Questions for a female gamer

[Maxpphire]

So, there is a small chance that I might actually be running a Panel at a con about being a female gamer.

Thats only if I can make it or not, if not, then I'm at least gonna write a thing for them to use about my experience as a female gamer, and thats were you guys come in.

I wanna make sure that if I can't go and write up a thing, that it pretty much covers everything.

What do you think con scum, or maybe even average joes will ask me about things. This will help a lot.

[Vipershark]

WANNA GO OUT AHUEEHEEHEEHUE *snort*
DO YOU LIKE BRONIES
WANNA SEE MY FEDORA COLLECTION
YOU ARENT EVEN A REAL GAMER *obscure reference from a game nobody cares about*


Seriously though, you should probably be prepared for lots of questions regarding what is or is not considered sexism in gaming, what types of games you like to play, and your thoughts on certain aspects in certain games.
...I know that was really vague, but I'm not really up to date on the latest in what tumblr is mad about regarding videogames, so whatever is current will likely be discussed. I think there was something about Dracula in the new Castlevania or something?

[psychospacecow]

I never really understood why it matters to people.
Why does it matter to people?

No seriously, why do you need a whole panel to justify your hobbies? I don't need a panel to justify my autism.

[[robo9]]

No seriously, why do you need a whole panel to justify your hobbies? I don't need a panel to justify my autism.

Because autism isn't something readily recognizable (well, depending on what part of the spectrum) that general people playing video games give grief over. If you're playing online and on the mic, people usually can't tell you're autistic and give you shit. However, that's a little bit different when you're a girl

[Kitsu]

Who said that she's trying to "justify" her hobby?

it's just talking about her unique experiences

---

good luck on this! I'm sure you'll really need it, because cons can be really toxic

[-¼-]

No seriously, why do you need a whole panel to justify your hobbies?

I also think that you shouldn't have to justify whatever you do, because of how life was given to you. By that I mean, she is a girl and she is a gamer? And? A gamer is a gamer, that's all. Nothing special here.

Though, I admit that most of the male gamer population think or seems to think that all girl gamers are sort of goddesses.


To reply to kat's question, while I'm totally ignorant about cons (I have no idea what a con is). I think that questions would be close to these;

What kind of games do you play?
Xbox One or PS4?
What do you think of 'insert subject here' ?
etc

[Sonikku]

Because autism isn't something readily recognizable (well, depending on what part of the spectrum) that general people playing video games give grief over. If you're playing online and on the mic, people usually can't tell you're autistic and give you shit. However, that's a little bit different when you're a girl

that arguement doesn't hold up; nobody can tell that i'm a girl when i play games ever


then again it might be because im a guy

[Sketchasaurus]

Though, I admit that most of the male gamer population think or seems to think that all girl gamers are sort of goddesses.

There's that idea, but even with that there's the idea that female gamers are "fake gamers" whatever that even means; they have this weird fantasy about what a "true girl gamer" is and they attack female gamers that don't live up to their unrealistic fantasy.

There are a lot of people in the gaming community that contribute to this problem, and it's not going to be easy to change it since so many folks don't want it to change (also, you can't force change even if it's "for their own good" they still are free to choose how to live) If anything, I think you should focus on the positives of being part of the gaming community or share how experiences in games have positively affected your life, that sort of thing is relatable regardless of gender, and I think being positive and enthusiastic about the games themselves will help dissolve the gender boundary. The fact that "female gamer" is the default term is a huge red flag signifying that there's discrimination. You could say something like "I'm not a female gamer I'm just a gamer" stressing that gaming is just as important in your lifestyle as it is in anyone else's

[Maxpphire]

I never really understood why it matters to people.
Why does it matter to people?

No seriously, why do you need a whole panel to justify your hobbies? I don't need a panel to justify my autism.

It's not really to justify my hobbies so much as explain my experiences, and hopefully teach people to treat girls nicer when playing games with them.

Also to say that fake gamer guys exist as much as fake gamer girls, and that no one should feel the need to justify their hobbies ever to anyone.

Also to hopefully give the girls who go a boost of confidence while they play what they enjoy.

[psychospacecow]

I personally believe in equality for all things. I equally hate everything.

[Kosheh]

So, there is a small chance that I might actually be running a Panel at a con about being a female gamer.

Thats only if I can make it or not, if not, then I'm at least gonna write a thing for them to use about my experience as a female gamer, and thats were you guys come in.

I wanna make sure that if I can't go and write up a thing, that it pretty much covers everything.

ok we're friends and all kat but like

can this panel be spun in a different way, and not "I'm a gamer with Supple Lips And Child Bearing Hips! AMA!"

like, who cares about girl gamers in 2014? why should i give a shit if you like survival horror games?
imo, this whole issue nowadays is as racy as "girls who enjoy watching movies"
i could see this being a Hot Topic in the mid-90's as gaming was picking up but most of the marketing being tailored to boys -- honestly, sometimes nowadays i feel like there's a whole victimization here which only further feeds the flames and the purported misogyny within the gaming community. Saying "yay, we're girls who love playing games! rawr!" is just going to get girls more flak imo :/

like, okay, i get that there is an issue - girls get a lot of shit just for being girls who play games that they enjoy. all right. okay. maybe i "dont understand" because i have Evil, Unforsaken Seedbearing Loins. I mean, someone who's very close to me is deathly afraid of playing videogames in public on account of the misogyny she might receive because she isn't a gaming savant and that some sleazy neckbeard is going to verbally abuse her, talking shit like "here's how a REAL MAN plays Sonic!!" - but in 2014, that's just not true. There's a fair amount of girls who grew up watching Sonic SATAM or playing the old Genesis games...

i mean, you don't see "Boy Gamer Playing Call Of Duty" or "Proud Gay Gamers" or "Fat Black Man Plays Final Fantasy XIII - Look At Dem Lightning Booty Buttcheex" - honestly, I'd try to make a tongue-in-cheek presentation about how horrible some of the stigmas within the gaming community are (and poke fun at them, maybe presenting "what girls in the gaming community SHOULD 1do") and to prove to everyone that girls don't play exclusively play Kingdom Hearts or whatever the general bigotry is over at the same time. If you're just going to have girls say "yeah, i love video games that guys play" you're either going to get heckled or loud snoring from the audience

[Sketchasaurus]

I agree, when people victimize themselves it only feeds the division. I honestly don't care what gender someone is if I'm playing a game with them, I just want to play the game and have fun; and if I happen to make a new friend through gaming, it's like unlocking a super-secret bonus level: Groovy!
I still stick by the idea that if you want to label yourself as a gamer, do it; you don't need to elaborate any further, you're part of the gaming community.
Conglaturation! a gamer is you!

When people divide into factions, it only makes it easier to destroy the community because part of the job will be done by in-fighting. I could probably easily find a dozen webcomics or videos by either side that perpetuate the bad blood and stereotypes between the two. Of course, this panel isn't going to change things overnight, but you have a chance to make at least some sort of impact on some people, so I'd say go for it. Humor is also a great way to keep people engaged and more likely to hear out what you have to say, so I agree with Kosheh about making it a more tongue-in-cheek presentation.

[Dazz]

I've had this same mindset as Kosheh and Sketchasaurus for the last 6/7 years; before then, I think it definitely was different... I think that the efforts that have been done over those years has changed the way in which the gaming community treats female players. I think we're now stuck in a situation where people are pointing out an issue that, while there definitely is still a minor problem, it isn't enough to make a HUGE deal out of it.

There are of course cases where guys and dicks to girls who play games - but those people are just idiots... They aren't going to change the way they act; they're barely likely to change their underwear.

It sort of reminds me of being in school and getting flack for having long hair - I didn't act like a victim, so I stopped giving a shit about what people would say and do. They stopped eventually, because they realised it didn't stir up any shit, and they just looked like idiots. I can't say for sure if that would happen here if the entire female gaming community stopped exposing these issues, but I'm pretty sure it would actually work to reduce the division. People give female gamers flack now because it makes the news.

Also, I'm pretty sure that there have been several cases where the community has dropped bricks on famous male celebrities who claim to love games and the community (though frankly I don't see why anybody gives a shit) - as well as females.

[Gors]

that arguement doesn't hold up; nobody can tell that i'm a girl when i play games ever


then again it might be because im a guy

i nominate this the best post of 2014

[Maxpphire]

I dunno, the con itself wanted there to be a panel on girls playing video games and I was asked to do a thing for it.

Also I never plan to say "yay, we're girls who love playing games! rawr!", thats not even the point of it. like the other girls who were asked mainly just wanna go like what I'm doing and share experiences, how they feel about girls portrayed in video games, and things of that nature.