In-game Avatar and sexuality

[Sniper Team 4]

So, keep with me on this, it's going somewhere I promise.
My friend just bought Resistance 2 and has started working his way toward getting all the trophies. I agreed to help out since I've already done all of them and we start playing online. Played co-op for a bit, then we jumped into an unranked match of team death-match (a mistake, I know, as kills only count in ranked matches). There were only about five people playing so far, counting my friend and I. We were the only two with headsets, so we stuck together and helped one another as well as the other person on our team. We said things like, "Contact. Left side," "They're up in the sniper area," and my favorite, "There he is, don't let him get away!" No swear, no teasing, no trash talking, nothing. We played for maybe two hours, then called it a night.
The next morning I turn on my PS3 and I have a message. I think it's another friend request because the other person we were playing with asked to be my friend. So I open the message and it says, "Pervert." Nothing else. Now, my avatar in Resistance 2 is the female soldier skin, but I'm a male. This is the only thing that I can think of that would offend this person, so I respond with, "Er...why? Because my avatar is a girl? A little insecure in your manliness there, aren't you? Blocked."
So, the question is: Is the fact that my avatar in Resistance 2 is a girl make me a pervert? If I had run around saying some unsightly things I would say yes, but I never said anything non-combat related. And for other fun discussion--if you don't have a long answer for or against--what's you favorite hate mail that you've ever received from random people?

 

[Ordinaryundone]

First of all, your response was a little aggressive. How do you know what he meant without his response? It might have not even been for you, or maybe it was some joke that after a night wouldn't make sense.

Besides that, my favorite series of hatemail was from a guy I beat at Magic: The Gathering DotP. Our conversation went on for almost an hour, and he was absolutely hilarious. I've never heard such creative swearing.

 

[The Knightly Gamer]

I see nothing wrong with you playing a female avatar. I mean its not like you have her running around a battlefield in her underwear. I think people need to start to learn is that when they play online in random matches, they are going to meet different people and they might not agree on the same stuff outside of the game. I dont know when people will just sit down and enjoy the game with other people who like it too. Its just my opinion though.

 

[Easton Dark]

It could have been meant for someone else, but if not, there's nothing perverted with what you did.

 

[AnkaraTheFallen]

I wouldn't say there was anything wrong with what you did... actually most guys play as female characters, but whatever... You were a bit rash to block him without a response though... it might have been a stupid joke, or not even intended for you... but some people are just touchy when it comes to sexual things.

 

[Anarchemitis]

Is there be any sort of metasocial commentary with the simple act of a female playing Team Fortress 2? No, it was just a design choice.

 

[IndianaJonny]

Besides that, my favorite series of hatemail was from a guy I beat at Magic: The Gathering DotP. Our conversation went on for almost an hour, and he was absolutely hilarious. I've never heard such creative swearing.

Aww, you can't just leave it at that! You'll have to post it up somewhere.

 

[Mikodite]

Given stats like "90% of female night elves are played by men" and how women in video games tend to be stacked with perfect modelesk bodies, than it is understandable that a male player playing a female can be mistaken for a pervert. I don't know why you did it, but I can't see anything offensive about it unless you were trying to lure other male players for cyber-sex or something (a, sadly, common griever tactic.). As unfortunate as it is, many of us just assume you picked a female avatar for the jollies of watching a woman's ass jiggle in your face or something like that. Some do that, and that is why many man who picked a female avatar for more innocent reasons will be mistaken for a perv.

 

[Jim Grim]

actually most guys play as female characters, but whatever

...Eh?

OP: Maybe you should have found out for sure what you were being messaged about before you blocked the person. Just sayin'.

 

[Tulks]

I think you were perhaps a little hasty.

Possibly more interesting is that you assumed that the gender of your avatar was an issue, based on a completely context-less minor taunt.

 

[Creator002]

Many of my friends play with female avatars in games (online and offline) for perverted reasons. Maybe many people he's met do so too, so he (unfairly) assumed the same on you.
Yet again, as others have said, the message may not have been intended for you, or a joke.
You playing with a female avater, alone, does not make you a pervert. I do it too, though usually after completing the campaign with a male.

Favorite hate mate: After playing against a few Americans on Halo 3, having a nice time by the way, the opposing team then sent me and my friends a message telling us that we're "British twats and should stop playing Halo to enjoy our tea".
We're Australian...

 

[olicon]

I am also a guy who plays female avatars, but only because I like to look different. Moocows, femDwarve, lassyGnome, you name it, I got it. I mean, why not? How many female orcs do you see running around in WoW? If I'm going to have to wear the exact same armor as everyone else, I want to at least look different in any way I can.

I guess the biggest difference in my case is that even after people hear me talk, they still don't believe that I'm a guy. T-T It's annoying in video games, but it gets you into a hellavalotsa trouble when they make that little mistake in your air ticket. Ever been frisked 4 times in a row before? I sure have!

 

[THE M3RCENARY]

Some guy sent me a message saying "Ur garbage" once.
The reason for this is that if he were to send me a message calling me something along the lines of "Fuck u fggt," He would get suspended.

I laughed. Hard.

So I sent him something extremely offensive, without the possibility of suspension.

My response:

"How art thou, thou globby bottle of cheap, stinking chip oil? Come and get one in the yarbles, if ya have any yarbles, you eunuch jelly thou!"

 

[AnkaraTheFallen]

actually most guys play as female characters, but whatever

...Eh?

OP: Maybe you should have found out for sure what you were being messaged about before you blocked the person. Just sayin'.

Heh... sorry, I could have worded that better.
I meant to say that most guys I know seem to play as female avatars... no idea why.

Though from the other responses it does seem a lot of guys play as female characters.

 

[Zhukov]

My Commander Shepard is a famale.

Clearly this denotes a severe degree of sexual confusion and lack of appropriate gender identity on my part.

 

[Admiral Stukov]

Given the choice I pretty much always play as a female character. Clearly I must be confused about my gender!

For me it's just another form of escapism. I can't throw fireballs from my hands, so why must I play a character my own sex to be "normal"?

I'd even go as far as to say that anyone not willing to get some immersion with a character of the opposite sex to be insecure about their own sexuality, and is afraid to have it "tested" by playing a character of the opposite sex.

 

[kasperbbs]

I don`t see nothing wrong with a female character, unless you start telling people that you indeed are a girl to get some gear or attention, met a lot of such people while playing mmos.

 

[bulldogftw]

Some guy sent me a message saying "Ur garbage" once.
The reason for this is that if he were to send me a message calling me something along the lines of "Fuck u fggt," He would get suspended.

I laughed. Hard.

So I sent him something extremely offensive, without the possibility of suspension.

My response:

"How art thou, thou globby bottle of cheap, stinking chip oil? Come and get one in the yarbles, if ya have any yarbles, you eunuch jelly thou!"

Best response ever.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

I love it when girls online accuse me of being a perv becuase I have a female avatar and get riled up cos I call them hon (a term of affection me and my sister use alot) and then they find out I'm a straight girl OH TROLL LOL LOL LOL.

they think they are such special snowflakes or something...Here's a hint ''hon'' you aint the only woman in the world, get over it.