: Girl Gamers Suffering From Gender Stereotype?

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Girl Gamers Suffering From Gender Stereotype?

So this girl gamer goes on NPR and demands respect. Well, she's entitled, I suppose. If there's any group that can understand being stereotyped, it's the gamers, especially those who grew up during the dawn of the industry.

But has anyone considered the possibility that while male gamers back in the day (when 99% of all gamers on earth were male) were automatically labeled in a certain way, girl gamers today face a new issue...? Well, it begins with the fact that this industry has its roots in male entertainment, and that anything to do with violence or sports is restricted to the male realm. For the guys, it was more of a social issue; i.e., the belief that we only stayed home and played video games because we weren't invited to the latest party, we didn't have a lot of friends, and girls really weren't in the picture.

But for the ladies, it appears to be a very different hurdle, and it goes well beyond a lack of respect when playing online. No, this might be a gender-bending issue of some sort, in that girls who enjoy games must be too...well, tomboy-ish. These days, it's like the chick who was heavy into sports and played basketball with the boys at recess. Most of those over the age of 40 who are entirely clueless about this industry will see a screen, see a gun, automatically assume the entire purpose of the game is to kill people (even if they saw the handgun in Heavy Rain). And if they see a girl playing it, well, there has to be something wrong, right?

It just isn't lady-like. "She won't meet any nice boys that way," said grandma. And what if all this talk about games making people more violent really kicks in? Yep, the normal girl is changed into an aggressive, creepy girl. I don't know any girls who play games but if I did, I'm willing to bet they've encountered plenty of people who, upon learning they play, immediately assume they're lacking in estrogen. And worse, that they might have an over-abundance of testosterone. As gaming continues to hit a wider demographic with every passing year, I'm afraid that one set of stereotypes (all games are for boys, all games are violent, etc.), will generate another stereotype that specifically offends females.

It's bad enough that girls have to remain silent while playing online; it's even worse when they become pigeon-holed...into a pigeon-hole.

1/28/2011 Ben Dutka

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Comments (71 posts)

Catastrophe
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:02:43 PM
Reply

once again Ben, hats off

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Bonampak
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 11:18:03 PM

Yeah. But this only applies to gals complaining about male-oriented games not targeting women. Which is a silly argument to put forward.

Historically, the industry has catered to male gamers. And only relatively recently, has it started to branch out. This as a direct result of women becoming 39% of the gaming population.

That same 39% are the ones that have helped FarmVille, Animal Crossing, Little Big Planet, The Sims, Final Fantasy (plus lots of JRPG's), Point and Click Adventure games, dance & fitness simulators, etc. become such huge hits.

They're an important demographic. And game makers have already started years ago to target them more and more.

Obviously those games don't usually include the sort of stuff that makes every man grin with glee (sex, violence and mindless action).

And so far, only very few women complain about it. So it's hardly something to even worry about, really.

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Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 11:26:42 PM

It's not about girls complaining at all. Has nothing to do with what you're saying.

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Bonampak
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 11:51:03 PM

Crap. My bad.

I clicked the highlighted text and went to the other news article and then went to Kotaku and reacted to what I had read there.

Anyway... are gals being stereotyped? Sure.

But get this. They're being stereotyped by the same people that stereotype ANYONE that plays games. The ones that think videogames turn people into killers or are a waste of time.

So why bother?

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frostface
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:07:10 PM
Reply

I follow (not in a creepy way) gamer girls like PinkRanger, Jo Garcia (playboys gamer next door)and a few others on YouTube mainly because I like their commentaries but I also get a feel of their perspective of gaming for females.

Jo is more a reviewer of games, while Pink posts up her gaming online with some commentaries. I'll have to root out one of Pinks videos. She's playing CoD:BO and talking about what she feels as a girl gamer the industry represents. I enjoy both girls videos and a few others I watch. They're just about having fun with their games and isn't that what it's all about. They're not much different then the guys but in no way does it even feel like they're 'Tomboys' imo.

Here's one of Pinks videos were she talks a little about how she finds gaming as a girl. I personally don't see why gender should influence how a person is perceived in gaming. Isn't having fun universal?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkkUThQZshk

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BikerSaint
Wednesday, February 02, 2011 @ 11:11:09 AM

Frostface,
I'm like you.

But I follow my gal's on Twitter, such as....Jo Garcia, Frag Dolls, pwningbeauty, Lisa Foiles, Fillytase, and a few others

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Monsterchef
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:11:29 PM
Reply

I know a girl gamer she tells me she stays quite for fear that no guy would wanna play with her cause of her skill lol or lack of, I tell her if she says shes a girl she'll probably get thousands of friends request. on a side note she plays re 5 on the 360 which just crapped out on her

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WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:12:50 PM

Tell her to move over to a PS3, the online community is more mature.

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Lawless SXE
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:31:49 PM

Well that doesn't make a lick of sense... Why would anyone correlate gender to gaming skill? People are strange.

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Monsterchef
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:38:19 PM

Lol she asked me for my advice in regards to her broken 360, my response get a ps3

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Lawless SXE
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 11:20:40 PM

My experience in that regard: She buys a brand new 360, discs refuse to play, she asks for advice. I, and three others tell her to trade it in and get a PS3... She replaces it with a new 360. /facepalm

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WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:11:55 PM
Reply

Well, I'd hate to perpetuate such a myth but I have to say that in my somewhat limited experience with girl gamers, they DO tend to be the kind that have more guy friends than girl friends, aren't afraid to drink some beer now and then, and have a less than delicate sensibility.

That doesn't make it universal, but that's what I see. Of course, this all depends largely on your concept of "gamer". Girls playing dance games probably won't suffer the same stigma as a girl playing COD.

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Scarecrow
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:58:39 PM

Well the "more guy friends" is something I've encountered too.

But that's not a bad, just like it's not a bad thing for us guys to have more female friends than guy friends...

Other than that the ones I know (some through PSN/ some in real life) are actually really nice not gross or like those body building/beer drinking females. They're actually just really nice.
Last edited by Scarecrow on 1/28/2011 10:58:52 PM

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crunchy_nut_kid
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 8:51:25 AM

dont stereotype girls... stereotype girls playing CoD

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WorldEndsWithMe
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 10:55:42 AM

For sure, one of my exes was like that. She was a gamer and a svelt little blond to boot, but she always fit the "one of the guys" mold. Not that that's bad, but it seems to fit lots of female gamers, again just in my experience.
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 1/29/2011 10:56:45 AM

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kevinater321
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:22:16 PM
Reply

iJustine (L)

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Lawless SXE
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:22:34 PM
Reply

Interesting theory. You certainly seem to be onto something with the generalised history of the gaming industry being aimed firmly at the male market, and girls being largely looked over. This has allowed a certain kind of game to become the focus of all markets and that is ultra-violence. So, your conclusions of girls being looked down in for partaking in this particular hobby is sound.

I know few 'girl gamers', but most of them are really no different from any other girls that I know. As a matter of fact, they're generally far more approachable. Hmm... Perhaps we are heading into a world where gaming will be 'the great equaliser'. If this is so, then we are still a ways off, but it could happen.
Peace.

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WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:49:15 PM

"A little of the old ultra-violence."

Name the movie :)

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Lawless SXE
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 11:18:17 PM

A Clockwork Orange. Bought the book, loved the book, bought the movie, loved the movie.

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WorldEndsWithMe
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 2:24:15 AM

That movie is a trip.

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WorldEndsWithMe
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 10:57:05 AM

Who would thumb down A Clockwork Orange?

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Lawless SXE
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 4:38:18 PM

People who were annoyed that the real ending was cut from the movie? I preferred the extra chapter in the book, it seemed like closure. But no, I didn't thumb it down.
Last edited by Lawless SXE on 1/29/2011 4:38:56 PM

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Eld
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:22:46 PM
Reply

It likely depends on the kind of game too. I played a few MMOs in the past and met quite a few female gamers. Just like everyone else, once they find a nice guild with like-minded people everything's normal.

Now online shooters... might be a different situation. I wouldn't know. I don't play them.

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Lawless SXE
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:35:55 PM

But MMOs are more of a communal experience anyway aren't they? It's all about working together and forming bonds, so it makes sense that the gender of a player wouldn't be an issue. I think it is more the competitive style of gaming wherein the issues lie. The whole E-Penis issue means that most guys have problems with being beaten by and, in some cases, even playing with girls. Who knows?

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Temjin001
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 10:39:06 PM
Reply

Takes one to know one!

*swish* --Homer Simpson

I don't know much about this stuff but I did fight a girl gamer on Tekken 6 the other night. She had a good Julie Chan
End of story.

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Scarecrow
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 11:04:27 PM
Reply

I'll say this, you will find that the PSN community is nicer and more 'normal' towards female gamers than any other platform (Pc, 360, etc.)

Even in shooters like Uncharted3, it's not uncommon to party up with some female gamers. The guys just talk to them normally for the most part. But like always there will be jerks eventually. Other than that it's actually not so bad from what I've seen on PSN.

As far as the "tomboy-ish" stereotype. I'll be honest... I kinda like tomboy-ish girls a lot lol. But they still gotta have a cute side, not into the ones with bald heads and those extremes lol. Bah what am I saying lol...

Anyway, from what I have seen and experienced with female gamers on PSN it's not so bad. I have a feeling that a lot of the problem is coming from the 350 side of things.

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johnld
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 11:33:53 PM
Reply

from what i read, girl gamer usually just stay quiet while playing. why not mute idiots and talk with decent players? pretty much all games have that, use it all the time in black ops. thats why i like squad chat feature in killzone 2 and bad company 2. why limit your own experience when you can just block morons out. given my experience on live and a little on psn, i usually just end up playing with friends.

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LittleBigMidget
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 11:40:36 PM
Reply

I don't know why everyone is acting like the PSN is all pancakes and butterflies. It isn't. Last night in Killzone 2, I had killed 3 guys in a row. On their mics they called me some vicious racial slurs, and one of them was a chick.

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sonic1899
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 10:15:28 AM

No is saying that PSN has absolutely NO problems; theres going to be a-holes on it too. The thing is there are far less a-holes on PSN compared to XBL.

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Clamedeus
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 11:11:25 AM

Indeed Sonic.

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Fane1024
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 3:38:22 PM

I once ran into a bunch of guys playing SOCOM whose every other word was the n-word, but that is the exception rather than the rule in my experience.

Of course, part of that is the fact that no one uses a mic on PSN.

p.s. I quit that game ASAP.
Last edited by Fane1024 on 1/29/2011 3:39:15 PM

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Clamedeus
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 7:21:41 PM

That's odd, i never had any problems with anyone on Socom what so ever. I would hear acouple swear words here and there not overly used and constant like in some games where people swear every second of breath.

But i probably only heard 1 or 3 racial slurs but that never detracted me from playing online nothing will if i want to play a game i would rather play than let some moron ruin my party. The mute button is the best invention who ever invented it is a genius.
Last edited by Clamedeus on 1/29/2011 7:23:47 PM

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Alienange
Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 11:47:14 PM
Reply

You think girl gamers are being considered less female because of this hobby? I doubt it. A girl shows up online and the whole room goes gaga. Unfortunately, it's the males' serious lack of getting some that brings out the worst in them. I mean seriously. Just look at the avatars we have going here.

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Scarecrow
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 12:00:02 AM

Don't hate, appreciate.

What does one's avatar have to do with anything? Am I to assume that you have that Bleach guy avatar because you're trying to imitate someone more manly than yourself?

See how ridiculous it is?

One's avatar can stand as a joke (look at 0_o's car avatar), to a favorite character in a game/movie, to something ironic, etc. Everyone has a different statement to make.

You've been schooled, no need to pay me.

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Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 12:08:58 AM

I didn't say they were seen as more manly by gamers; gamers know what video games ARE.

I'm talking about everyone ELSE. The millions outside your/our little bubble.
Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 1/29/2011 12:10:53 AM

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Alienange
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 4:56:40 PM

@ Ben - Who are these people outside our bubble that you speak of?

@ Scarecrow - Were you drinking last night?

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Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 7:58:48 PM

Just about everyone over the age of 50 (with the exception of BikerSaint). ;)

That, and any human alive whose only video game information comes from the mainstream media and FOX News.

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Smoothhands
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 12:06:36 AM
Reply

ok I lurk here a lot because I use this site for sony news, but I can no longer stay quiet. I keep seeing these articles over and over about girl gamers and respect and it's starting to drive me crazy! I am a girl gamer and I have been since I was 5 years old. I certainly am NOT creepy or weird. I am 25 years old and have a full time job and have a normal life. The gaming world is male dominated but so what? I think a lot of the girls complaining just need to deal with it and shut up. It seems more like a cry for attention than just getting respect. I don't go around claiming to be a gamer because I know how people react and that's just the way it goes. I don't get upset over it, I just play games because it's what I do and it really shouldn't matter to anyone else. Can't we all just get along?

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Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 12:10:07 AM

...um, sure. The article offers a question that I purposely don't answer. There are no statements being made.

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WorldEndsWithMe
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 10:59:51 AM

Come from the shadows into the light, no need to lurk here.

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BikerSaint
Wednesday, February 02, 2011 @ 11:23:10 AM

Smoothhands,

"Welcome"

The more female gamers, the better.

(and as a biker, the same goes for female Harley riders, which I have helped teach 7 of them to ride)

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Smoothhands
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 12:16:44 AM
Reply

sorry I wasn't really talking about you or anyone else here making any sort of statement towards girls. I just don't think a girl demanding respect is doing anything for girl gamers... I guess other than making it look like we are big whiners :(

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Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 12:58:42 AM

Well, that's sort of like saying any stereotyped or oppressed group should always stay quiet because no good can come from saying anything.

...in human history, that usually doesn't work. ;)

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Smoothhands
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 1:31:08 AM

I agree completely! But it seems the more I run across the outcries for equality, the more it seems like it's just a cry for attention. In my opinion anyway -_-

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Shams
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 1:36:19 AM

I guess there's a time and a place for everything. If there were a 100 MLK's during the time when the slavery was in it's prime and the national economy was dependent on it, or 100 Ghandi's when the British Raj were in their ascension, without the coverage of global mass media, or a Jesus came before the rise and fall of the Roman empire, we would've never heard of the plight of these trailblazing revolutionaries.

Having said that, girl gamers getting the respect they deserve from the gaming community at large is the day everyone of them grows up, or mass censorship is enforced. Since neither of them are likely to take place, girl gamers should do what every other self-respecting person should do: stick to playing games with your friends and people who you know.

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Smoothhands
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 1:43:28 AM

While I agree that some people won't ever "grow up" you can't expect to play something like the multiplayer for uncharted 2 and somehow end up with a team made solely of people you know. That's also pretty unrealistic.

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Shams
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 1:55:18 AM

You can't invite friends in mp match in U2? Maybe, a lot of games lack decent party/lobby system. In such cases where you have no choice, practice reserve...the regular trash doesn't have to know you are a girl gamer, black gamers, white gamer, old gamer, young gamer, straight gamer, gay gamer, or whoever one is. And if a person is trying to gain acceptance from the gamer crowd, they may have some preexisting self-esteem problems of their own.

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Smoothhands
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 2:12:26 AM

no you CAN invite friends in MP, however, when there were 5 of my friends playing it would always be against another team of 5 strangers. I don't play a whole lot of MP games, but I would imagine it would be hard to only play with friends for a lot of them.

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Shams
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 12:47:57 PM

I could see if one doesn't play much mp, one doesn't get a chance to make too many online friends, and at the same time, one doesn't have to deal with rubbish too much of the time, either.

But I repeat, not everybody has to know who you are, what you are, where you live, etc...Morever, you kinda have to go out of your way to reveal that.

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BikerSaint
Wednesday, February 02, 2011 @ 11:27:17 AM

Shams,
Just like me, nobody here knows I'm a 58 year old gamer.


"Er....Oh wait".........

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Oxvial
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 12:30:05 AM
Reply

The only ones that I know have pretty cool parents,they are also into metal, manga and of course are labeled like geeks by other females.



Last edited by Oxvial on 1/29/2011 12:30:26 AM

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Kiwi of DOOM
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 12:36:49 AM
Reply

As a girl gamer, I just want to point something out from personal experience. I find that many female gamers I come across online or in person tend to take either a defensive or standoffish position regarding the stereotypes, and it almost always ends up being a means of perpetuating it. (Note that I've no intentions of bring up that small group who 'play it up' like it's a fad, or something). I've found however, that treating the matter 'simply'- for lack of a better word- tends to address the issues that cause such behavior.

"Yes, I play games, I also enjoy watching movies, drawing, and drinking coffee." There, no big deal. Just a statement of fact. I'm a firm believer in the idea that attitudes are contagious, and if gamer girls would stop getting so worked up over the fact that our 'image' is taking a few hits, things would simmer down. Yes, I've had to turn my mic off many a time to avoid unwanted irritation, but I've never thrown a fit, and I've met quite a few guys who are quite cool about the whole thing.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, you won't find me hiding my controller or waiving a picket sign anytime soon. ^_^
Last edited by Kiwi of DOOM on 1/29/2011 12:41:32 AM

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Kiwi of DOOM
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 12:48:37 AM

I just wanted to note that I realize this is about the stereotype itself, and not the girl gamers' feelings regarding it. All the same, I believe the two go hand in hand. It's a vicious circle.

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Smoothhands
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 1:34:44 AM

Yes! you pretty much nailed what I was trying to say. Thank you!

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ABUrabad
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 3:39:58 AM
Reply

In my country they still consider Video games are for KIDS , yes for kids , they still not manage to accept video gaming as a revolution of entertainment , I still find a hard time to convince people that playing video games isnt as bad as TV at all ,

for what I read at the article above , to find a girl playing any any any video game would be so outrageous in their opinions

but at this point I can see that girls are looking for any game that is not a Gender Stereotype , for example my sister is still looking for playing Crash Bandicoot three again on the PS3 and she liked playing little big planet , but in general girls over my country still feel awkward when in it comes to any video game.

Last edited by ABUrabad on 1/29/2011 3:41:08 AM

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Kevin555
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 5:37:40 AM
Reply

The stereotyping debate gives me the sh!ts. A gamer is a gamer whether you're a female or a male. At the end of the day if you like video games as a hobby than everyone who plays & enjoys them should fall under one category, & one category only.

Gamers.

People really should get with the times & wise up, sure the hobby is still tilted towards more of a male dominant one but regardless of this there is absolutely no need to split genders because of it. For example; a girl gamer, we don't call ourselves guy gamers do we? We're just gamers in general, so why can't everyone who partakes in this form of entertainment all fall under the one label of just being gamers other than [insert gender here]:gamer?

A gamer is a gamer, end of story.

I also suggest muting your headset to avoid mic wearing, hardened online heroes that spurt hollow threats & try and act like "they're the man" in CoD.


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Robochic
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 8:26:39 AM
Reply

I will never shut up during online game play, I never feel scared or sterotyped I've been very lucky with here and online PSN to not really come in contact with immature males I know once i start winning in some games I know some guys will sign off that just shows me that they cant' handle a good gamer.
Men will never quite me and I say to all female games don't let the Males or kidlits make you feel like you can't play online show them what you got.
Ben great article once again.
Oh and to all the PSX thanks guys for making me feel like one of the guys :)

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crunchy_nut_kid
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 9:03:56 AM

rock on!!

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TheAgingHipster
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 9:29:35 AM

OMG A GIRL STFU.

^_^ Just kidding. All gamers are created equal!

But out of curiosity, do you find that this article is true for your gaming experiences? I've never quite seen it, but all the girls I game with are awesome gamers and good people, so maybe my experiences are biased.

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BikerSaint
Wednesday, February 02, 2011 @ 11:36:10 AM

Robochic,

<<<<<to all the PSX thanks guys for making me feel like one of the guys :>>>>

That's because you are one of the guys1
Kudo's to ya!

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crunchy_nut_kid
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 9:01:56 AM
Reply

sony should introduce less gender specific titles and encourage girls to play. eventually, a female gamer will be as commmon as male gamers. alternitively,we could ban all video games and we can all get fresh air. and there wont be a stereotype problem anymore.=)

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Clamedeus
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 11:22:26 AM

I don't think getting rid of gaming would get rid of the stereotyping, it would still be there you might not see it yourself but it'll go on even with or without games.

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Clamedeus
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 1:33:59 PM

Wow, someone thumbed me down for that? Stereotyping is everywhere what makes getting rid of games would get rid of it? It happens in the job industry, music etc. People are to immature and not very educated and lash out at people because they don't understand someone. That's what i'm getting at. It's still going to exist not in the gaming topic but else where if gaming goes.

And i mean stereotyping in general not just gaming.
Last edited by Clamedeus on 1/29/2011 1:36:23 PM

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crunchy_nut_kid
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 8:15:33 PM

it was a joke. lol

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Clamedeus
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 9:31:06 PM

I know you were joking but i was refering to the person who thumbed me down for some reason. But it would be good if stereotyping didn't happen at all with many other things in the world.

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TheAgingHipster
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 9:12:46 AM
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I always find these kinds of articles interesting, because my experience has been exactly the opposite. First, I was introduced to gaming by my mother back in the days of Microzine and the Apple II-C, and by my three aunts with the Atari 2600. Four of the most normal women you could ever meet, and they have always loved video games. Today, three of the four have iPads, and play Scrabble and Pocket Frogs together over wifi.

Second, my wife is a gamer with an affinity for platformers with shooter elements (e.g., Ratchet & Clank). But she is also the very definition of a girlie girl, sort of like Katherine Heigl's characters in all her movies but more athletic. She never catches any flack for being a gamer and regularly whips up on her brother and cousin at numerous games.

Now, I'm not intending to brag, but my point is that I don't see the gender pigeonholing that so many articles claim occurs. I can see how it COULD happen, but I haven't experienced it. It makes me wonder just how big a problem this really is, and how many girls actually deal with it.
Last edited by TheAgingHipster on 1/29/2011 9:15:01 AM

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Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 9:50:50 AM

Once again, I'm referring to people other than gamers. Of course, gamers don't stereotype other gamers.

You've been around video games all your life, and you've been around people with similar experiences. None of them are going to look at a girl as more of a boy because she plays. The mainstream populace who knows nothing about games, on the other hand...

For instance, take those mothers you see in the Dead Space 2 ad. Ask THEM. Know what I mean? We often forget about that other naysaying group...primarily because we don't WANT to remember them. ;)
Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 1/29/2011 9:51:07 AM

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TheAgingHipster
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 11:38:00 AM

Good point Ben. I've certainly been fortunate in that my friends and family have always been open about gaming. However, I would argue that DS2 is a bad example, given its decidedly gory and gruesome content. I know true gamers that refuse to play those games specifically because of that.

The flip side, then, is that perhaps gaming in general is becoming more acceptable. Using my aunts as the example again, they are leaders in their communities and churches, and when people hear they are playing games like Ratchet and Clank, or any of the plethora of AppStore games, they are not shunned or judged, but rather their associates begin to play those games too. They view it as a social activity rather than as a stigma, and they've brought new gamers into the fold by being open about their hobby.

I don't know if this is the exception rather than the rule, but I do think it says something about circumstances surrounding gamers. Perhaps public view of certain gamers is a product of other behaviors unassociated with gaming, e.g., asociality or awkwardness?

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bigrailer19
Saturday, January 29, 2011 @ 12:06:27 PM
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I gotta say the male gamers themselves love them some girl gamers in their lobby. I've played against many clans with girls in them on more than one FPS. I also have a few "girl gamer" friends. They are as normal as I. Just like me they put work, school and life among other things first and play later.

So why should anyone outaide the industry be stereotyping? We know gamers are not really criticizing in this case. So if a girl leads a normal life abd plays games on the side, I don't know what the issue would be for anybody.

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SplendidBlended
Sunday, January 30, 2011 @ 4:18:53 PM
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As a female gamer I would have to agree with this article. It's sad but true.
It's a label that seems to get placed on any girl who games. You're a girl? You play games? Well, you're either fat and ugly or a tomboy. Those are your options.

I have a lot of female gaming friends. Almost all of them are fairly attractive, and almost all of them enjoy the kind of things that other, non-gaming girls enjoy, too. We aren't just male gamers with boobs.

There is still so much disrespect for girls who play video games. It's sad. There has hardly been a single time where I haven't been called something sexist or disgusting while I've been on my headset. That hasn't stopped me, though.

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SplendidBlended
Sunday, January 30, 2011 @ 4:22:41 PM
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I'm more of the Jane Austen novel in one hand and DS3 in the other kind of girl gamer, though. (:
I happen to enjoy nice clothes and makeup just as much as I enjoy a good round of COD or zombie slaying. Take that, stereotypes!

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