Sigh, just a minor rant. For the most part I try to ignore sexism on the internet. Anonymity is a wonderful thing, and lets me game just fine for the most part. But every once in a while something happens that just irks me...
So I hop on TL and check the streams. Orb, a friend of mine from highschool is streaming some 1v1 action in SC2. I hop on vent, join his channel, and ask if he wants to do some 2v2's. I can apparently be heard on the stream. The reaction to my sudden appearance is frustrating. I should really remember to turn off the damned chat window on those streams...
"Woah who's the female?" "She sounds fat." "Wait who's the girl?" "Girls don't play starcraft." "That girl shows up on several TL streams" "What's she look like?" "Pictures?" "She's probably just an attention whore" "LOL girl playing SC must be ugly" "Girls only play games to get male attention." "Is she any good?" "Wait who's the chick?" "cam whore prolly"
etc etc etc...
Ugh. I play lots of different video games because I ENJOY them. And I could probably kick your ass in quite a few of them as well. Not as some gimmick to get attention, but because they're fun. I like the challenge, the speed, the strategy, etc. I play these games for the same reasons you do!
And why bring up my appearance? What the shit does that have to do with anything? I'm no supermodel, but I'm far from some cloistered fatty, ugh. There is so much importance placed on female looks in the real world, and now I have to deal with it on the internet? While trying to play SC2? As resilient as I am to that sort of thing, YES I get self conscious.
Sometimes it really sucks being one of the only girls in a group. This collective attitude is one of the reasons there are so few girls in gaming in the first place. It just feels like there's too much expected of us. I go to local events worrying about my appearance, as retarded as that is. I even *know* it's stupid, but I still can't help but worry a bit. No, I'm not gorgeous, but I'll kick your ass in SC2. Why can't that be good enough?
Ugh, it's just frustrating that it all affects me like it does, even when I'm conscious of it. I watch these other streams and people are all commenting on the player's ability and skill at the game, not their presumed appearance. Just.... grrr
I think people are put off by female gamers because a lot of them frankly are attention whores. Nothing annoys me more than some girl yapping off about how "she can play wit da boizzz" and she's a "gurrrrlll gamer" and "i can beat my bf at halo lol omg <3"
At the same time. I feel sorry for girls who aren't taken seriously because of those annoying bitches. I don't give a fuck who you are, where you're from, what gender/sexuality/whatever you may be, shut up and play the game.
I know quite a few legit female gamers and they hate the GURRRL GAMERZ just as much as anyone else.
However, don't expect internet gaming pubs to be full of anything but retards, hyper-sexual 14 year olds, and sexists. Here is a good example of how shitty gaming pubs can be:
You should start playing MMO's. You will get a ton of free shit.
But really, don't worry about what dumb kids say. Girls who play video games are cool, much better than playing dolls and having tea parties or whatever it is the rest of you do.
lol don't worry, all the DC/VA/MD guys don't think you're an attention whore. We know you're not fat, we know you're far from ugly, and we love you! Don't ever worry about your appearance, especially when you come to a LAN. We do not judge!
edit: Well I might judge because of this you said:
On February 23 2010 17:06 DoctorHelvetica wrote: I think people are put off by female gamers because a lot of them frankly are attention whores. Nothing annoys me more than some girl yapping off about how "she can play wit da boizzz" and she's a "gurrrrlll gamer" and "i can beat my bf at halo lol omg <3"
At the same time. I feel sorry for girls who aren't taken seriously because of those annoying bitches. I don't give a fuck who you are, where you're from, what gender/sexuality/whatever you may be, shut up and play the game.
I know quite a few legit female gamers and they hate the GURRRL GAMERZ just as much as anyone else.
However, don't expect internet gaming pubs to be full of anything but retards, hyper-sexual 14 year olds, and sexists. Here is a good example of how shitty gaming pubs can be:
You should start playing MMO's. You will get a ton of free shit.
Pretty much this. Keep in mind who your audience is as well : sexually-frustrated men who look to "hang out with the guys" and what not. Its pretty much just easy for men to bandwagon onto either hating a girl, or ogling her online. Sucks -_-.
Hmmm I dunno, but back when I played various MMO's (serious enough to be guild officer and on vent 24/7 and etc.) all girls in guild were appreciated and well treated, not overly-well treated but like you know, with as much as respect for "another gamer". Of course sometimes guys on vent would be flirty but that's probably natural anywhere, not just in gaming space?
On February 23 2010 17:14 CaucasianAsian wrote: lol don't worry, all the DC/VA/MD guys don't think you're an attention whore. We know you're not fat, we know you're far from ugly, and we love you! Don't ever worry about your appearance, especially when you come to a LAN. We do not judge! just yankin your chair there
If you've stated your opinion on her appearances, haven't you already judged =o?
i honestly think there should be more girls playing video games. for one, i can talk to a girl about stuff im well informed about rather than stuff im clearing bullshitting
On February 23 2010 17:14 CaucasianAsian wrote: lol don't worry, all the DC/VA/MD guys don't think you're an attention whore. We know you're not fat, we know you're far from ugly, and we love you! Don't ever worry about your appearance, especially when you come to a LAN. We do not judge! just yankin your chair there
If you've stated your opinion on her appearances, haven't you already judged =o?
Don't let it get to you. A large percentage of any newer game's online population are going to be socially inept adolescents. If you were a guy who wasn't already in their "circle" they would probably just call you a fag instead. I like to believe reputable members of any gaming or esports community are going to be the ones that take their relationships with the people they play with seriously.
On February 23 2010 17:14 CaucasianAsian wrote: lol don't worry, all the DC/VA/MD guys don't think you're an attention whore. We know you're not fat, we know you're far from ugly, and we love you! Don't ever worry about your appearance, especially when you come to a LAN. We do not judge! just yankin your chair there
If you've stated your opinion on her appearances, haven't you already judged =o?
it's not an opinion.
Good save.
On topic, I think DH covered the issue pretty well. Gaming communities see enough drama queens (or "GURRRL GAMERZ" as DH so eloquently put) that a stigma against female gamers builds up. In some sense, the stigma builds on itself: the stereotyping drives away non-attention-whoring female gamers, meaning that the only exposure those communities gets to female gamers is with the drama queens, further entrenching their ideas.
This even has made itself evident on TL several times: when a self-professed girl gamer shows up with a blog announcing such @ less than 20 posts, people get skeptical. They think "Zia". They think they're being trolled. And so, they mount the typical response of playing with the troll with such responses.
For the most part, I think you've avoided this stigmatism on TL, largely because I can't remember a discussion where your gender has actually come up. It's unfortunate that anonymity has to act as the armor for your dignity, but given how that works for lots of things on the internet (not just gender, but in certain cases race, sexual orientation, political leanings, etc.), it's kind of par for the course.
nobody with half a brain cares what organ is dangling (or not dangling) from your crotch when we're playing video games over the internet
i realize it is difficult to have a decidedly apathetic opinion on the matter when you are the subject, but you still gotta realize that nobody with half a brain cares and neither should you
On February 23 2010 17:48 FakeSteve[TPR] wrote: nobody with half a brain cares what organ is dangling (or not dangling) from your crotch when we're playing video games over the internet
i realize it is difficult to have a decidedly apathetic opinion on the matter when you are the subject, but you still gotta realize that nobody with half a brain cares and neither should you
You assume that the internet is made up of people with half a brain.
On February 23 2010 17:48 FakeSteve[TPR] wrote: nobody with half a brain cares what organ is dangling (or not dangling) from your crotch when we're playing video games over the internet
i realize it is difficult to have a decidedly apathetic opinion on the matter when you are the subject, but you still gotta realize that nobody with half a brain cares and neither should you
You assume that the internet is made up of people with half a brain.
EPT
Don't let them discourage you. Haters gonna hate
