There's been a lot of talk 'round these parts lately about sexism in video games in the community. One of our female members has another take on it, one you're probably not used to reading.
Video Gaming: Women There Is No Sexism Only Equality, and You Are Not That Special
I have read article upon article regarding sexism in the video game industry, online video gaming and on gaming websites. This dead horse has not just been beaten, but stomped, mashed and generally pulverized. They all say the same things, and most have the exact same point of view. How about a taste of the flip-side?
Complaints fly from women regarding the gaming industry’s typical use of curves, large breasts and small amounts of clothing on female characters. Ladies, before you try to make this complaint stick, stop and look at the male characters in video games.
For instance, Army of Two has men bulging with muscle and chiseled faces. Assassins’ Creed’s leading man is mysterious and easy on the eyes. And let’s not forget Master Chief from Halo. Yes, I am a Halo fanboy. Everyone, even men, know he is sexy under all of the armor. He just has to be [wait, wha? Isn’t he like a seven-foot tall ‘roided up albino? – ed.].
Take it from another angle. How can the video game industry be viewed as sexist when the woman in the game, with curves or not, is kicking men’s asses? They are actually doing the exact opposite of what you are accusing them of. You are seeing empowered women. Designers are not discriminating against women nor are they fostering a stereotype based on social roles. They are portraying women as being strong, smart and able.
Are you confused? Did you mean to accuse the industry of objectifying women? There is a gap as big as the Grand Canyon between the definition of sexism and objectivity.
There are also grumbles that the gaming industry forgets about the female population when creating new games. I’ve been puzzled by this since I first read it and in all of the articles I have yet to see anyone go in depth and explain exactly what this means.
Ladies, what exactly is it that you want from the industry? Do you even know? The industry makes games for gamers, not genders. So many games come out each month. FPSes, MMORPGs, Platformers, TPSes, RPGs, and they are for all gamers.
What is it that you yearn for so much? Aren’t all of these games made with different types of gamers in mind? You can’t debate this point if you can’t define exactly how you are ignored. It’s a losing argument.
When it comes to playing video games online via PC or console you should have realized by the end of your first day what the experience was going to be like. Many people find it can be an unpleasant place. Racial slurs, name calling, cursing, sexual references and much more abound.
Many women whine that they are treated much worse than men during online games. As an online girl gamer I can attest to the fact that men get as much of the gritty name calling and threats as women do. Most of the same women have stated that as women they should be treated better online and have decided to not stand up for better treatment for both genders.
Do you really think as a gender you deserved more than men? Do you believe that you should get more respect because you are a woman? You have decided to step into the arena of gaming that is commonly known to be dominated by males. You have the same rights as men in gaming and that means you have the right to be berated just the same as they are. Please don’t think, however, that the hundreds of thousands of online gamers are going to change how they behave or what they say to make you more comfortable.
You have the right to choose not to game online or to press the mute button, but you are not entitled to nor have the right to any treatment that is not afforded everyone else. If gaming online makes you feel so violated then stay offline and game in campaign mode.
Take it a step farther. How about the use of the word rape during games… Did you know there is more than one definition for the word rape, and as such, more than one use? I’m going to assume no. Not everything is a sexual reference, not everything is about you.
When it comes to video game websites, the only ones I have ever known to perpetuate sexism are site created by women for women only. I have yet to see any site that is a male-only site.
Ladies, pick up the mirror and look into it closely. What do you see? I see hypocrites. There are numerous websites that only allow female membership and clans that do the same. This is the very definition of sexism.
You have discriminated against men by not allowing them into your site or clan based solely on their gender. Most gaming sites or clans happily welcome women into their fold. One of the reasons women state they have to have an all-female site or clan is for support.
Are you kidding me? I can understand people needing support to get through cancer, drug abuse, domestic violence and grief, but support to play a video game? Seriously, gaming is for entertainment only. If you let this type of entertainment effect your person, feelings or life so much that you need support to continue to do it then you need to walk away from the game.
Ladies, when you enter a gaming website you are the minority. Period. You accuse men of sexism and posting offending threads and pictures, yet when you post pictures of men, they are not the average Joe. You’re objectifying them, but you don’t hear them gripe that it is sexism or offending. You post some threads that men don’t always find appealing but they don’t turn it into a public outcry of sexism. They make the most fun of it that they can.
You are not special ladies. You don’t get to change who thousands of people are at their core to make your world all safe, cozy and unoffending. Real life doesn’t work that way. If it is so bad that you feel the need to try and change it, you’ll only be creating glass houses. Go to the sites that exhibit the most blatant sexism in gaming and you’ll find those are the sites that exclude men.
One last point before I bring this rant to an end. Ladies, did you ever think by your actions you are actually setting women back in gaming and the industry? There are women out there who just want to be gamers. They don’t want to be known as girl, lady or female gamer. By your actions you are creating a stereotype that these women get dragged into kicking and screaming.
Gaming and being a woman have absolutely nothing to do with each other. You are the guilty party. You have chosen to insert sexism into every aspect of gaming including your title as a gamer. Not all women want this and when they distance themselves from you for this very reason, you assume so many things about them, including the idea that they hate all women. In reality they just want to play and avoid all the sexism you are pushing on people and moaning about.
I am a woman and a gamer. Notice I separated them with the word “and.” Yes, I am female and a gamer but the two are not intertwined. I’m not so stupid to think that every woman who is also a gamer thinks like the women I have described above. Please don’t think this article pertains to all women. I would hope that those of us that just want to be gamers outnumber those that are girl/lady/female gamers but the more I see the more that hope diminishes.
I can only thank the friends I have found through gaming for treating me just like everyone else. I also want to thank everyone that has called me a name online because they too are treating me with equality. Maybe some of you ladies are just confused about the definition of sexism. I’m not going to go as far as posting definitions here, but really, check it out.
What you are saying just makes no sense when you take the definition and apply it. Maybe you meant “objectify.” I guess that might be closer, but you can’t accuse men of doing it and then do it yourselves.
Why do you have to spoil a form of entertainment for many of us by carrying on repeatedly about these things? You are screaming sexism, using men as your weapon of choice, and using your gender as an excuse to ask for special treatment.
You want equality? You have it and don’t even know it. You get the same games from the industry as men. You get cursed at and called names just like the men do online. Finally, you have the privilege of men feeling comfortable enough with you around to not feel they have to be politically correct all the time and can talk or post about anything. You made the choice to come into this gaming world and if it is such a bad place then please do all of us a favor stop the sermon and start knitting again. (This last statement would be an example of sexism, just saying.)
