medicstudent

Well to say my weekend was eye opening would about cover it.

Anyone who has read my blogs, especially the ones in March when Mass Effect 3 was released will know that I am a gamer, I list my top 10 in my profile and as for my entertainment choices it's usually my controller rather than my remote that I pick up. That being said, I didn't do any online gaming until recently, the idea of player vs. player, team death matches, and the wonton destruction of everything in front of you never really appealed to me, I enjoy stories, and not always people.
Mass Effect 3 changed that. Multiplayer was introduced; it was co-operative rather than competitive. So I figured I would up my membership to Xbox live to gold and give it a try. I genuinely enjoyed it. I talked to people around the world, almost all of whom were passionate Mass Effect fans like me, and while blasting away at the enemy we discussed the game, the ending, what we liked didnt like, and who we romanced, etcetera etcetera. Last weekend however when playing with a female friend of mine I encountered some inexcusable behaviour.
Now let me begin by saying I dont care if you are a man, woman, transgender, tall, short, fat, skinny, hard core or casual gamer. We are all there for the same thing. TO PLAY. Now we had a few matches, and the two other individuals that were in our match were pretty good, both I and my friend either finished 3rd or 4th out of four but the scores were always close.
After the third match the other two players began flirting with my friend. Now shes a big girl and held her own against what started to turn into rather lewd remarks and inappropriate conversations. Once that fourth match was over she decided shed had enough and left the lobby and found another group to play in. I stuck around just to hear what they had to say. It was disgusting.
She was called everything from a bitch, bleeder, cunt, and other words that I will not mention because I dont want to think them let alone type them on the screen. Appalled by what I was hearing I called them out on their bullshit and then I became the focus of their attacks. I didnt dignify their attacks with a verbal response of my own; I just left the lobby and reported them to Microsoft for violation of the terms of use. I dont know if that actually accomplishes anything but at least I did something. I also talked with my friend later and encouraged her to do the same.
I dont know if she did or not, what I do know is that this is a serious problem. She changed her gamer tag to something gender neutral, and swore that if she wasnt in a party where she knew EVERYONE, she wasnt turning her mic on any more. While that may shield her from the problem it doesnt solve it and this is a problem that needs to be solved.
Recently women in gaming have been attacked by internet trolls and douche bags around the world. Even the adorable nerdy, and perhaps most visible targets (and my biggest celebrity crush) Felicia Day was butchered online, on YouTube for her Gamer Girl, Country Boy music video. Aisha Tyler was ripped by trolls after hosting Ubisofts E3 conference, Aisha Tyler's response "Dear Gamers" a writer for BioWare was harassed on Reddit, and it goes on and on.
Now media outlets would have you all believe that these attacks are the works of adolescent sexually frustrated males in their parents basements but that just doesnt track with the current demographics of gaming. While it could be the case, I doubt it. The average gamer is between the ages of 26-34, have a job, a place of their own, and disposable income and some post secondary education.
This is a community that with the introduction of game apps on smart phones has grown exponentially in the last few years. I cant speak for anyone but myself but I see this as a good thing. Gamers are people who play.
The people that I direct my ire towards are the vocal minority, the bullies, those that believe that if you dont game Hard Core than you are somehow less of a gamer, or that if you are a woman that you some how have to prove your credentials. I dont understand this way of thinking, I really dont it boggles my mind that a community (gamers) that have been on the fringes of society mocked over and over would be accepting of people wanting to join that community. Celebrate that women, men, professionals want to play. No instead they feel threatened perhaps that their one unique quality is going mainstream and they lash out at the most vulnerable of the people joining.
I will not stand for this. I will be a voice. I will not have a broken mic when someone is being bullied in game via messages, or on message boards. I will speak up and I encourage ALL OF YOU to be a voice too! The only way that bullies like this win is when they go unchallenged. Speak up. Turn them into little quivering sacks of jelly when you declare that YOU ARE A GAMER AND YOU ARE NOT AFRAID!!!!
Support everyone that gets into gaming or cosplay or LARP (Live Action Role Playing) or anything!
There is no need in this digital age that bullies should rule the internet.

Now this is the first blog I've written in a very long time that isn't for members only so if you read it and agree, share it, get your friends involved, stop the internet and gaming bullies!