Reinforcing the Wall: Hegemonic Masculinity and the Ideal Self in MMOGs

[Azimuth]

And the read's almost as heavy going as the title.

A few editing slips aside (:P), this is a really fascinating article. Personally, I've tried to avoid pointless female stereotypes (I've only ever really referred to myself as a "female gamer" or "chick gamer" in a self-deprecating sort of way, as I consider the gender tag completely useless) or even giving much perspective of my experience of being female and a gamer in an environment that - statistics be damned - remains overwhelmingly male. On the one hand, I think labels like "female gamer" are pointlessly divisive, while on the other, there's simply no denying that the divide is still there. Self-perpetuating or not, it's probably worth looking at.

This article resonates with me on a number of topics. Team chat, for example - it's something guys take entirely for granted, but as a woman, there's enormous risk involved in using it. As this article highlights, outing yourself as a female in a public game can have very negative consequences. I've been sexually harassed, specifically targeted, and made to feel very uncomfortable and devalued in games, for no other reason than that I'm not a guy. Even comments of the fairly benign (and often well-meant) "you play well for a girl" variety have their own devaluing connotation - the implication being that, in the broader context, I don't otherwise.

[KaosLord]

The best is when women are accused of been 10 year old boys.Lulz.

[CrashHelmut]

This article resonates with me on a number of topics. Team chat, for example - it's something guys take entirely for granted, but as a woman, there's enormous risk involved in using it. As this article highlights, outing yourself as a female in a public game can have very negative consequences. I've been sexually harassed, specifically targeted, and made to feel very uncomfortable and devalued in games, for no other reason than that I'm not a guy. Even comments of the fairly benign (and often well-meant) "you play well for a girl" variety have their own devaluing connotation - the implication being that, in the broader context, I don't otherwise.

I've actually noticed this is some of the TF2 matches where you and dammit are also present. Guys who would normally be reasonably quiet would start chatting away. I'm somewhat surprised at how reserved your responses are in these cases.

[Machine]

The best is when women are accused of been 10 year old boys.Lulz.

Sort of off topic...

I will get to reading the article later as I am leaving in a minute...


In most of my TeamSpeak experiences (so far), female gamers have been treated very respectfully and are handled in the same manner as the males in the group (plus most of the time it's one girl and five guys or so)

Although (now in regard to what KaosLord stated), sometimes I myself have been guilty of thinking it's a very young boy but if one listens hard enough you can breakdown the vocal pattern of a female and eventually figure it out. I personally don't ask, as it may seem rude. Plus, it's hard to hear exactly what's going on on TeamSpeak's very "low-fi" audio quality (entirely dependent on individual codec of the room)


Personally, I do not judge one's character, gaming skill or intelligence on gender. I wish more preadolescent males would learn this trait sooner and solidify it within their ethics and personality (pipe-dream *sigh*)

[dammit]

I've actually noticed this is some of the TF2 matches where you and dammit are also present. Guys who would normally be reasonably quiet would start chatting away. I'm somewhat surprised at how reserved your responses are in these cases.

Well, how would I know the difference? :P I don't know what the server is like when I'm not around, nor how loud/quiet the players are. I just assume that's how they usually are, though, granted, some players do get a bit weird...

[wir]

Don't worry, I'm weird with everyone on public TF2 voice chat.

[dislekcia]

I considered posting this when I first read it.

I thought the gender patterns that people were ascribing to particular roles in MMOs, regardless of actual player gender, was probably the most interesting part. I always wonder what people would do if no specific gender-related choice was available. As in, playing a race of aliens with no recognisable male or female analogues.

I always find the "difference behavior" of many gamers hilarious when they realise they're "playing with a girl". At one point Squid and I were actively trying to mess with that type of perception in TF2: Pretending to hold doors open, etc. That's where I started self-identifying as a "girl-gamer" in order to try to point out how odd behavior can get.

I think the thing I find most fascinating though, is the way that some female gamers overtly sexualise themselves. Why? Is it a successful strategy or some sort of meta-game that I don't get? It just strikes me as completely odd when most women gamers I know enjoy not being treated differently and hate being sexualised or shoehorned into forced gender roles online.

[dammit]

I think the thing I find most fascinating though, is the way that some female gamers overtly sexualise themselves. Why? Is it a successful strategy or some sort of meta-game that I don't get? It just strikes me as completely odd when most women gamers I know enjoy not being treated differently and hate being sexualised or shoehorned into forced gender roles online.

I think that, basically, it comes down to women being so bombarded their entire lives with seeing women portrayed as sexual objects only worthy when desired by men that they eventually absorb it into their sense of self and their self-identity and act out such stereotypes, thus reinforcing them and so continuing the cycle.

Most women you know might not be very good examples of the "average" woman who may be okay with acting that way. Also, what you interpret as sexually overt may not be thought of as such by the person displaying these behaviours.

[dislekcia]

Most women you know might not be very good examples of the "average" woman who may be okay with acting that way. Also, what you interpret as sexually overt may not be thought of as such by the person displaying these behaviours.

Rewarding sexualising interactions with more interaction and ignoring non-sexualised interactions.

It's not like an avatar can really do anything inherently "sexy" on their own that everyone else can't do too, so I'm always talking about interactions here.

[dammit]

Rewarding sexualising interactions with more interaction and ignoring non-sexualised interactions.

It's not like an avatar can really do anything inherently "sexy" on their own that everyone else can't do too, so I'm always talking about interactions here.

Okay, interactions. Again, it's probably just gender stereotypes being absorbed into self concept. Clearly not all the wimminz you know have done this. As have not all men absorbed the "sex-crazed arrogant athlete" stereotype into their self-concept. Go figure.

[MarryO+LewyG]

I've been sexually harassed, specifically targeted, and made to feel very uncomfortable and devalued in games, for no other reason than that I'm not a GIRL.

I get the same thing at my grandmother’s bridge club.

[dammit]

Okay, just finished up the whole (rather tedious) article and what I think it comes down to is "art imitating life". It's no real surprise to find that people have taken their social roles in real life into their roles in a virtual world, especially since it's a system that works for the majority of players (ie: males in a patriarchal situation obvious thrive).

As for women themselves, I think there's a self perpetuating prophecy on the loose. Most women believe they'll be treated different and so may not talk up or may simply be okay with taking a supporting role. I found one particular part of the article rather telling:

In addition to being perceived as inferior, there was also a commonality amongst responses to whether men or women caused tension or "drama" in guild settings. As S2 said, "Lot's of women together cause drama. One woman or two women doesn't make a difference, but many women together it becomes a very uncomfortable situation for many girls and guys." During the course of the interviews, participants were also asked to respond to a series of attributes which are often looked at as having masculine or feminine functions in hegemonic normative socialities.

Women are often the biggest culprits when it comes to sexism against women. We so readily employ men into leadership roles instead of women in so many situations it's no surprise to see it once again played out here. Women work against women most of the time.

It's a real pity, really, but it's where we're at as a culture now. This does need to change, but the change has so start in the families and move to the education sphere. Advertising, film roles, script writers and everything else need a huge shift in their perceptions and what they feel is acceptable to portray before real change will be felt.

Also, thinking about all this just makes me really frustrated. ._.

[dislekcia]

Don't get too frustrated there just yet. This article acts as though it's done a thorough review of all the material out there on MMOs. It hasn't.

It's stuck quite firmly to MMOs designed around the exact elements that the article itself calls patriarchal. War, conflict, the rise to power of a single character (ie: you), etc. What would a study of something like Penguin Club show? That male gamers in social MMOs are marginalised and excluded by matriarchal social patterns? A male player in a social MMO is going to self-marginalise too.

It basically decided to look only at combat-heavy MMOs and then act surprised that people who like combat participate the most... Where's EVE? Where are the dynamics of UO or any one of the asian online worlds?

[dammit]

Don't get too frustrated there just yet. This article acts as though it's done a thorough review of all the material out there on MMOs. It hasn't.

It's stuck quite firmly to MMOs designed around the exact elements that the article itself calls patriarchal. War, conflict, the rise to power of a single character (ie: you), etc. What would a study of something like Penguin Club show? That male gamers in social MMOs are marginalised and excluded by matriarchal social patterns? A male player in a social MMO is going to self-marginalise too.

It basically decided to look only at combat-heavy MMOs and then act surprised that people who like combat participate the most... Where's EVE? Where are the dynamics of UO or any one of the asian online worlds?

Oh. Yeah. The article wasn't exactly a brilliant piece of science or anything. I really meant that I get frustrated thinking about sexism at all.

Edit: I don't play online enough, I guess, to have been seriously affected by any sexism in gaming so I can't offer a person take on that. Only the occasional weirdo spamming friend requests but that really is minor.

[GhOsT_828]

Happened a while ago to one of my friends. One of the guys on the TF2 server apparently developed some sort of crush on my friend, claiming her to be "his medic" and totally freaking out whenever she dies, only to blabber an apology when she respawns about how sorry he is for not protecting her properly.
She doesn't even know him, and many lulz were had cracking jokes about this chap later.

[FEN1X]

The best is when women are accused of been 10 year old boys.Lulz.

I did that with Tannie Tommy >.<