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Post by wamphari on Sept 19, 2014 12:12:29 GMT -5
So, being not much of a gamer I was only tangentially aware of this particular curfuffle. It does appear that mysogyny rears it's head, I guess not so much again, but still in the gaming community. I've always felt these forums are a more civil and open place to discuss topics like these. Some of the stuff that I've seen posted towards female in the community, like zoe quin, anita sarkesian and many others, has been nothing short of toxic. While comics seems to be dealing with it's demons on this issue, sometimes well sometimes less so, it appears as if the gamer community is more intent on closing it's eyes to these problems. I hope that I'm wrong, and welcome information on the other side, but fear that there isn't as much of a push forward as in comics. So I guess what I'm really trying to say is...
Discuss. |
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Post by furordivinus on Sept 19, 2014 15:14:09 GMT -5
So, being not much of a gamer I was only tangentially aware of this particular curfuffle. It does appear that mysogyny rears it's head, I guess not so much again, but still in the gaming community. I've always felt these forums are a more civil and open place to discuss topics like these. Some of the stuff that I've seen posted towards female in the community, like zoe quin, anita sarkesian and many others, has been nothing short of toxic. While comics seems to be dealing with it's demons on this issue, sometimes well sometimes less so, it appears as if the gamer community is more intent on closing it's eyes to these problems. I hope that I'm wrong, and welcome information on the other side, but fear that there isn't as much of a push forward as in comics. So I guess what I'm really trying to say is...
Discuss. I think that this issue is indeed an important one, and one that needs to be raised significantly. I did come across two interesting articles related to #gamergate. One was about gamers speaking up against sexual harassment ( www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/gamers-speaking-sexual-harassment/), so that could be seen as a mild step forward, but the gaming community as a whole still has a long way to go. I also came across an article by Dan Golding, the director of the Freeplay Independent Games Festival, titled "The End of Gamers" in which he suggests that the misogynistic attacks could be a result of male gamers fearing irrelevance to to gaming culture as a whole. ( dangolding.tumblr.com/post/95985875943/the-end-of-gamers). I love gaming, but I also love equality. The more women involved in gaming, the better in my opinion. |
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Post by wamphari on Sept 19, 2014 20:14:17 GMT -5
I almost wonder if the difference has do to with the insularity of comic books vs video games. As a comic book fan I depend on new fans for the continued existence of my preferred medium. Perhaps gamers are resting a bit to comfortably of their misogynistic laurels. I dunno, just a thought.
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Post by joroak on Sept 20, 2014 8:05:25 GMT -5
The entire thing has me puzzled beyond belief. Comics and games, the way that I've seen people react and reply to people is downright disgusting. You read some of the comments that have been left out there and wonder where these people came from. I don't care who makes my games/comics. If the quality is good that's all I care about. If more women in either Of these industries means more diversified products than were all the better for it. It's a damn shame that people can't understand that and even worse can't react like actual human beings when they don't.
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Post by Trevor on Sept 26, 2014 2:45:01 GMT -5
Not sure.
I think both sides bring up valid points.
One is talking about sexism and diversity, the other about terrible journalism and journalism ethics in the videogmae industry.
Don't know who to believe.
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zakunick
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Posts: 61 
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Post by zakunick on Oct 4, 2014 23:23:04 GMT -5
The main thing is that people need to not be douchebags. Someone may be mad about something, but as soon as they say someone should die or have terrible things done to them, the reason they were mad gets forgotten or ignored. That kind of rage/anger is not helpful.
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Post by lissapunch on Oct 14, 2014 13:44:44 GMT -5
Excellent topic to address! I must say, I'm a little confused about what bad journalism has to do with harassment of females in the gaming or comics industry. Bad journalists are bad journalists, male or female. And no matter how shitty a person may be on a personal level, there's no justification for threats & bodily harm.
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Post by wamphari on Oct 14, 2014 16:11:21 GMT -5
I've been following a lot of this stuff with a few of the comentators from The Escapist (Jim Sterling and Bob Chipman) and it's pretty aweful. Its especially funny because the level of, at least tacit, corruption in the video game industry has been staggering for a long time. But when a female dev is involved in something that is sort of quasi-unethical, everyone goes bannanas. I mean have a video game magazine or website both review a game and accept ad dollars from the same company is at least a conflict of interest if not out-right corrupt. The whole thing really seems like a bunch of bros who are terrified of women. One hint for the GG people, if you have a good honest arguement (which I don;t believe they do) it's generally not a great idea to back it up with death and rape threats. I disagree with Anita Sarkesian on a few things, and believe she goes a farther than I'm comfortable with, but disagreeing with a person doesn't pardon the kinds of horrible things that are hurled at her.
Good resources
fatuglyorslutty.com (collection of female gamers collecting the aweful things male gamers say to them)
femministfrequency.com (Anita Sarkesian's website, Don't always agree but a different perspective is good)
follow @the_moviebob
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Post by supertaxnerd on Oct 23, 2014 17:57:44 GMT -5
I applaud both the TG and TC hosts for not running away from these topics. Far too many news outlets have been silent on GG, presumably because they do not want to draw attention from fringe elements. In the time I have been listening to Talking podcasts that has never been the case and I applaud them for that.
This community that you are building is one of the reasons I can still tell people I am a gamer.
That said, I feel that there is so much hate speech, defamation, infliction of emotional distress, and other patently illegal activities that have arisen out of the GG support base, that any argument made on behalf of GG are inherently suspect.
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Post by lissapunch on Oct 24, 2014 14:05:50 GMT -5
I wish that I could say we will address it on The Missfits, but I don't see that happening. That is (speaking on behalf of Mara & Stephanie here as well) partially because we try to keep the show light and fun, which this topic is certainly not. The other reason I believe is a somewhat obvious one and that is we are all females, some of us high profile enough to fear the repercussions of being honest about our opinions on the matter. This second reason bothers me, a lot, because I do not take kindly to being intimated or made to feel like I can't be open about my feelings, in any platform. My husband has actually expressed some concern for my family's safety if/when I talk about this and see backlash from GG. The fact that these reasons & concern exist at all is exactly why I want to be able to talk about it.
That being said, I'm more than happy to discuss the subject openly here in our forums or through my personal twitter (Lissapunch). I have had one experience thus far with drawing a small swarm of agitated GG supporters to my Twitter by simply retweeting an article opposing their actions. Thankfully, it was mostly civil debate. I will continue to talk about the issue publicly until I receive the dreaded threats, hopefully that won't happen.
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