A Shame it is

Today I came to a sad conclusion.
I’ve been lurking around various forums throughout the gaming community.
I couldn’t imagine how bad things have gotten with the “female representation” within gaming.

I see so much anger and annoyance from my male gamer colleagues in which how my gender is being represented.
I’ve been saying this for years, gaming is genderless!

Females that play games are not a rarity whatsoever.
We’ve seen various gaming communities attempting to welcome female gamers to be more active in the politics of gaming and in my opinion, have failed miserably (I am talking about the bigger players, smaller communities have done so successfully). I’ve been trying to stay out of this entire gender conflict to the best of my ability, but I am becoming very tired of how me/my gender is being represented. I have under various occasions spoken out my distaste about various female clans/communities that have the wrong idea on how to incorporate said gender into the overall gaming community. I am just one person, one voice that honestly isn’t being taken seriously on several occasions.

I have come up with ideas and suggestions on how to implement new female gaming enthusiasts into the gaming community, unfortunately it has all been in vain.
Right now as it is, to much emphasis is being put on a female being a female, rather then a gamer.

Since people who are supposedly representing my gender don’t have time to read the opinions of the male/female of what they think about their current representation, then let me tell you. There is an utter distaste. On one side there are the females that are representing the female gender ONLY because they are payed to stand there and look “pretty”. It is supposed to be an attempt to get more females to play. The only thing they are is eyecandy for the male audience. They have no idea what they are talking about most of the part. The only thing they know is the brand they are trying to sell, which they do miserably.

The other side are those who sit in a high position in the community, making utter idiots out of themselves. Claiming girl power and how girls are so much better then men. I am all for female power but it doesn’t give you respect from the gaming community if that is all you base your debate on. What does is your gaming portfolio, how you present yourself, how you act towards your audience and how you present your knowledge in set topics. I can sit here, scream female power at the top of my lungs and slap my female comrades on their butt cheeks, it wont give me ANY respect by my male comrades (or respectable female gamers).

The female clans/communities, esp within XBOX community, grab new female gamers, give them a private forum in which to keep them safe. Safe from what you ask? Well, safe from the rest of the community. You see, fragile females such as myself cannot stand the harassment that occurs. So instead of incorporating them, giving them strength to deal with the overall community that you’ve created, you tell them how bad the overall community is. It’s easy to control frightened people. You claim that you do give them strength and sister hood, how come they and YOU are the laughingstock of the gaming community beyond your own forums? You people are a bad representatives to my gender and I am NOT alone in this. I’ve seen testimonials from males and females alike. A lot of them are surprised that you guys keep going the way you are.

I am ashamed. Not because I am a woman, but because of you, people will associate my person along with yours.
Which means That I am either a brain dead barbie doll, or a stupid ass that yells girl power while not knowing the gaming industry outside my narrow mind.
I implore you all. Either leave your positions (which I know you won’t because you either make good money, or you like being in a position of power where you spew crap out of your mouth about how females are poorly treated while grinding other female gamers next to you.)

I ask the gaming industry one thing. Bring us a female gamer, a real one. One that has had a passion for games since early childhood, someone who’s variety in gameplay is equal to the intelligence in which can be competitive with our male counterparts. They are out there, doing what they love the most! Playing videogames and talking about them with great passion.

I don’t want to read more threads about how the current representatives make complete asses of themselves. Have some dignity and present yourself in which this industry deserves, with professionalism and character.

Also, please don’t give me the old debates of how females are harassed, All genders/sexualities and species are harassed, the strong ones stand up and can with intelligent conversation overcome any verbal abuse. This segregation must stop. It only gives females within gaming a bad name. If these woman in these respectable positions cannot act as the representatives females deserves, then leave. Make room for someone that does have a genuine interest in representing my gender without sounding like a complete moron and making a total ass out of themselves during events and interviews.

Also these types of group claim they have the majority on their side, thinking like them. Then please, make a search on google and have a look yourself how the REST OF THE WORLD feels outside your little controlled haven. There you will find the real opinions of people who do not support the representation we are stuck with

I will not voice my shame after this post, I have before and it never made any impact what so ever. I will just sit back, knowing that airheads are ruining the image of female gamers. If things won’t change, I will seriously consider a sex change operation.

/Letter from a very disgusted gamer