Poll: Are "Gamer Girls" shooting themselves in the foot?

[DividedUnity]

It's so stupid it hurts. Females campaign for equality in gaming because many of them want to be treated equally but instead alot of them go and create a "Girl's clubhouse" situation. When was the last time male gamers did that? (and not in a joking way. If you have any examples I'll take that statement back but I couldnt find any)

So I ask you this. Are "Gamer gurls" shooting themselves in the foot? By that I mean they want equality but are going about it the wrong way.

Abso-friggin-lutely not. There is no excuse for acting like a total buffoon, even if the girl is cute or you have the anonymity of the internet to protect your creepy ass. YES girls who tease guys like the above example are kinda assholes, but this should in no way be used to say , as I believe you are here, that that kind of behavior is asking for all female gamers to be treated like shit. There's teasing back to girls who act like that, but guys go wayyyy too far, wayyy too often, just because they can, even if they're not "provoked".

So no. Just no.

No I'm not saying that in any way that this behaviour from men should be condoned and I do not think anyone should be treated like shit. I was stating the stupidity of taking actions then complaining when there are consequences which is what they are doing. They seperate themselves from the crowd then complain when they are targeted.

 

[ryuutchi]

Oh yeah, because allowing people to assume you're male is so much better. That's what your vaunted "gender neutrality" is-- people assuming "default" gender. In the case of gamers, "default" gender is male, thus why gamers don't hit on people whose gender they don't know-- they think the person is a guy.

That said, women create women-only gaming spaces because it gets really damn tiring having to defend yourself. They make "girls-only clubhouses" because, for the most part, gaming is a boys-only clubhouse. Female gamer spaces allow female gamers to have a community where their experiences are the normal ones. In a girl gamers' community, for instance, no one would say "oh, the only thing women have to do to keep from being harassed is allow everyone to think they're male." Because most women gamers have tried that at some point and realized that in a lot of ways, that's really stifling.

 

[Miles Tormani]

I approach this the same way I approach the guy parading around in a rainbow shirt, admitting to be gay, and despite his extremely vocal desire to be treated equal, demands positive attention from everyone. Like he's more important.

I tell him to shut the hell up, quit shoving his sexuality down other people's throats, and stop making me look bad. Equal treatment does not mean you get to be more special than everyone else.

The hypocrisy of some people in minority groups is just staggering. If the dudes I hang out with start talking about chicks, I simply back out of the conversation. If someone brings that up, I tell them that I have no interest in what they're talking about, but I'll readily discuss the next topic they switch to if it actually concerns me.

On the flip side, when one of my buddies said "I'm sure everyone in this room has liked a girl in a videogame," it was too perfect an opportunity to be an asshole based on semantics and say "I have no idea what you're talking about."

 

[DividedUnity]

So no. Just no.

Well said. (the whole thing, not just the snip.)

OT: I've discovered from this site that the most whiny, sensitive, thin skinned ethnic group is that of white guys. Every perceived inequality or unfair act garners threads with hundreds of irate responses. I thank God we haven't encountered any true injustices - say, loss of land, citizenship, or freedom, or we'd have drowned in our own tears by now.

You seem to think that I am taking personal offense at this. I am not. This thread isn't focusing on inequality or unfair acts. It's focusing on stupidity. If you had bothered to read the point or even look at the poll you would've seen that. We wouldnt be drowning in tears if we let this go we'd be drowing in idiocy.

 

[Demongeneral109]

I think those who advertise are, but if they just want to use a mike there's only so much they can do since nobody uses the voice-altering thing nyoro~...

 

[MisterShine]

No I'm not saying that in any way that this behaviour from men should be condoned and I do not think anyone should be treated like shit. I was stating the stupidity of taking actions then complaining when there are consequences which is what they are doing. They seperate themselves from the crowd then complain when they are targeted.

The only action that many girls take to get harassed is identify themselves as female. They have every right to complain that they're being harassed. Just because "that's the way we are", doesn't make it okay for those guys to act that way.

I'll address your main point directly

By that I mean they want equality but are going about it the wrong way.

There is no wrong way about getting equality. You are equal, so you demand it. If you don't get it then that's bullshit, straight up. And I'm not talking about little things like the ocassional "Wow you couldn't capture the flag. You should stay in the base and make sandwiches!". Yeah that joke is really overused, but gaming is competitive and we all trash talk each other. I'm talking about the constant shit girls have to put up with for simply identifying themselves as female.


edit:

We wouldnt be drowning in tears if we let this go we'd be drowning in idiocy.

We're already drowning in idiocy when anyone who speaks in a girls voice or is in some way indicated to be female is harassed for simply being so. And your post which tries to deflect some of the blame off of that idiocy is part of the problem.

Yes, girl gamers who throw it in peoples faces are annoying. That's why you politely ask them to stop, like the adults that we all are.

 

[ShadowKatt]

Granted, it's very late and my brain is firing on about as many cylinders as my van(which aren't that many anymore), but could someeone please summarize the ops point and question?

 

[Cody211282]

It's honestly a double edged sword.

There is nothing wrong with them making a "Girls only" clan to play in & promoting the fact they're females that can play is great.
It gets them like minded people to play with, who doesn't want that?

However, it does open them up to all sorts of crap too but that's just how the online gaming culture is really.

One of the best clans I played in had both male and females in it, there was even a rule about how "Having a Vagina doesn't give you the right to get stuff 24/7" which worked really well.
You came and you acted like everyone else, none of the numerous girls that played cared a damn when someone made a "Get in the kitchen and get me a sammich" joke because they gave as good as they got too.

It mostly depends on how they act to be honest.

It really does depend on how they act, mind you the drama queens are the worst of the bunch, or the ones who try to flirt with lonely guys to get better loot. Also I think if there can be "girls only" clans/guilds then there should be "guys only" ones as well, and people can't complain about it being sexist.

 

[Miles Tormani]

There is no wrong way about getting equality. You are equal, so you demand it. If you don't get it then that's bullshit, straight up. And I'm not talking about little things like the ocassional "Wow you couldn't capture the flag. You should stay in the base and make sandwiches!". Yeah that joke is really overused, but gaming is competitive and we all trash talk each other. I'm talking about the constant shit girls have to put up with for simply identifying themselves as female.

I think he already agrees that the shit that most female gamers get is crap.

That said, I disagree that there is a wrong way about getting equality. Constantly going around screaming, "Hey, I'm different, but I want to be treated equal and/or better than the standard group of people here!" is not the right way. Many people who talk down specific demographics as "inferior" are mostly referring to them as such because of the stereotypical group. Those who act out the stereotype are the ones that cause the hate to continue. In my opinion, it also causes additional ire from people within the demographic for the people acting so stereotypically. I think Bill Cosby said something of the like at one point.

For me, it's less "I want to be treated equal so you will pay attention to me!" and more "I'm different, but I want to fit in with this group, but the way this stereotypical fag is acting is causing me to be shunned, just because of one common trait."

 

[migo]

I suppose some might do it because as shes they dislike being referred to as he, and since most gamers are hes, by default any time a third person pronoun is needed, he will be used by default. To avoid that, drawing attention to the fact that they're a girl will get the appropriate she to be used.

 

[Citrus]

I haven't had many good experiences with female gamers, to be honest. Maybe I've just been unlucky, but for every one I see that doesn't stick their gender in their username or shoehorn it into conversations, I've seen ten that do the opposite. The attention-seeking thing was tolerable 10+ years ago when gaming was less mainstream than it is today and female gamers really were rare to see, but it really is annoying now.

But the problem isn't just the girls' fault. The unfortunate thing is that flirting with girls is just what many teenage guys like to do (however stupid and pointless their efforts may be). And when you get teenage guys together with teenage girls, what can you expect to happen? The guys want to flirt on some off-chance that they may be rewarded with sex some day and the girls naturally love the attention so they'll try to make sure everybody knows they have boobs. It would be nice if we could shut up and play our games and save this kind of crap for real life, where it belongs, but that just isn't going to happen.

It really isn't a matter of girls being rare or special anymore. It's just guys doing what guys do and girls doing what girls do. I don't think it will ever change.

 

[DividedUnity]

No I'm not saying that in any way that this behaviour from men should be condoned and I do not think anyone should be treated like shit. I was stating the stupidity of taking actions then complaining when there are consequences which is what they are doing. They seperate themselves from the crowd then complain when they are targeted.

The only action that many girls take to get harassed is identify themselves as female. They have every right to complain that they're being harassed. Just because "that's the way we are", doesn't make it okay for those guys to act that way.

I'll address your main point directly

By that I mean they want equality but are going about it the wrong way.

There is no wrong way about getting equality. You are equal, so you demand it. If you don't get it then that's bullshit, straight up. And I'm not talking about little things like the ocassional "Wow you couldn't capture the flag. You should stay in the base and make sandwiches!". Yeah that joke is really overused, but gaming is competitive and we all trash talk each other. I'm talking about the constant shit girls have to put up with for simply identifying themselves as female.

When they take the action they take the consequences just like anyone else. When I put the word Irish in my gamertag I get hundreds of comments about potatoes and lucky charms. I deal with those consequences. It isn't nice, it isn't right and it sure as hell isn't funny but it happens and it isn't going to change any time soon. If I do something as simple as identify my nationality I'll get the same deal as them. Maybe not as severe but the same deal. Everyone has the right to complain, I am not disputing that. Complaining and then making the problem worse is another thing. That is my main point. Female games have been campaigning for equally and the right to be treated like everyone else for years. I support this. Then people like "Gamer Gurls" come along and shake things up again creating groups like "Gorgeous Gamer Girls", where's the sense in that? Working towards equality then going a different route.

The constant shit girls and everyone else put up with is not the point of my post. Everyone will experience comments like those if they make light of any difference they have. Wheter it be skin colour, religion, hair colour, sexuality or even their name. Hell even people who don't do this will get slandered but not to such a great degree. This was not the point of the thread as everyone agrees that its not right and it needs to change. The point of the thread was about as I mentioned before. "Gamer Gurls" getting equality the wrong way. Yes there is a wrong way to get equality and it's what they are doing. It would be like if the female rights campaigners of yesterday had've campaigned for equal rights then started walking around in their underwear and fulfilling the "dumb broad" stereotype.

 

[TundraStalax]

there's a girls only feature on xbox live now...

 

[Lyri]

Also I think if there can be "girls only" clans/guilds then there should be "guys only" ones as well, and people can't complain about it being sexist.

Most are.

The problem stems from the fact that they use their gender as a point of focus on how they play the game.
"We're chicks and we pwn at Tf2"
That's great but the "We're chix" doesn't really need to be thrown in there and that's where the bother starts.
Obviously someone is going to throw out something like "Who moved the PC into the Kitchen" and the likes. The environment has been largely male based and so our male banter just crosses the boarder.

Those that can just deal with it, have a laugh are fine but it's those that don't really get that part of it that are "the problem".
Not that I'm saying Sexism is ok here, but the environment is what it is.

It sounds stupid but the best analogy for this I can think up right now, is that Girl gamers are the new kids at school.
Some of the new kids take their mockery for a little while, they roll with it and eventually they get to be in on jokes on one another too.
They're now part of "The in crowd" for lack of a better term.

Whereas there are those who are the new kids who just don't take the punches off the bat, whine and moan about it and they don't fit in.
They wouldn't mind if all the ridicule stops, infact they want that but whenever they get into a social element with others they're keen to point out they're differences.

 

[CheeseSandwichCake]

Woah, girls play video games?

I don't know what to think anymore.

 

[Aureli]

Yes, I believe "Gamer girls" are shooting themselves in the foot head foot. To me, gamer girls are girls who play videogames because they want boys to fawn over the fact that they play videogames, not because they truly enjoy it. And to be perfectly honest, I hate them with a passion because they make girls who play videogames look bad. I'm a girl, but I never make it a point to hide my gender or expect anyone to treat me differently because of it, so encountering girls who expect guys to pamper them and treat them special because they have two X chromosomes and happen to know how to use an XBox controller infuriates me to no end. It also reminds me why I have so few girl friends. It's just sad to think of how many vapid, materialistic whores are out there, and how they have to invade one of the last havens for intelligent females to satiate their need for attention and ruin the experience for so many gamers. And honestly, if they get harassed or made fun of, it's their fault for broadcasting their gender and acting like a ***** expecting to be treated like a queen.

 

[b1u3too]

All that makes me happy are my male friends who use that knowledge to their advantage, play female avatars with chicky names, and act flirty to get free items.
Karma? Yum. I'll take a helping of that.

 

[The Hairminator]

I'm gonna start calling myself a gamer boi after reading this thread

 

[Jandau]

Well, just to point out, Gamer girls are not a unified hive mind with a single universal agenda. Some of them truly want equality, some want to use their gender as a tool/weapon.