Hello all Im relatively new to this community still but been playing long enough to know this is a fun game. These boards can be fun to full of so many opinions. Many of which make me scratch my head when it comes to females and gaming.

 

so I thought as a woman id address some of the myths that seem to go around about females in game. And use my own personal perspective to give some facts on how it feels to be a female that games. I am no authority on this an any fellow females can feel free to come in and correct me if I am wrong. But seriously some of the crazy things I've read lead me to wanting to bring up a topic on this.

 

 

1. Women game- we are into gaming some of us have been since we were kids, Atari was the first console my family owned and I have been playing since the days of Pack-man and Donkey Kong when they were barely decipherable due to the low graphics. I am a huge legend of Zelda fan and played games from first person shooters to Muds and now mmos.

 

Many think because dudes play chicks in games that that cute little assassin you see is Chuck from NJ who lives in his mother basement but you would be surprised how many of us like making cute yet deadly characters. Or how many big burly dudes may just be hiding a female who doesn't want to be hit on.

 

2. Female gamers are not easily offended- This one really stands out so many posts on our behalf so many people who assume that we need speak up for topics such as sexism and sexuality. I speak for myself of course but Ive lived far to long and seen far to many things to be offended by some half naked dancing girls. And I have worn armor and clothing in games that would be strategically stupid to utilize but it is kinda funny to watch my half naked mob beat down an enemy.

 

3. Female gamers not all of us but many are not life time watching drama queens who cry at the drop of a hat. Some of us are very vicious and like to play that way. One of my best made characters was a Drow warrior in another game who murdered just because she could. I obviously don't do such things in real life but its fantasy and being blood thirsty in fantasy is fun and gets to showcase a side to myself id never indulge in real life.

 

4. Some of us maybe tough girls but we do like style- whether its for decorating our personal spaces or getting good armor many of us do like to look nice when we are running around these vast worlds. When you give us clothing that looks good it adds to the persona even if its deadly spikes with crimson, deep lace black or skin tight leather suits. I know that some of the best games I played had a way for me to utilize fashion and still be deadly and effective.

 

5. Not all of us are nurturers and play healer types. Okay I like healing in games specially to save my own butt, but as a mommy in real life I tend to try to play roles in game where im not holding hands or patching up boo boos all the time. I do that enough as it is lol.

 

There are many others but I hope this gets a good conversation going because I see so many things about sexism or female wants and it seems there are many misconceptions about female gamers (Specially that we do not exist) But we do and our ranks are growing every day. I hope if I ever have a little girl (currently have a little boy) that she grows up in a world where a girl gaming is not a big deal it honestly shouldn't be.

This thread is not going to end well.

 

Mostly because the majority of the male population loses all sense and reason when confronted with interacting with a member of the opposite sex.

This thread is not going to end well.

 

Mostly because the majority of the male population loses all sense and reason when confronted with interacting with a member of the opposite sex.

 

Which is so very silly. Female gamers exist, we don't bite, some of us are damn good gamers (I can't lay claim to that, heh) and there's no reason to lose all sense and reason, well, unless yer a 12 year old kid who just gets like that around females anyway.

Unfortunately this post, while it has an intended purpose, wont have any effect on 99% of the community. I dont say this to be rude, but only a small handful of the forum community will ever see the post

 

I haven't seen the posts you describe bashing on female gamers, but the people who are doing so are idiots - ignore them. Lots of what you see in relation to females is just based on stereotypes and such that were perhaps proven to these guys by some female gamer long ago, and they have forever been judging females based on the assumption that you are all the same. They are of course mistaken, but the only time you will see any sort of bashing on female gamers is when it comes from the narrow minded few who I previously mentioned - they are also the minority in a sense.

 

Bottom line, you will always be judged with stereotypes and assumptions because you are truly the minority in gaming. Just ignore the guys who take themselves seriously when they bash on you and move on instead of making threads like this which end up having their intended point entirely lost among "whoah, a female gamer!?". Most of us guys already understand everything your post was aimed at, and the few who dont already will learn nothing new because of ignorance.

Edited March 31, 2012 by rweiowjerwei

Seriously,

 

I am a female gamer. I play a female toon and team with my husband.

 

I can't see myself playing a burly guy named Bubba....lol Although my husband was teamed with a macho man named M*** K** last week. Who turned out to be female so men and pimply teenage guys wouldn't hit on her.

 

We are still the minority though.

 

Oh, and I am a Mom and a Gramma.

Edited March 31, 2012 by Endigo

 

5. Not all of us are nurturers and play healer types. Okay I like healing in games specially to save my own butt, but as a mommy in real life I tend to try to play roles in game where im not holding hands or patching up boo boos all the time. I do that enough as it is lol.

 

 

Haha, this. I like playing tough BAMFs and tanks especially.

 

I've got an even spread of male and female characters, and I keep my gender on the down-low most of the time. I just want to be treated how you'd treat any other male gamer.

we don't bite

 

Speak for yourself

This thread wasnt to complain but just get some open posting about the topic out and have some fun with it. Plenty of women game now some of us have been doing it for a long time so there is not much we haven't heard about "Female gamers" mostly from guys who think they know lol.

 

Its just nice to address some of the misconceptions I have seen on these boards about us and give my own perspective and nice to see others post to. My mom even games now which is something Id never thought Id see but she likes her little social games so one day maybe we will stop being considered the minority and become on equal terms.

Edited March 31, 2012 by Meluna

I've never really understood the rumors of you being rare, almost all of my female friends have been gamers. Actually far more of my male friends have been uninterested in gaming.

I have to be honest, I find these sorts of threads very hard to respond to.

 

The problem here is you are asking not to be pigeonholed, but at the same time doing that very thing to guys.

Do you honestly still encounter people who are amazed that a girl is playing a computer game? I mean seriously?

I have been gaming since I was 3 years old. So in all I have 29 years of experience. It has never, and I do mean never, surprised me at girls gaming.

I treat girls exactly the same as I do guys whilst playing. Obviously I avoid using certain words at times but I have never seen this delicate flower attitude towards any girls I have played with.

 

I honestly think you must just have played with a lot of barely post pubescent teenage boys that don't know how to act around girls. or are so shy in real life that they act out behind their computer screen.

 

The only girls I have problems with in gaming are the ones who constantly seek attention for the sole reason they are a girl playing games. I mean it REALLY gets to me.

 

You have to bear in mind, that guys have to go through life being labelled a loser if you play games, (first world problems right?) where as it seems to be the "cool thing" for girls to be right now.

The amount of girls on Facebook and 9GAG or whatever that take duckface photos of themselves wearing something vaguely related to gaming just for ***** teenagers to spam them with praise.

Point being, some guys may find it hard to seperate those types of girls from the ones who genuinely love gaming (which I am sure, you girls are like. The good kind I mean)

 

Sorry started rambling a little there.

So anyway, I'm sure people appreciate the clarification you are trying for OP (that's what you were doing right?)

But at the same time, try not to pigeonhole us nicer guys that would treat everyone the same regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation etc.

 

But these "myths"? Erm, I don't think imho there are any, girls gaming is not anything new or special in my experience. Just another person behind a keyboard escaping reality for a while.

 

Peace.

Edited March 31, 2012 by Sheff

I as female gamer still wonder why some people still feel the urge to make these kinda threads.

 

Majority of the female gamers dont feel the need to go "im female, lets make a thread about female gamers". We're gamers like everyone else and making a threads like these is pointless.

 

If there are boys having issues with female gamers, ow look ignore function. There's no need for again another thread with "so called female gamer facts". We're not a rare species nor do we need a thread to point out we're not so rare.

 

Dont take this as offensive but making threads like these is what making some male gamers being reluctant towards the female gaming community and go like : *Ow look another female that wants attention".

 

99% of the players I meet ingame will never know whom plays the char and I might hope you dont go like "hi im female" to every person you meet ingame...they should not care so should not even need that info. Only people that know what I am is guild/friends. I could not care less about other gamers, they dont need to know what I am, where I am from, etc etc. The only thing they need to know is how I play no matter what's in between my legs.

My wife plays and she hides her identity not because of being hit on or insulted, but because of the IWK.

 

Internet White Knights.

 

Her theory is that it's much easier to chivalrous in the game than it is in real life (where white knighting could be mistaken for flirting, and be turned down). IWKs are obnoxious, constantly defending a female's honor, endlessly groveling for favor, and treating the female as if she has deficiencies which only the IWK can overcome. She can't defend herself or take criticism (especially valid) without a IWK to fall on a sword for her. Woe to the person that doesn't treat the female exactly as the IWK thinks is proper.

 

Unlike jerks and pimply teenagers, who take the hint when their advances are rebuffed, the IWK will keep at it forever.

Edited March 31, 2012 by AHierophant

IWKs, that's pretty good, I had never thought of that but now that you mention it I can see where that could annoy a gal.

 

Pretty funny

Edited March 31, 2012 by Stugotz

This thread is not going to end well.

 

Mostly because the majority of the male population loses all sense and reason when confronted with interacting with a member of the opposite sex.

Now that is funny, a bit of a stereotype, but still funny.

 

As to the sex of a player ... to borrow from Lemmings "Long hair... Short hair... Whats the difference once the heads blown off!" In this case make it, "Male ... female ... What's the difference ...."

Edited March 31, 2012 by VordakGef

Why did you post this thread? No one gives a crap about you being a female, and no one cares about your "facts" about them. Edited April 1, 2012 by Valkuu
Rude

The OP's post seems a little bias, towards her own styles as a gamer. A high percent of my gaming friends are females, and it shouldn't be a mystery that male and female gamers are very similar. By that I mean that we are all "different" and gender doesn't play the largest role in how we determine how we will act in life.

 

I've seen many females vastly more crude than male gamers, as well as many males into decor more so than female gamers. My point is it's kinda silly to tag somebody as a male or female gamer; they are gamers that's it.

 

*shrug* Just my view on the whole "male / female gamer" thing; we're all just gamers. whats the big deal?

To the OP:

 

males who are age 12-20 form a sizable portion of the population in a game like this. While you and I, as women, may nod in agreement with all of the points you presented, the fact remains, I'd wager that that particular demographic knows very little about women or females outside of their sisters or moms.

 

To them, we do not exist, nor do we utilize marvels such as the 'internet'. The idea that actual females populate this domain and quite likely whip their tail in pvp is not a pleasant thought to them.

 

I say, let them remain ignorant. It's for the best.

 

EDIT: I'm being sarcastic, by the way. Not a jab at the OP NOR is it a jab at males of any age. Just my poor attempt to be silly. >.<

Edited April 1, 2012 by Kabjat

I as female gamer still wonder why some people still feel the urge to make these kinda threads.

 

Majority of the female gamers dont feel the need to go "im female, lets make a thread about female gamers". We're gamers like everyone else and making a threads like these is pointless.

 

If there are boys having issues with female gamers, ow look ignore function. There's no need for again another thread with "so called female gamer facts". We're not a rare species nor do we need a thread to point out we're not so rare.

 

Dont take this as offensive but making threads like these is what making some male gamers being reluctant towards the female gaming community and go like : *Ow look another female that wants attention".

 

99% of the players I meet ingame will never know whom plays the char and I might hope you dont go like "hi im female" to every person you meet ingame...they should not care so should not even need that info. Only people that know what I am is guild/friends. I could not care less about other gamers, they dont need to know what I am, where I am from, etc etc. The only thing they need to know is how I play no matter what's in between my legs.

 

Well said.

 

There will always be a portion of the gaming populace that acts awkwardly around girls, but that's not because the general culture (for lack of a better word) has failed to adjust; it's because prepubescent boys are awkward around girls, and prepubescent boys like to play games.

 

Most of the rest of us are not only accustomed to the idea of female gamers; we don't care what sex you are.

 

I'd suggest liberal use of the ignore function for the former group, and a healthy dose of minding your own business around the latter group. After all, the myth-and-stereotypes thing swings both ways, and people are apt to label you as an attention-seeking waste of time if you volunteer too much unsolicited information.

 

In the immortal words of Dr. Seuss, "Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

Edited April 1, 2012 by Invictos

The only time I mention to my group mates that I'm a girl gamer and not a guy is when I say something like 'sure, hon.' or 'thanks for the help, hon'. Most times what I say and do (hey my husband wants to get on the computer now) is a clear give a way I'm female, or an assumption that I'm female.

 

Plus, I play the sex I am. So all my characters are female.

 

But I've never, and I mean NEVER, had anyone I've grouped with (mostly guys surprisingly) ever say anything weird or bad about them finding out that yes indeed I'm a woman. Not only a girl gamer, but a married girl with a soon to be 14 year old son.

 

And I agree with the OP, I try to find armor that I can use (heavy for my bh or sith war) that looks sexy and girly.

Well me personally when I sign up to play an MMO I play an MMO.

 

I'm not signing up for an MMORPG (Might Masterbates Over Real Playing Girls)

 

I'm here to play a game and get to know the community who I'm playing with, if you're female well pat yourself on the back, you're part of the smaller population of gamers but do I care? no

 

I've dated online female gamers and as a pre warning to most guys reading this, sadly they kinda contradict themselves and usually turn out to have alot of mental issues.

Edited April 1, 2012 by SirTanne

I guess it is a kinda look at me I have dealt with plenty of people in the years of gaming mulitplayer games but mmos seem to be the place where I see a lot of the mentality about females I addressed. If it didnt happen to some of you thats cool. When I played muds no one really questioned who was who some of the smaller niche ones I played had more chicks then guys by a long shot and it was fun. After reading yet another post on sexism and flirts on the boards figured id just post to have a little fun. Guess if its not a whine about nerfs or something about quitting its not worth posting eh?

 

Nothing in my post was super serious so wish some would chill obviously if the mods thought this was disruptive it would have been nuked like some of the posts already had. I think im going to go play the game now since I don't want to turn this thread into something it wasnt meant to be I thought it would be a fun topic though glad some people took it that way even though some of their comments aren't around anymore.

I'm a potato and i rarely ever see any other potato gamers.

I don't think people have responded badly or negative to your OP, I think the main moral of the story is, once some people mention there is a line between male and female gamers it just creates a debate that's not even worth it, as most people playing will not even bat an eyelid to what sex they play alongside.

 

I guess the question is why create a debate over something that isn't debatable, we are not sexist male gamers and I can't say I've experienced seeing that in my 12 years online.

 

1 thing I do see is males start to turn into alpha males when they know females are around them online and might talk louder or faster in chat or on voice but that's expected.

 

In a male dominated game, females will always be the rare species and males will always react different towards them accordingly, but thats an animalistic world where males will always chase females.

 

Nothing new really.

 

After reading over my post I think I just realised it's because we are Animals

 

Alot of the times though I ask myself! is it women/girly gamers who are really trying to sound like they are the lambs in headlights or is it really the girly gamers who want themselves to be in headlights.

 

I havn't quiet got down to that yet but over the year's it does seem to be some kind of girl power gaming attitude that's growing.

Edited April 1, 2012 by SirTanne

Sirtanne, I don't think this is an appropriate outlet to be describing your vehicular homicides.

Sirtanne, I don't think this is an appropriate outlet to be describing your vehicular homicides.

 

You use the word Homocide so I'm guessing American but this kinda thing to me reminds me of when the Spice Girls tried to influence America, there girl power attitude didn't work so well across the states.

 

Girl gamers I see alot of togetherness, like we are the poor souls playing these games with sad geeky dudes after us and giving us hastle.

 

I just don't buy it.

 

1 thing I would like to see more of is a debate which the OP created in the 1st offset by putting this post up knowing it would create some kind of reaction but the only impression I'm getting is the OP thinks people disagree and now regrets making the topic hence not replying to it which in turn makes me wonder well, why create it in the 1st place?

Edited April 1, 2012 by SirTanne