17 of 19

Write now Article Tools

Girls Versus Boys in the Gaming Community
I find the concept of Girls Versus Boys' in the gaming community an interesting one. It is a subject that has been discussed and evolved ever since Texas Instruments came out with the TI 99/4A, which my then husband decided we had to have, followed by the popular Commodore 64.
The sexual revolution that took place between 1960 and 1980 changed the roles of males and females in our western society. Women and men grappled for the same jobs with equal pay in the workforce. Boys learned to cook and sew while girls took shop and vied for spots on their school's once male-dominated wresting, soccer, and basketball teams. Astronauts came in two genders, as did women in combat.

Our gender has historically determined the kind of games and diversions we enjoyed playing as men and women, boys and girls, especially in generations born before 1980. Girls were traditionally raised to be caregivers, while boys were raised to be providers. Once the Sexual Revolution took hold, the traditional definitive line between what was specifically male or female became blurred. Console and online gaming became a natural progression for forward thinking, adventurous females.
My personal gaming experience began five years ago when I met my current husband. I was a middle-aged widow whose first husband died leaving me with a fairly new custom computer and very little experience. Before then I considered gaming a waste of brainpower as well as a waste of valuable time that could be spent more productively elsewhere. I knew how to open my email and use a writing program. That was the extent of my computer experience.
Enter husband number two, an avid Microsoft X-BOX gamer who felt I needed a new hobby. I was not sure about this gaming. I was in love, took motion sickness pills, and navigated through various car-racing and first person shooters before discovering role-playing games. Once I played BALDUR'S GATE and OBLIVION we knew I was hooked.
Most of the X-BOXERs I interacted with were male. They were friends of my husband's, so I did not feel like too much of a greenhorn. These players really helped me learn the ins and outs of console gaming.
It was my introduction to the MMORPG where I found a game I could own. A friend introduced us to Blizzard Entertainment's WORLD OF WARCRAFT. WOW had legend, history, fantasy, and varied storylines. For the first time there were also numerous women with whom I could interact.
I had been used to gaming with guys

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Girls versus boys in the gaming community?
We want to hear your view. Write now!