"Girl Gamer Syndrome"

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InsipidMadness

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I would think of it more as a double standard. In today's world, gender is being slightly more blurred (as women aren't commonly in the kitchen and are working, and men aren't killing things with their bare hands and helping out with chores and kids). However, in areas more gender heavy than others, crossing that line will guarantee you attention. Ah, let me correct myself, it will usually spot you a label, but not necessarily attention; more on that later.

Please note that a majority of comments are stereotypes, there are exceptions everywhere and I don't want to apologize after every statement.

As society pressures men differently, it pressures women differently as well.
Olivia Faraday said:
I do think there are a lot of girls who are a little bit ashamed of their hobby, so they try to make it a sexy part of their identity rather than feel they're failing as women. My sister is like this. She loves JRPGs, shooters, and MMOs, but she's also a gorgeous and fashionable hair stylist who's big into clubbing and shows that air on MTV. Obviously, it would be better if these women felt like it's okay to be anything they want, but it's not that easy for some of them, and I don't think it's worthy of hate. The world is at fault, here.
So I'll leave it at this: a vast majority of the gaming community are males from the ages of 18-28 (or whatever that number is that I'm sure we all can assume); any single human being usually seeks a partner that shares the same hobbies; if someone spends a majority of their time surrounded by the same gender, they don't think much of it; now slowly mix in the other gender and I'm sure you can see where I'm going from here. Society is changing, http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-ways-we-ruined-occupy-wall-street-generation/ (#3 and #1) and with that, people are spending a lot of time "socializing" but not actually being social. So on the topic of gaming, a male heavy community who is slowly becoming more inept at interacting with the other gender, and then mixing in females, the result is a tad disgusting (Not all men are inept, but I'm sure everyone here who has played a game for more than an hour in their life has their own bias/assumptions to 90% of other players encountered [CoD community likely being the worst]). Basically, the more immature will lack the know-how to polite interaction and will likely be a troll instead.

Now here's why I think it's a double standard. Everyone is likely aware of the reaction when a female enters the gaming community. However, I do think the special snowflake is starting to decrease a little (not by much), mainly because half of the time when my full group encounters another full group (not a lobby of randoms) they're likely to have one female. Either this is because they are the special snowflake picked up by a small group of men so they don't have to deal with others, or it's because women are becoming more commonplace in gaming (I'm assuming the latter). Now, let us think about it this way; let us take a female heavy community and toss in a few males, do you think the reaction is similar to "special snowflake syndrome?" I think not. That is where the double standard lies; life is not a harem. I am currently majoring in a field that is 90-95% female, and a good percent of the men in that field are homosexuals (nothing against that), but as a straight male, that warrants me labels but not attention. I don't strut into class daily announcing that I'm a male and neither do the few others in that class. By simply being in that class we don't get strange looks or perverted notes slipped to us, it's just a different standard. Sure comparing college and the gaming community might have different levels of maturity, but I still believe that the effect is the same as anyone from one stereotype doesn't carry any of the description. However, the attention gained varies per gender thus I state it's a double standard.

TL;DR http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19
 

Loreley

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As a "girl gamer", I'll admit the very term "girl gamer" just sort of irks me. Most girls I know who just game for fun call themselves gamers or nothing at all because it's not that big of a deal. Yes, you have a hobby in a somewhat male-dominated field. Get over it.

Then again, I've also been accused of attention whoring for the crime of having a screen name that indicated I'm female (not because I wanted to "out" myself as female, but because it was a female character I liked at the time and I didn't think about it), so I think this goes both ways. You really are treated differently as a female - but not in any way I find particularily desireable. I have no idea why someone would draw attention to it if they actually plan to do any online gaming.

I think Anonymity + People = Asshole-syndrome plays a role in this too, though. I'm also the only woman in my D&D tabletop group (I know, different genre, but it also includes "nerds"), and the guys there have never treated me any different, which makes the game a whole lot more enjoyable.
 

Moonlight Butterfly

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Mar 16, 2011
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Sometimes I keep quiet about it because people have exactly the assumption of the OP. I love comic books and video games and I have done since I was 4 or 5. My first console was the Atari 2600 and I've owned at least one of every generation of console since then. I started PC gaming when I was about 8 or 9. I inherited my uncles old comic book collection and I collect mostly Batman and DC myself.

I probably know more about those subjects than most men but if I mention I'm a gamer people think I'm doing it to be 'cute'. That actually really pisses me off because it's like the one or two things I'm really into and I CARE ABOUT.

The ironic thing is that in my experience once men find out that you are REALLY a nerd they aren't interested.

Loreley said:
As a "girl gamer", I'll admit the very term "girl gamer" just sort of irks me.
Also this. I'm a woman for a start.
 

Dreiko_v1legacy

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While I'd obviously prefer for all girls to game since I do think having something in common is always a good thing but I don't see the point in being an idiot about it online. Then again, I don't play online FPSs or anything either way so I don't get exactly why so many girls aren't gaming just because of the reality of online shooting games.


There's more to games than that ladies, if you've had a bad experience with idiots online then how about trying one of the hundreds of amazing single player games? From my experience you can still be a gamer, a hardcore one if you so wish, without ever actually participating in online interactions with other humans.


In the end, while gaming online is a pretty big thing it should never be thought of as the defining characteristic of being a gamer. It's still mostly about being lost in a new world, living a life that's impossible to exist and experiencing things that you normally will never get to experience in real life. All of these things don't need to include others and THESE are the elements of gaming that make it a thing of it's own when set next to sports or movies/books.



As for the "girl gamer" who flaunts it in hopes of being perceived hot, well, it's not any different than the one with the tiny skirt or the other one with the fake breasts. She's doing what she think will get her attention, as a lot of women have been doing since ever, she's not any more reprehensible just because her push-up-bra has the shape and color of a pokeball.
 

Slayer_2

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Vault101 said:
Slayer_2 said:
Girls who game don't impress or interest me any more than ones who don't. These days most girls game something, whether it be farmville or the Sims.

Not gonna lie though, girls who game similar games and are DECENT at it do interest me more, simply because having similar interests makes a girl more attractive to me. A fine lady I know loves Mirror's Edge (a game I was addicted to for a while), and she also is a huge BF3 fan (my new favourite game). I'm also more interested in girls who are interested in cars, architecture, biking, and other things, does that mean I'm putting those women on a pedestal as well?

On a slightly unrelated note, females who reveal their gender online have serious cajones (or are just really stupid). I've seen a few get large amounts of shit from less well-mannered teenage males. Seriously, can't people just shut up and enjoy the game? Save the talking for tactics or general banter, drop the bitching and harassing.

Now girls who attention whore the fact that they game, they deserve the slagging they get. I greatly dislike attention whores. The guys who treat them special because of their supposed gender are just as sad, though.
http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-awful-ways-internet-tainting-everything-else/

this topic is covered in #1

what I find particually annyoing is that the "fake" ones are out there..and its painfully obvious they are "fake"

and yet some guys still go totally nuts over it...its sad and frustrating for both male and female gamers
I read all four of those, and I thought nothing could be worse than #4 (SERIOUSLY?!). Then I saw #1 and my jaw hit my desk (in a bad way). Guys who drool over this shit are not helping out gaming being more acceptable, open, and well-regarded. This just sets us back, and propagates the stereotype that most gamers are teenage males who are so horny, they would hump a tree. Seriously, if you can't get any in real life, at least do the right thing and use porn (or your imagination), don't support this disturbing blend of video-games and porn.

For guys, it just makes us all look bad, seriously. We CAN think with our larger head, lets do it. I for one am slightly insulted that some marketing moron thinks I'm that horny and stupid.

For girls, well... To be in any way associated with those kind of girls is enough, dealing with the flak online from male gamers sucks, I feel for you. At least I only have to put up with 10 year old kids calling me a fag because I'm MVP every game.

I'd love to play one of those porno/comicon girls in a real game such as BF3 or Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising. If I win, she gives up shitting all over video-games and goes back to regular porn, if she (somehow) wins, I'll wear her "outfit" for a month.

P.S. Nice username, ahaha.
 

GaltarDude1138

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My summer roommate's sister had issues, apparently, because she can kick ass at Halo (I've been on the receiving end, and that was not meant to be a pun, Escapist staff) yet cannot stand the mass of people calling her out for being a girl. I know, I know, how inconsiderate of me, people have feelings, etc. etc., but she combats this by not having a microphone. At all.

So she can't even tell me if I'm about to get a sniper bullet to the noggin or to make me get in the warthog because she's afraid of words, regardless of the fact that Xbox LIVE subs get Party Chat and Private Chat and Mute buttons...

Usually, however, most girl gamers on Xbox Live start out with a group of friends they know in real life to have some fun, and they slowly bring in other people who are friends and acquaintances to have some fun, then reputable Internet people who won't really talk dirty to them but just want to play games. Which is sound, IMO, because girls are human, and want to have fun too.
 

Ando85

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museofdoom said:
Has anyone else ever noticed how many girls lately seem to think they're a "special snowflake" just because they play video games? It's really prevalent on Facebook especially. Statuses like "Yes I'm a girl, and yes I play video games <3". Or "lol I'm such a nerd, playin COD text ittt." Seriously, do they expect guys to just jump all over them like the fact that they play video games makes them hot suddenly? I'm not a guy though, so I guess that's why I'm posting this. Thoughts?
Interesting topic. Reminds me of an experiment I tried on World of Warcraft. I'm a guy but I made a female character. It was funny and surprising how guys treated me differently. They were always wanting to help me out and sometimes even gave me free stuff. I just ran with it.
 

Simeon Ivanov

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I don't recognize a girl to be a gamer unless they have played and beaten a game that takes more than 15 hours to beat (also, it can't be an MMO and/or Facebook game) I'm talking about Dragon Age: Origins, The Elder Scroll series, Mass Effect, Assassin's Creed, Portal, Diablo (I don't know a single girl who plays Diablo. They think the graphics suck -_-) etc.

Anyone can pick up a controller and mash a few buttons. But true gamers, us who keep the industry alive with love and passion (and money, mostly) dedicate time, effort and energy into their game. For some of us, it's a lifestyle (me included). So unless a girl proves her worth on a console/PC, I will NOT give her the privilege of being called a "gamer".

EDIT: Yes, while I do find it kinda hot, I can always fap and then think about it. It's one of the privileges of being a guy.
 

Latinidiot

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To put it like this: To be able to play games with a woman is fun, because you if you like her, well that's one more thing you can do when hanging out. If you're trying to get romantic with a woman and she plays games, ll, that gives you more common ground to 'socialize' over.
 

teebeeohh

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weird thing is, the kind of guy who jumps just because a girl plays games is not the kind of guy most girls would want.
 

Mordekaien

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museofdoom said:
Has anyone else ever noticed how many girls lately seem to think they're a "special snowflake" just because they play video games? It's really prevalent on Facebook especially. Statuses like "Yes I'm a girl, and yes I play video games <3". Or "lol I'm such a nerd, playin COD text ittt." Seriously, do they expect guys to just jump all over them like the fact that they play video games makes them hot suddenly? I'm not a guy though, so I guess that's why I'm posting this. Thoughts?
Short answer. Yes.
It's actually like screaming: I'm a gamer too, but with boobs!
Nothing to be really concerned about- The same goes for girls that can repair cars, are in military- even there you can found some that will think they're special because of the things they do/like to do and it's not the stereotypical portrayal of a woman.
 

DeliciousTruffle

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I find this pretty irritating, and I say that as a female-type person. I often play male avatars on MMOs because I don't want to be seen as a "gamer grrrl" trying to get attention. If someone asks me if I'm a girl, I'll answer truthfully, but I just let people think I'm a guy so I don't get picked on.
 

])rStrangelove

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It all comes down to sharing someone's hobbies i guess. If i spot a normal girl wearing an AC tshirt next to the hot looking blonde i'd choose the former. Why?

Chances are higher that Mrs.Assassine will accept games are my main hobby, thats all.

Girls crying for attention by labelling themselves gamer-girls obviously have problems getting attention of guys in the RL.

Just wear AC Tshirts, its really easy.
 

Simeon Ivanov

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Lacebad said:
AND I don't consider anyone to be a gamer unless they have played and beaten some NES games like megaman, castlevania, or contra.
Well ... I've never touched an NES. I've never seen one here in Bulgaria. My very first piece of gaming ever was a Playstation 1. But I have played Mario, Castlevania and Megaman via emulators and internet flash games. Does that count? :D
 

Moonlight Butterfly

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Mar 16, 2011
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The worse thing is when men assume you are a 'gamer grrl' whenever you talk about games.

I had a guy yell as me because I said I like Fallout 3 and NV as much as the originals (which I played at the god damn time they were released). He made me recite the entire storyline/side quests of both games until he was satisfied I had actually played them.

That's the kind of shit we have to put up with.
 

Dreiko_v1legacy

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xXxJessicaxXx said:
The worse thing is when men assume you are a 'gamer grrl' whenever you talk about games.

I had a guy yell as me because I said I like Fallout 3 and NV as much as the originals (which I played at the god damn time they were released). He made me recite the entire storyline of both games until he was satisfied I had actually played them.

That's the kind of shit we have to put up with.
I don't wanna defend the (potential) asshole but I'd like to think he'd do that if you were male too. I often end up having people prove their preposterous opinions through such methods, it's not discrimination, it is proper debating methodology. You need to actually hear exactly why someone thinks that odd way they do, with detail, if you are to understand their point of view.


Too often you have people saying things that don't make sense which has you asking yourself if they've even played or watched whatever they're talking about.
 

Simeon Ivanov

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xXxJessicaxXx said:
The worse thing is when men assume you are a 'gamer grrl' whenever you talk about games.

I had a guy yell as me because I said I like Fallout 3 and NV as much as the originals (which I played at the god damn time they were released). He made me recite the entire storyline/side quests of both games until he was satisfied I had actually played them.

That's the kind of shit we have to put up with.
Wow, really? I would be satisfied if a girl even knew what Fallout was :D
 

Soxafloppin

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Jun 22, 2009
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To be honest, I find this to be exactly the same with girls who bother to go to the gym.

Facebook post: Going to the gym GUNNA BURNZ SOMMA DAT FATZ.
 

Moonlight Butterfly

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Mar 16, 2011
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Dreiko said:
xXxJessicaxXx said:
The worse thing is when men assume you are a 'gamer grrl' whenever you talk about games.

I had a guy yell as me because I said I like Fallout 3 and NV as much as the originals (which I played at the god damn time they were released). He made me recite the entire storyline of both games until he was satisfied I had actually played them.

That's the kind of shit we have to put up with.
I don't wanna defend the (potential) asshole but I'd like to think he'd do that if you were male too. I often end up having people prove their preposterous opinions through such methods, it's not discrimination, it is proper debating methodology. You need to actually hear exactly why someone thinks that odd way with detail if you are to understand.


Too often you have people saying things that don't make sense which has you asking yourself if they've even played or watched whatever they're talking about.
I like to think all of the Fallout games have merits. I really don't think it's a preposterous opinion at all. If Bethesda had released a game with the same combat system as Fallout 1 and 2 it wouldn't have sold and the franchise would have gone tits up again. We would be back to games like Brotherhood of Steel

Not sure why people don't get that.
 

Smooth Operator

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Oct 5, 2010
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Well it's a two fold issue:
- first is the princess syndrome, that is actually seen everywhere and is deeply engrained into our society, the idea that women need to be adored and taken care of

- secondly lack of girls in the gaming community plus lack of girls in the average gamers life, this makes a gamer girl pretty much a pitcher of ice water in the middle of a desert

Solution? I don't think there is one, the only reason those girls still exist is because some guys need them, it's a self perpetuating circle of stupidity.