How offended are you at the "somewhat sexualised" representation of females in a majority of the gaming culture? In accordance with Laura Mulveys "male gaze" theory?
Got a gamer geek friend doing that for coursework. She'd love to know.
Hm, this is a hard questions to answer because: firstly, it involves a lot of in depth psychological and philosophical theory which I have a tendency to run around in circles with in my head, and secondly, I'm not usually as offended as I am annoyed. Mostly I'll admit because it's so expected. There's no shock and horror involved with video-game female-objectification anymore because everyone does it. I just take my comfort from checking out Drake's smarmy, toned ass(damn the cover art for obscuring it), and eying the Prince of Persia's rippling physique, because I feel somehow it will get back at the 19-year-old British boy who designed Lara Croft.
If I must give a number I'd say it fluctuates from a 4 to a 7 because of the idiotic beach volleyball game. It's one of the few that punctures my thick and well-developed apathy, making it deflate like the colored balls no one pays attention to.
We do, we're just generally more moody about it than boys. For example, we have moods where we find it sadistically hilarious to shoot off men's toodles(youtube joke, forgive me). And then there's the fact that ENORMOUS numbers of idiots stalk FPS servers waiting to hear a female voice and scream creepy come-ons and profanity. Although I've noticed they do that to just about anyone, so maybe you just have a higher idiocy tolerance than we do.
Oh, and manly "YEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH!"s and chest-bumping give us testosterone headaches.
I am mildly disapproving of this thread. (insert a Marge Simpson grunt of dismay here.)
Look, my wife is a badass WoW player-- way better than I ever was or will be. (In fact, she's got several realm-first achievements with her guild.) She's a decent FPS player- but I'm a little better- and a flamingly mediocre RTS player. We shall not speak of my lack of skill with RTS games.
But she still goes to work, eats, breathes, pays bills, etc. just like every other adult- male or female- on the planet. Between her chosen form of recreation, her extreme braininess, her fondness for Tolkien, etc., I guess she's a 'Geek Girl', but at the same time, I fail to see how that is relevant at all. She is a person with hobbies, hopes, dreams, desires, fears, etc. etc... just like anyone else on the freaking planet. That she happens to share the interests and preferences with me is wonderful, but-- I must admit-- she is not unique... well, maybe she is in that she loves *me*, but that is a different matter entirely.
My issue with the whole "Gamr Grrl" schtick is that the vast majority of the time it isn't an honest classification so much as it's an artificial division created to foster appeal in a particular segement of males, which means it's similar to (and no better than) 'cheerleaders', 'bowheads', 'goth chicks', etc.
NOT saying that the OP is intentionally playing on that; but you have to admit, it's at least a bit of an ego-stroke to put one's self in a position where authority (which is to say, in this case, desirability) is assumed.
You guys really want to know the truth? The huge, top-secret information that will ensure success with whatever gender that you're attracted to?
there isn't one. We're all people with different thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and dreams, and the only thing you can do is try to find out what interests you share with someone you're attracted to and build a connection with him or her based upon that commonality.
Although I imagine that I'll be flamed to a crisp shortly, the truth is that I fervently wish that people would stop propogating this myth that women who are intelligent, attractive, trustworthy, and also happen to game are akin to basselope, unicorns, snipe, yeti, or whatever mostly-mythological creature you care to name.
They're out there, and there are far, far more than you think, guys. You just have to keep your eyes open and your mind active. Trust me, if I could land one (and believe me, Mrs. SolidStateMind is h-a-w-t: think Scully from X Files), you can, too.
Although I imagine that I'll be flamed to a crisp shortly, the truth is that I fervently wish that people would stop propogating this myth that women who are intelligent, attractive, trustworthy, and also happen to game are akin to basselope, unicorns, snipe, yeti, or whatever mostly-mythological creature you care to name.
So your saying a member of the opposite sex who shares the same interests, same passions, and desireable personality is common. I personally think someone who can share a desirreable likeness is EXTREMELY rare, perhaps you walked into a store a found 10 people like that and chose Mrs solidstatemind but i would say MOST people wouldnt be that lucky and in fact would rarely see let alone meet someone they could really bond with.
I personally consider myself a gamer. Someone who has a great passion for video games as a lifestyle. Someone of the opposite sex who would share this same sort of passion i would consider a gamer. Since they are female, a gamer girl.
As much as you are absolutely correct, surely this thread, like many other threads akin to it, are just a bit of a laugh and indeed a play on the stereotyping of people, countries and whatnot.
If I'm wrong, however, and people take these threads as seriously as say the ones that deal with religion and politics (although I'm not sure how many there are serious and not trolling) then my faith in humanity has suffered another blow.
I am mildly disapproving of this thread. (insert a Marge Simpson grunt of dismay here.)
Look, my wife is a badass WoW player-- way better than I ever was or will be. (In fact, she's got several realm-first achievements with her guild.) She's a decent FPS player- but I'm a little better- and a flamingly mediocre RTS player. We shall not speak of my lack of skill with RTS games.
But she still goes to work, eats, breathes, pays bills, etc. just like every other adult- male or female- on the planet. Between her chosen form of recreation, her extreme braininess, her fondness for Tolkien, etc., I guess she's a 'Geek Girl', but at the same time, I fail to see how that is relevant at all. She is a person with hobbies, hopes, dreams, desires, fears, etc. etc... just like anyone else on the freaking planet. That she happens to share the interests and preferences with me is wonderful, but-- I must admit-- she is not unique... well, maybe she is in that she loves *me*, but that is a different matter entirely.
My issue with the whole "Gamr Grrl" schtick is that the vast majority of the time it isn't an honest classification so much as it's an artificial division created to foster appeal in a particular segement of males, which means it's similar to (and no better than) 'cheerleaders', 'bowheads', 'goth chicks', etc.
NOT saying that the OP is intentionally playing on that; but you have to admit, it's at least a bit of an ego-stroke to put one's self in a position where authority (which is to say, in this case, desirability) is assumed.
You guys really want to know the truth? The huge, top-secret information that will ensure success with whatever gender that you're attracted to?
there isn't one. We're all people with different thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and dreams, and the only thing you can do is try to find out what interests you share with someone you're attracted to and build a connection with him or her based upon that commonality.
Although I imagine that I'll be flamed to a crisp shortly, the truth is that I fervently wish that people would stop propogating this myth that women who are intelligent, attractive, trustworthy, and also happen to game are akin to basselope, unicorns, snipe, yeti, or whatever mostly-mythological creature you care to name.
They're out there, and there are far, far more than you think, guys. You just have to keep your eyes open and your mind active. Trust me, if I could land one (and believe me, Mrs. SolidStateMind is h-a-w-t: think Scully from X Files), you can, too.
I would glomp you, but that might be propagating a false image of geek girls as willing to hop and hug(jk... mostly).
My friend and I who are both reading this thread with avid interest and amusement (note: for fun, to take this thread too seriously would be to a great disservice to sex relations) and you're quite right. I didn't mean to set myself up in authority(perhaps I should have lengthened my invite for other girls to join in), and I just thought a few amusing/interesting questions and anecdotes might come of the interaction. That's usually the purpose of most of my forum scrounging, as deep intellectual thought is to be hoped for but by no means expected.
And may I say congratz, to Mrs. SolidStateMind too, because landing a good geek boy who will compare us to hot actresses while still being realistic and down-to-earth in the same post is what we all dream about.
So your saying a member of the opposite sex who shares the same interests, same passions, desire personality is common. I personally think someone who can share a desirreable likeness is EXTREMELY rare, perhaps you walked into a store a found 10 people like that and chose Mrs solidstatemind but i would say MOST people wouldnt be that lucky and in fact would rarely see let alone meet someone they could really bond with.
Of course people who are exactly like you are extremely rare, in fact I'm inclined to say we're all unique to some degree. We all, however, function on the same principles and you don't have to find a clone of yourself to find someone aesthetically and intellectually pleasing, with whom you have at least some significant common interests.
I'm not saying it's easy, just that it's definitely not impossible. Unless there's something external or internal prohibiting you from doing so, which is an entirely different matter to begin with and has been discussed at length in other threads.
My girlfriend is a geek girl like you, it's our two month anniversary next thursday. What would be the ideal gift or action to surprise you with? I was going to get my missus chocolate, but being a geek like her I want to take it up a notch...
Secondly, due to the wiiiiide range of geeky interests, it's hard to point at one in particular. My goth friend over my shoulder is a black roses fan, but I myself am a cool little gadget fan, who peruses ThinkGeek for sales. Most important in picking gifts for Geek girls is keeping their foremost interests at heart. Like all girls we love things personalized for us.
Depending on your budget, there's everything from signed books and memorabilia to tickets to the movie we've been raving about to you dressed up as Indiana Jones or Malcolm Reynolds(Girls can enjoy cosplay too dammit). Although if you're going to be those, some whip practice for Indy and gun flipping for Mal will add an extra dollop of impressiveness that if she's a true fangirl will definitely get you smooched.
If you want more specific suggestions, what are her big fandoms?
We do, we're just generally more moody about it than boys. For example, we have moods where we find it sadistically hilarious to shoot off men's toodles(youtube joke, forgive me). And then there's the fact that ENORMOUS numbers of idiots stalk FPS servers waiting to hear a female voice and scream creepy come-ons and profanity. Although I've noticed they do that to just about anyone, so maybe you just have a higher idiocy tolerance than we do.
Oh, and manly "YEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH!"s and chest-bumping give us testosterone headaches.
So your saying a member of the opposite sex who shares the same interests, same passions, desire personality is common. I personally think someone who can share a desirreable likeness is EXTREMELY rare, perhaps you walked into a store a found 10 people like that and chose Mrs solidstatemind but i would say MOST people wouldnt be that lucky and in fact would rarely see let alone meet someone they could really bond with.
Of course people who are exactly like you are extremely rare, in fact I'm inclined to say we're all unique to some degree. We all, however, function on the same principles and you don't have to find a clone of yourself to find someone aesthetically and intellectually pleasing, with whom you have at least some significant common interests.
I'm not saying it's easy, just that it's definitely not impossible. Unless there's something external or internal prohibiting you from doing so, which is an entirely different matter to begin with and has been discussed at length in other threads.
Well perhaps im entirely unique but i have never met someone whom i share remote an interest in what i do and except for the MMO playing girls, i have not met one who would honet enjoy playing vidoe games, as actual gamers (rather than simply prefering the social aspect of MMO as opposed to the more competitive/gaming aspects, with raiding and the like). Sure i've met these kinds of people over the internet but as results seem to show this never amounts to anything (though i suppose thats simply the nature of discussion, with nothing ever actually resulting from it). I, and i will say this again, have never met and talked to (seen ONE but never had a chance to talk to her as a result of others with competiting interests) who could honestly be called somone who played games regularly. Perhaps thats just me, my enviroment, the horrible way in which my culture tends to deal with anyone who acts outside the norm but I still see these "gamer girls" as a rare occurance.
...you don't have to find a clone of yourself to find someone aesthetically and intellectually pleasing, with whom you have at least some significant common interests.
I dated a girl who was just like me, it didn't end well. Too similar means (for example) you are both too stubborn to call the other back, and so on, and so forth.
I completely misread the title!. I thought it said, "Ask a Greek girl" and for once I was happy that this was finally an "ask a ____" thread that I could enjoy.
I am slightly disappointed now, if I am honest!.
Anyhoo, now that I am here I guess I should ask a question..
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