year there were 3, and only 2 of us got through the initial three years. So, maybe an case of there aren't many girls *that* interested in games as a career.
My head of course is female, as is one of the senior lecturers.

On a personal level, I don't class myself as a girl gamer. I'm a gamer who happens to be female. Yes, I've had the whole 'oh my god there's a girl on our server' thing. I get the same for being British. Doesn't bother me. I'm there playing that game because it's what I want to do and it's enjoyable. What everyone else thinks of me doing so is their business.

There's a lot of interesting points to the whole 'girls in games' thing. And, as someone has already pointed out, there are more girls getting into it. Some good, some bad. The gender stereotyping is stronger in games than in most other things- but it does tend to be 'the way things are'. I personally don't see it changing any time soon; although more and more games are (where possible) giving a character gender choice. Surely that shows that the argument is going on with developers just as much as it is with us gamers?

 

[Beastialman]

Good luck telling this on the Bungie forums. I remember someone posting something similar on some woman's thread (first post). Pretty much got flamed and a warning from the mods.

 

[historybuff]

I believe that true equality between the sexes will only be achieved when both genders are treated as totally equal. Female empowerment, while necessary to combat chauvinism to a point, must be kept in check as much as chauvinism should.

Women abusing men can be just as dangerous as men abusing women, and it should be considered as such.

I don't think that developers should cater to either gender, it seems patronising to me (as a person who really like Nintendogs) that girls always prefer cute casual games and men always prefer blood and tits-athons. Just make good games, and the true gamers in each gender will play them, regardless of content.

As well as that, the tendency to mention obsessively that your gender online, and carry it as a chip on your shoulder is just attention seeking, no matter what your gender. It's just another blow to individuality.

So yeah, total equality please.

I am saved from having to well-word anything. Behold~!

 

[Dublin Solo]

Psh, they shouldn't be busy playing games - It'll keep them from making sandwiches for us and fetching us beer and stuff.

... Nah I'm just kiddin' - Or am I!?

Yes, you are kidding.

 

[Hileo20]

Of course game developers are going to use tactics to pull in specific types of people. It's not because they are women that makes them different, its because they are an uprising gamer market not before seen. So yes, just like the polls in the U.S. during the first presidential election that women could vote in, "It's not cause they are unequal, it's because their a new audience."

 

[Hileo20]

SHUT THE HECK UP. I am sick of this stuff about racism and sexism. Because most people only see men as sexists and white people as racist. I am a white man.

Hear him roar!

We need to make a march! lol

 

[mariosuperlative]

I completely agree. A good example is the female Call of Duty player, iReappz. She's an incredible sniper/quickscoper and on her videos their are countless comments that basically say "wow, I'm surprised a girl could do this!" They don't do it directly but the undertones are pretty easy to spot.

 

[Skratt]

OP: You lost me when you used the word 'peeps'.

 

[feather240]

I don't they we should treat each other as equals. We should treat each other as people. Yes. it's vague, but just do it.

 

[RheynbowDash]

I'm friendly with a number of female gamers on this site, such as Jenova. La-le-lu-li-lo, Aprilmarie and Meganmeave.

None of them draw attention to their gender or differentiate themselves in any way because of it.

They also enjoy shooters as much as the boys.

Same here. My girlfriend kicks ass at MW2.

 

[Skullpanda]

Thanks to the general mindset that is prevalent in most online gaming (The "OMG, your a gurl?" one), I attempt to stay away from games that have a voice chat system. On a whole, I try to only assume that there is another person behind a character while playing online, and the gender of the character model does not directly relate to the gender of the player. As a writer, I'll frequently play as one of the characters I've created for a story in a game, and my personal favorite character is actually a female (Male writer here).

The only time I can really tell a person is either male or female is through actions or images presented. Most women that I know try to avoid hypersexualizing their characters, especially in MMO's. If they don't get the option for anything but hypersexualized, they'll either go with a male character, or try to mute the "sex appeal" as much as they can. Talking with a few of them in games over recent months (Perfect World, Gates of Andaron, Zero Online were the games) they were pretty much aware that the gamers who attempt to "whore out" their characters for free items/gold/positions were males. These are the same males that will take the sliders for character creation and develop the most unrealistic, hypersexualized woman possible. Those who had taken the time to recognize speech patterns saw that there were actually more girls playing as guys than guys playing as girls. Lack of a required voice chat allowed them a bit of peace and quiet.

I do agree that it is the males who have put the "female gamer" on a pedestal that are the major cause of the problem. Most female gamers just want to play the game nowadays instead of having to deal with the little idiots. The only problem is that the idiots are here to stay as well, and both groups are going to have to learn to deal with each other. There are some who still take advantage of the guys, but since this happens in both online gameing and real life, it's not very surprising. In short, the girls are here, and we need to start shutting up the idiot men who cause the problems in situations with them. After that, gaming and being a "female gamer" will not be so much of an issue or surprise.

 

[ImSkeletor]

SHUT THE HECK UP. I am sick of this stuff about racism and sexism. Because most people only see men as sexists and white people as racist. I am a white man.

Hear him roar!

We need to make a march! (QUOTE)

What? What do you mean exactly.