Gamer culture remains rude and decidedly MALE DOMINATED - STUDY finds
http://phys.org/news/2015-05-gamer-culture-crude-rude-male-dominated.html
Misogyny is a defining characteristic of gaming culture, even though half of the players now are female.
Women who game face unwelcome sexual advances and crude condemnations of their skills, say Benjamin Baker and Arrington Stoll, UWM doctoral students who recently completed a study on the topic.
"Video games have historically been steeped in hypermasculine culture," said Baker, 31, a lifelong gamer. "Games have been developed by men and marketed to men."
While the audience has evolved, the sexualized characterization of women has not. The streets, dungeons and battlefields are more realistic than ever but still populated by brawny males and a few women clad in cleavage-revealing costumes.
Stoll, 28, began playing about six years to stay connected with her younger brother when he went off to college. She played a character with masculine traits in the online Xbox 360 game Call of Duty, but her feminine username and voice were immediate giveaways (players wear headsets and communicate with one another).
"It was terrible at first," said Stoll, who was berated in crude language when, as a newcomer, she didn't perform well. "My brother would stick up for me," she said. "He'd say 'Hey, that's my sister!'"
----
My question to the male gamers on TSR is do you support misogyny and sexism in-game? And how can we fix this unfair treatment of half the gaming demographic?
Misogyny is a defining characteristic of gaming culture, even though half of the players now are female.
Women who game face unwelcome sexual advances and crude condemnations of their skills, say Benjamin Baker and Arrington Stoll, UWM doctoral students who recently completed a study on the topic.
"Video games have historically been steeped in hypermasculine culture," said Baker, 31, a lifelong gamer. "Games have been developed by men and marketed to men."
While the audience has evolved, the sexualized characterization of women has not. The streets, dungeons and battlefields are more realistic than ever but still populated by brawny males and a few women clad in cleavage-revealing costumes.
Stoll, 28, began playing about six years to stay connected with her younger brother when he went off to college. She played a character with masculine traits in the online Xbox 360 game Call of Duty, but her feminine username and voice were immediate giveaways (players wear headsets and communicate with one another).
"It was terrible at first," said Stoll, who was berated in crude language when, as a newcomer, she didn't perform well. "My brother would stick up for me," she said. "He'd say 'Hey, that's my sister!'"
----
My question to the male gamers on TSR is do you support misogyny and sexism in-game? And how can we fix this unfair treatment of half the gaming demographic?
(edited 8 years ago)
Scroll to see replies
As a female who has been verbally abused on cod for years, I think it's just banter.
People who take offence from the comments people make about them should not be playing 18+ rated games.
/thread
People who take offence from the comments people make about them should not be playing 18+ rated games.
/thread
If the representation of women in video games is so awful and painful to women - and if women are really half of gamers - why do the companies which produce those games not go out of business?
There is obviously something wrong with or false about what you are saying
There is obviously something wrong with or false about what you are saying
Original post by rayquaza17
As a female who has been verbally abused on cod for years, I think it's just banter.
People who take offence from the comments people make about them should not be playing 18+ rated games.
/thread
People who take offence from the comments people make about them should not be playing 18+ rated games.
/thread
The issue is representation in games. Not "banter".
Original post by tomfailinghelp
If the representation of women in video games is so awful and painful to women - and if women are really half of gamers - why do the companies which produce those games not go out of business?
There is obviously something wrong with or false about what you are saying
There is obviously something wrong with or false about what you are saying
....Because if we refused to buy all games that didn't properly represent women, we'd have (practically) nothing to play? The point is that improvements should be made.
Original post by k3ro
The issue is representation in games. Not "banter".
I'm fine with the representation of females in games though.
I don't hear anyone say, for example, Duke Nukem isn't an accurate representation of males!
You don't play games to be 'represented', you play games to have fun.
If you don't like it, don't play it. Let other people who like it enjoy it. Stop trying to ruin things for others.
Original post by tomfailinghelp
If the representation of women in video games is so awful and painful to women - and if women are really half of gamers - why do the companies which produce those games not go out of business?
There is obviously something wrong with or false about what you are saying
There is obviously something wrong with or false about what you are saying
Exactly.
It's a load of rubbish!
(edited 8 years ago)
most of the the long term gamers are misyognist virgins lol
I'll be honest, i used to see female gamers as inferior when i was playing games like eg COD, halo, fifa as they were games marketed to guys.
I never insulted them but always teabagged them hahaa
as with the representation of girls in games, i couldn't care less
I'll be honest, i used to see female gamers as inferior when i was playing games like eg COD, halo, fifa as they were games marketed to guys.
I never insulted them but always teabagged them hahaa
as with the representation of girls in games, i couldn't care less
Original post by k3ro
The issue is representation in games. Not "banter".
No it is not.
Original post by k3ro
....Because if we refused to buy all games that didn't properly represent women, we'd have (practically) nothing to play? The point is that improvements should be made.
What 'improvements' do you suggest?
Original post by rayquaza17
As a female who has been verbally abused on cod for years, I think it's just banter.
People who take offence from the comments people make about them should not be playing 18+ rated games.
/thread
People who take offence from the comments people make about them should not be playing 18+ rated games.
/thread
Explaining it away as boys being boys, just creates men that are more likely than not sexist, homophobic, and misogynistic. You see the words bitch, **** and slut thrown about in gaming circles all the time and I have experienced too much like you.
I feel like accepting the sexism and misogyny that comes with gaming and downplaying it as "banter" is ridiculous and makes you seem as rather docile. Not to mention being deferential as your post suggests you are means you ignore online harassment simply because you consider yourself one of the lads.
Original post by Maradiah
Oh no! who set you free?
Why are you back?
Why are you back?
The Empire Strikes Back!!!!
Original post by k3ro
....Because if we refused to buy all games that didn't properly represent women, we'd have (practically) nothing to play? The point is that improvements should be made.
Then you could make your own game. If the problem is as bad as you suggest, there would be considerable money to be made in marketing games that are not 'misogynistic', and people would do it. The reason they don't is that not enough people care. The fact is that people such as yourself don't want egalitarian games - they want something to complain about. There's no market for them because nobody actually wants them.
Back again, are we?
The solution is for women to simply keep playing games. The misogyny surrounding women in gaming and internet culture is much less than it was, say, ten years ago. If you went into an online game ten years ago (I did), any girl on there would be berated and receive frankly disturbing sexual advances. Now, more often then not, the trend is for guys to berate the moron who is making the advances in the first place. This is simply anecdotal, but I really do feel as if things are getting better as women become a larger part of tech culture.
The solution is for women to simply keep playing games. The misogyny surrounding women in gaming and internet culture is much less than it was, say, ten years ago. If you went into an online game ten years ago (I did), any girl on there would be berated and receive frankly disturbing sexual advances. Now, more often then not, the trend is for guys to berate the moron who is making the advances in the first place. This is simply anecdotal, but I really do feel as if things are getting better as women become a larger part of tech culture.
Original post by Daenerys...
Explaining it away as boys being boys, just creates men that are more likely than not sexist, homophobic, and misogynistic. You see the words bitch, **** and slut thrown about in gaming circles all the time and I have experienced too much like you.
I feel like accepting the sexism and misogyny that comes with gaming and downplaying it as "banter" is ridiculous and makes you seem as rather docile. Not to mention being deferential as your post suggests you are means you ignore online harassment simply because you consider yourself one of the lads.
I feel like accepting the sexism and misogyny that comes with gaming and downplaying it as "banter" is ridiculous and makes you seem as rather docile. Not to mention being deferential as your post suggests you are means you ignore online harassment simply because you consider yourself one of the lads.
No I don't accept it, I call them names back.
I do not consider myself one of the lads.
Original post by bittr n swt
I'll be honest, i used to see female gamers as inferior when i was playing games like eg COD, halo, fifa as they were games marketed to guys.
I never insulted them but always teabagged them hahaa
I'll be honest, i used to see female gamers as inferior when i was playing games like eg COD, halo, fifa as they were games marketed to guys.
I never insulted them but always teabagged them hahaa
See if someone did this to me, I'd laugh and do the same back to them!
Original post by bittr n swt
most of the the long term gamers are misyognist virgins lol
I'll be honest, i used to see female gamers as inferior when i was playing games like eg COD, halo, fifa as they were games marketed to guys.
I never insulted them but always teabagged them hahaa
as with the representation of girls in games, i couldn't care less
I'll be honest, i used to see female gamers as inferior when i was playing games like eg COD, halo, fifa as they were games marketed to guys.
I never insulted them but always teabagged them hahaa
as with the representation of girls in games, i couldn't care less
So you admit to being a misogynist virgin?
Original post by rayquaza17
I'm fine with the representation of females in games though.
I don't hear anyone say, for example, Duke Nukem isn't an accurate representation of males!
You don't play games to be 'represented', you play games to have fun.
If you don't like it, don't play it. Let other people who like it enjoy it. Stop trying to ruin things for others.
I don't hear anyone say, for example, Duke Nukem isn't an accurate representation of males!
You don't play games to be 'represented', you play games to have fun.
If you don't like it, don't play it. Let other people who like it enjoy it. Stop trying to ruin things for others.
Hahaha go **** yourself. I'm not 'ruining' anything.
Original post by EatAndRevise
What 'improvements' do you suggest?
Characters that are more diverse would be a start. Why should 90% of game protagonists be white males?
Original post by tomfailinghelp
Then you could make your own game. If the problem is as bad as you suggest, there would be considerable money to be made in marketing games that are not 'misogynistic', and people would do it. The reason they don't is that not enough people care. The fact is that people such as yourself don't want egalitarian games - they want something to complain about. There's no market for them because nobody actually wants them.
A good example that springs to mind is DAI. I believe it won game of the year.
The Last of Us was also one of the most popular games this/last year. Life is Strange too. There are others.
Original post by k3ro
Hahaha go **** yourself. I'm not 'ruining' anything.
Mate 1v1 me on rust.
Original post by tomfailinghelp
If the representation of women in video games is so awful and painful to women - and if women are really half of gamers - why do the companies which produce those games not go out of business?
There is obviously something wrong with or false about what you are saying
There is obviously something wrong with or false about what you are saying
You really shouldn't need any more proof that women are a huge part of the video games industry, but we're going to give you some anyway.
According to the Entertainment Software Association's annual "Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry" report, women enjoy gaming as much as men, with 48 percent of gamers identifying as female and 52 percent identifying as male.
--
To answer your question the companies don't go bankrupt because men will continue to buy the games regardless of female sentiment and with female gamers who are deferential to sexism/misogyny, like the female poster in this thread, it's not rocket science to figure out how the gaming companies are staying in the green.
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