What does it take for girls to REALLY be a gamer?
It’s a question that can be asked in a lot of different ways but ultimately the undertone of the question still remains the same. In previous articles, I’ve already talked about why there aren’t as many girls playing games as guys, and it’s well documented that the gaming community is dominated by male gamers. It’s really only been since the creation and rise in popularity of streaming games on Twitch that female gamers are becoming more and more known. As we see more girls start playing games and begin to create a name for themselves across social media platforms, trying to make a career out of video gaming, we often see people asking in the comments “does she actually play this game?” or “What does she know about video games?”
Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of people asking this kind of questions in the comments of streamers and YouTubers I’ve been watching. In fact, it’s also something I myself have been asked this before. So that was when I started wondering what does it actually take to be classified as a gamer in the eyes of others?
Does the amount of stuff I have qualify me?
Why is it that girl gamers have to prove that they are gamers? How would we even go about providing the ‘proof’ that we are? There seems to still be a culture of gatekeeping within the gaming community and the main offenders definitely still appear to be guys who feel like video games are to be enjoyed as part of their ‘boys-only club’.
So why do we seem to be treated differently than the male gaming community? There is definitely a stigma around classifying yourself as a gamer. We often hear parents, relatives, or even work or school friends looking down on gaming and the people who enjoy video games. It’s usually not anything too harsh but the general idea seems to be that there are so many better things we could be doing with our time rather than playing a game or even watching someone else play one. Games and gaming are something to be enjoyed, a piece of entertainment that we can interact with and really throw ourselves into. The feeling of ‘belonging’ and enjoying making new friends in a game is incredibly powerful and uplifting. It’s like watching a series or a movie that you actually get to be a part of. In short, it’s fun! But not everybody seems to quite get that.
So when it comes to actually realising these things and how people who aren’t into gaming can see the gaming community as a whole it’s easy to see why male gamers are given an easier time than the girls. In almost all cultures across the world, us girls are seemingly meant to constantly develop ourselves to have to stay up with the guys. We have to put in twice the effort to have half the recognition.
Unfortunately, these same views can leak through into the fringes of the gaming community too. And I think it’s a pretty big reason why a small but very loud portion of male gamers say that female gamers and streamers are ‘only using their looks’ to get the upper hand in building a career out of gaming. And of course while there are cases where this may be true it is totally unfair for this idea to paint all the girls in the community with the same brush.
Or how many kills I get?
Every day there are more and more female gamers being recognized within the community and that’s absolutely wonderful! However, for every new success story, there seems to be some new ‘scandal’ involving a girl gamer. Whether it’s for her skill, her looks, or her privately turning down someone’s unwanted advances, they still appear to get called out for small things that guys would never have to think about or put up with. It seems we are being held to an impossibly high standard that we can never quite truly reach.
With over 15 million active daily users on Twitch I can absolutely guarantee you that there are so many young girl gamers watching their favorite streamer, hoping to someday achieve what they are doing right now. So with the rest of the community setting a bad example by acting out and calling people names, commenting on their looks or even their ability to play a game is not how we should inspire future generations to step up to carry the torch onwards. Creating this culture of toxic back and forth drama solves nothing and actually hurts the community we are all trying so hard to build and improve.
Somehow this article turned into a very touchy piece… I didn’t mean for it to sound like I’m complaining. I have just been asking myself for a few days now “What does it take to actually be considered a gamer with today’s unpleasable standards?”
I personally feel like we as a community have lost touch with the TWO things that make video games so great and welcoming. Video games are meant for everyone, regardless of age, gender or background. They are designed to be something we should be enjoying!!
I mean when I have kids someday I would love to have them play video games because games have helped me a great deal growing up, and they really are a big part of who I am today. Looking up to the heroes and being able to be a part of a story beyond our wildest imagination is something that is truly special and so far I haven’t found in any other form of entertainment other than games.
This is something that should be protected from those who would paint not only the girls but also all gamers in a bad light, and it is also something that should be shared and celebrated with those who don’t usually give games a second look. The real magic of gaming is the accessibility to be able to get involved in something other than your own life for a bit.
Or is it about the joy and of playing video games?
I know I have spoken a lot about the bad parts of the community in this article but I have also witnessed the greatness of the gaming community too! Yes, not all gamers out there are toxic or horrible to anyone who wants to join the community and I can proudly say that I have found myself in part of the community that is a really good one. I might not be the best at any of the games I try, but that should also not be a reason why I cannot be a gamer. Not everyone is made for competitive gaming and not everyone will be good at it. It’s because I love video games that I continue to buy them and play them. I’m not any less of a gamer because of someone else’s opinion of whether I qualify to be one.
I guess this has just been a really long-winded way to answer the question of who decides if we are gamers? The answer is very simple. Nobody but you can make that decision. Even if you are not up to date with the latest game news or you don’t go to all the geek fests doesn’t make you any less of a gamer. I believe that it is up to the individual themselves to decide if they are a gamer.
So to the people asking what ‘qualifications’ should I have to be a gamer? Absolutely NONE!! The only requirement should be to have fun because that’s what video games are all about.
Wouldn’t you agree?
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