The Truth About Girl Gamers.

[bluepilot]

Despite whatever `gaming group` you belong to, there is always the minority out there to make you look stupid.

I think that a few of the male gamers have an issue with girl gamers due to the minority who are attention-seekers, try to pick up boys, make a big fuss about it or are just plain unpleasent.

Most gamers, regardless of gender, are nice people who won`t be rude...but...there is always one.

...Despite being a girl...oooh...I really hate those silly `girl gamers`, make us all look bad...ooooh, it makes me so mad. There is no sisterhood in this for me

 

[soilent]

The Truth About Girl Gamers

So, Fellow Escapees, this is my first time posting a thread, but I feel it will provide a valid insight into both your minds, and the ever long issue of girl gamers. I keep reading these articles such as "Riot Grrrls Wanted" and "235. Vaginophobia" on the escapist website, and I just really do wonder about the Myth of the Elusive Girl Gamer, and what people think about it.

Personally, every guy I meet, whether whilst gaming online, or in the real world, either think the fact that I'm a girl gamer is too good to be true, or just don't take me seriously. Maybe this fact causes fewer girls to play online. Or maybe the girls just aren't playing the same games as you, so you don't realise they are out there! Also, I know one of my female friends doesn't like using a mic online because people think she is a prepubescent boy :\ Also a lot of the girl gamers out there were probably introduced to it by their boyfriends. Just Saying. I just believe that there must be more girl gamers than guys believe there are, or who get given credit for.

The truth is, we are out there, but you probably won't notice us, because our gamertags aren't like "FluffyBunnyGirl" or "GirlPwnsYou" or whatever.. And I personally don't fit the girl gamer stereotype of Cooking Momma and Barbie Ponies, with Guitar Hero being a step up! I am an expert at guitar hero and play a range of Xbox 360 games from Left 4 Dead and Gears of War to Too Human and Fable. Hell, I've even spent 30 hours straight playing my Xbox like a deranged fool.

Basically what I wanna know is: why is there SUCH a fuss surrounding the topic of girl gamers; how elusive they are and such, and, girl gamers, I want your opinions on this because I know you know exactly what I mean.

I just really want to know what you guys think!

UPDATE: i honestly believe im a gamer who just happens to be a girl. and i agree with the attention seeking. it annoys me.

I suppose it isnt an issue, so long as the gaming occurs in the kitchen, and dinner is already prepared.





EDIT: Kidding of course...

 

[DaeDaLuS_015]

Generally there is no problem with "girl-gamers" (i hate that term incidentally, i am totally with whoever said it's bad term to use) but i have had some experiences that sucked and it's not the females fault but more the male reaction that caused the problem. I was in a wow guild some time ago and we had a couple of healers, both girls. One of them was great, an exceptional healer as it goes but the other one was causing us to wipe... It was obvious, you could see it on the meters and during the fight yet the raid leader being one of your typical "omg a girl" types (interestingly he was about 3x years old) refused to remove her from the raid. This is irritating when you know his motivations are based on sex and not skill It happens quite frequently (although not so much since moving to eve).

I find this a good reason for girls not to actually say they are girls. Maybe it is better that you all just continue to pretend you aren't, that way if i have to insult you for playing poorly i can do it freely without need to defend myself because you are a girl (from both claims of sexism and the army of guys who are willing to 'defend your honour' with their epeen).

 

[effilctar]

UPDATE: i honestly believe im a gamer who just happens to be a girl. and i agree with the attention seeking. it annoys me.

Yes, all that attention seeking is annoying. Attention seeking like making a thread "informing" us of girl gamers.

 

[effilctar]

aka girl gamers are a lie.

not exactly, we are rare, not a lie.

GET IT RIGHT

Charizard is rare, girl gamers are just seclusive.

GET IT RIGHT.

 

[hotacidbath]

You asked for female opinions so here is mine, I hate these threads with a passion because they pop up all the time and never have anything new to add. I have never noticed any problems towards women who play games, except for when someone new comes in and feels the need to post a useless diatribe that's already been done a hundred times before. By making threads like these talking about how girl gamers are no different, you are separating yourself as different.

There is no truth about girl gamers. They are people who lack a y-chromosome and like to play video games. That's it. It's not some big secret, it's not the holy grail. So please, for the love of all that is holy, stop posting about it. I also loath the term girl gamers, but I guess it does become a good litmus test for me to use. Anyone who calls herself a girl gamer is probably someone I will never want to hang out with.

 

[effilctar]

You asked for female opinions so here is mine, I hate these threads with a passion because they pop up all the time and never have anything new to add. I have never noticed any problems towards women who play games, except for when someone new comes in and feels the need to post a useless diatribe that's already been done a hundred times before. By making threads like these talking about how girl gamers are no different, you are separating yourself as different.

There is no truth about girl gamers. They are people who lack a y-chromosome and like to play video games. That's it. It's not some big secret, it's not the holy grail. So please, for the love of all that is holy, stop posting about it. I also loath the term girl gamers, but I guess it does become a good litmus test for me to use. Anyone who calls herself a girl gamer is probably someone I will never want to hang out with.

*sheds tear* I... I think I love you. You speak true sense.

 

[high_castle]

I'm a female gamer and I've also been working at a video game store for the past few months, which has exposed me to a lot more gamers than I normally associate with on a regular basis. For the most part, the guys are pretty accepting of my presence. I play a lot of RPGs and action/adventure titles, some third-person shooters, and a handful of FPS games. So the moment they realize I can talk more intelligently about Gears of War or Dragon Age than, say, Cooking Mama, things go well for us. Though it's funny, because some customers who don't know me will seek me out (because of my gender) when asking opinions on Wii games. Of the three major consoles, it's the only one I don't own and the one I'm least familiar with since I'm not a casual gaming fan.

Every once in a while, we get a handful of guys who come into the store and are blown away by the prospect of a girl who plays COD and Mass Effect. In my brief tenure there, I've gotten more than a few phone numbers and gamertags (most of these get thrown in the trash). This is also the reason I stay off of Live unless I'm playing in a private match with friends. Those idiots who don't reach for the most offensive terms in the dictionary for my gender tend to fawn all over me repeatedly. It's not fun and it's very annoying. It's also the reason my avatars and screen names tend to be gender neutral, because I'd rather be treated like a person first.

EDIT:

There is no truth about girl gamers. They are people who lack a y-chromosome and like to play video games. That's it. It's not some big secret, it's not the holy grail. So please, for the love of all that is holy, stop posting about it. I also loath the term girl gamers, but I guess it does become a good litmus test for me to use. Anyone who calls herself a girl gamer is probably someone I will never want to hang out with.

Here, here!

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

When playing a FSP such as CoD or Halo, my shotgun cannot tell the difference between male or female nor does it care. I play to win and could not care less the gender of the person I kill. This topic has become horrendously redundant. Get over yourselves, you are neither special nor unique, just a person able to play a video game, which incidentally is the intended purpose.

On occasion when a girl mentions her gender or someone asks having heard her voice the most frequent response is "Oh, cool" or "nice" followed by continual play of the game.

 

[DuttyD]

I'm a gamer and I'm also female. In most cases there is no issue with me being a girl cause in the end you can shoot me and I can shoot you just like the rest of the folks logged in to play. Oh the other side of that, I have an issue with girl gamers for all the reasons that most of the other people who replied. Because the girl makes a big deal out of being a chick then proceeds to annoy the crap out of me. Shut your mouth, get to gaming, and either help me with my objective or walk into my line of fire so I don't have to worry about you any more.

 

[The_Graff]

Ah, the elusive Grrl Gamer. urban legend mate, urban legend.

Now that is the kind of response that should be given some credit. Should we call MythBusters?

HELLS YEAH

 

[Soxafloppin]

Your on the internet, that is a bigger suprise. Hi there.

 

[MagnetoHydroDynamics]

Because most boys who devote their life to games or regularly post on an internet forum are friendless virgins who can't wrap their minds around the idea that there are women that are equal or greater than them on the world stage, or they're just pretentious assholes (i.e. me) who want to display their knowledge of the hippocampus.

:Edit: For those who'll quote me, I don't give a shit if you don't like what I said. So save the whine.

Amen!

 

[SantoUno]

snipped

Most of us here in The Escapist have heard all this before, so don't feel too bad for most of the negative comments.

I applaud you for speaking out, we get the point already but I don't want people to forget it either.

 

[GamerPhate]

I think I know what it is. It's they, OMG it's a girl syndrome. Girls get it all the time. If you are a girl and you have a myspace, you likely get a dozen or so "YOU AREHAWTZ" emails a day. In the real world, girls are hit on constantly everywhere they go, by everyone. So, it only makes sense that once a girl is in the gaming world, the same thing applies. Not to mention that it seems some gaming guys don't get out into the real world as often as others, so therefor the need to find a female is only increased when they come across one in the virtual worlds they frequent. But for the most part, you are right. If you have a name like "PinkBunnyPrincess" you will likely have guys assuming you are a girl, and will hound you for it. But if you were just Sonic203 like some random "Dewd" then you might not get harrassed as much. But yeah, gamer girls do exist, they are not a myth. They are just more covert than most people know, or playing different games, or not using a mic

 

[molester jester]

well I'm shocked, i didn't think anybody played Too Human

 

[Xvito]

What is it with these fucking threads!? It's not that they're frequent or anything, but sheesh... It feels like half of the females on this site needs to make a thread about it! If that's not attention-seeking, then I don't know what is...?

Also, I have no problem with girls playing games... But I don't fucking care either...

I don't care if 90% of all gamers are female, and I don't care if 10% are.

And, to add, on the point of girls maybe being underrepresented in games... You know who else are underrepresented?... NORMAL PEOPLE!

Oh, and one more thing... You say that you don't get why people make a fuss about women that are playing games, and then you make a fucking thread about it!?

You'll have to excuse the fucking swearing! It's just that I'm fed up with this bullshit...

 

[Valksy]

Been playing games for about 30 years. In all that time I am not sure that the fact that my genitalia is an "innie" rather than an "outie" made any sort of difference in any way to playing games.

Whenever I hear "there are no girls on the internet" or any such variation I shrug a little and figure that the poster will grow up in a few years and stop being such an asshole.

 

[Ayay]

No offense but i do not take any gamer seriously. its a game for christ sake , and a person have to show me a lot more the being good at some pixle based hobby, To get me to give a damn about him/her/it.But i do love how "girl gamers often say , well i dont have a Tag the say Fluffykins or something ,so what if someone do? does that mean its a person that cant game ?