The term 'girl gamer'

S

sploatee

formerly Oynox Slider
Does it provoke any reaction in you?

Whenever I see what the latest livestreams are on the PS4, there is always a glut of 'GIRL GAMER plays X' streams.

I can't quite put my finger on it but I find it a little bit irritating. My gut reaction is that I always wonder why the streamer adds gender into their experience. Why can't you just be a 'gamer'? Why can't it be more about the game you are playing than an advertisement? Is it simply a way to get more views?

I can't help the feeling that using the term to market oneself is a little bit retrograde and a bit depressing.

Is it just me that feels this way? Or am I just a misogynistic bitch in love with male power structures?
 
earl-gamer.jpg
 
It's as cringeworthy as "hardcore gamer". Or I guess it's not the terms themselves that are bothersome but the people who describe themselves as such and behave a certain way.
 
The term 'Gamer' in general just annoys me. You don't see other medium users labeling themselves. What do we call someone who watches movies? Movier?
 
It annoys me to be honest. They're free to do whatever they want but when someone sees a gurrlll gamer with half her boobs out playing a game, they're going to get the wrong impression of women as a whole.

Not that they SHOULD, mind you, but that's how generalizations are born. In an era where we're working towards equality in this medium, it's a speed bump.
 
My wife hates the term "Girl Gamer". She feels that the girls that do use it are often attention seekers and only game because all the guys will be giving them attention. As a huge gamer herself, she feels it brings down the respect that female gamer deserve in a male dominated online echo system of most games.
 
It's a quick method of differentiation from all the other streams available. It is annoying, because girls being gamers shouldn't have to be viewed so differently, but hey ho.

I know a lot of girls who game and I don't think they would ever call themselves gamer girls.
 
I don't really like labels, you are yourself, I'm myself, etc. I love music as much as I love gaming, but since gaming is more "weird" than listening to music, does that make me a gamer or a person with wide interests?
 
sploatee said:
Does it provoke any reaction in you?

Whenever I see what the latest livestreams are on the PS4, there is always a glut of 'GIRL GAMER plays X' streams.

I can't quite put my finger on it but I find it a little bit irritating. My gut reaction is that I always wonder why the streamer adds gender into their experience. Why can't you just be a 'gamer'? Why can't it be more about the game you are playing than an advertisement? Is it simply a way to get more views?

I can't help the feeling that using the term to market oneself is a little bit retrograde and a bit depressing.

Is it just me that feels this way? Or am I just a misogynistic bitch in love with male power structures?
Click to expand...

I've seen some decent retro game channels pop up with people that dont force that they are a girl and a gamer down viewers throats. Just their user name for a channel or an actual video title. I'm sure you arent the only one that feels that way though, since the majority of female gaffers dont go around shouting about being a girl gamer (unless its actually a valid part of the discussion).

Didnt someone say that was the difference between girls who play games and "gurl gamers"?
 
I immediately turn off from anything I'm reading or any conversation I'm having when I hear it. I hate the term gamer to begin with, but that one is even worse.

"Girl gamers" don't exist. They play games, they are "gamers". It is gender neutral to begin with.
 
It doesnt evoke anyreaction that the term male gamer doesnt evoke. Well, except that "girl" makes me think of younger females That play games.

Edit: I should probably add that I hate the term "gamer" in the first place.
 
I hate that term as well. As someone said earlier, it's just attention seeking. If your a gamer, your a gamer. No need for a gender to be included.
 
It doesn't make me think any type of way about the opposite sex playing video games, only about the lewd reactions people have.

My SO isn't a dedicated gamer but she plays my video games (AC4, inFamous SS, GTA5) when we are finish with school work (university) or have free time to just chill and don't plan to go out. She has never played multiplayer and she seems like she has an expectation of stupidity for others if she ever got online.
 
There's no point in distinguishing yourself as a male or female.

Whenever I'm reading something and it uses the term "Female ____" I know it's probably going to be dreck.

For example, if a character profile states "FEMALE WARRIOR" I just kind of... walk away.
 
sploatee said:
Does it provoke any reaction in you?
Click to expand...

Im very indifferent about it. Everybody can do what he / she wants as long as it is not harmful to another person. Gamer Girl, KillerX, SuperBoss.....i dont care. If i dont like a name i dont have to pay attention to him / her.....


... you cant blame someone for choosing a name. You can only blame yourself if you get angry about something like that :)
 
If there are a need to identify as a GIRL gamer, than it means that all those girls see the term GAMER as male only.... so the problem is not using "girl gamer", is the idea that "gamer" is male only
 
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