A whole lineup of women in gaming experts are scheduled to talk at
February's Women in Games International conference, "Games for Women, Games by Women". Only a half-day event (compared
to October's two day women-in-games love fest), it looks pretty
comprehensive, covering topics ranging from marketing to women to career strategies and work/life balance issues.
The conference is as much about bringing women working in games together as educating others about the apparently
elusive female gamer. As such, it's a valuable addition to the game conference calendar, and if previous conferences
are anything to go by it will open attendees' eyes to a variety of issues. At the October conference, hardcore girl
gamers swapped stories with jaded programmers and top-level female executives, and everyone went away having learnt
more about the different perspectives of the myriad women in gaming. Hopefully in a few years there will be no need for
conferences like this, however, as companies and the audience become more diverse.
[via GameGossip]




















(Page 1) Reader Comments
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"just a joke"
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It's called E3.
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I was talking to another girl about how awesome it would be if you took Rosie the Riviter and put a controller in her fist with the words "REAL WOMEN PLAY VIDEO GAMES" arching over her. Not as iconographic, but a whole lot cooler.
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As far as the offliners, I do believe that "playing games" is still a social stigma, at least as far as women are concerned. There is not ostracization by guys mind you, but I've seen women get ragged on by other women just because they enjoyed a good fragging here and there.
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Yeah right, its just women who "only" gets this.
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maybe it's different for me, because I'm in kind of social that playing game is as normal as eating. and because likely that everyone is playing game, it isn't necessary to label those who do as 'gamers', just like you don't call people who eating as 'eater'.
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I don't ever explicitly play the female gamer card - but I happen to be female, and I play in environments (including tournaments) where it gets noticed. It's worse when I beat people than when they beat me, too. I've learnt loads of new synonyms for 'prostitute' since I started playing Halo 2. And that's why I play with a clan of other girls, all of whom know how horrid it can be, rather than go into random games every day.
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"And that's why I play with a clan of other girls,"
And if I said that and replaced girls with guys, I would be considered sexist.
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Its not? I'm always told discriminating a person based on gender is wrong?
"You're taking me out of context; I play with other girls for the atmosphere and because we have a lot in common"
I am? "I've learnt loads of new synonyms for 'prostitute' since I started playing Halo 2. And that's why I play with a clan of other girls, all of whom know how horrid it can be"
Well from what I read you wrote it seems you play with women cause you can relate to hate, I guess guys would be insulting to play with, cause we're all jerks and ruin the atmosphere. Even though some us get insulted as well.
"I also play with guys regularly too, and it's not a big deal"
Sure its not, but its rhetoric that you mention equal treatement for female gamers when isolating and making generalize of most male gamers.
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"its rhetoric that you mention equal treatement for female gamers when isolating and making generalize of most male gamers."
Actually, you're assuming a *lot* here. I *never* said it was guys who give me flak online. I've been hassled by girls too; every gender has its trash-talkers. I've been in plenty of games where guys have been kicked out due to racism or homophobia. I know a guy who was stalked on a MMO by another guy who thought he was a girl. I'm well aware it's not just girls who experience problems online.
Neither am I generalising about male gamers. All I said was I play with other girls who know how bad it can be to be a lone female online. That doesn't equate to "Every guy online is a sexist jerk and I never play with boys because of it". You just want me to say that, so you can have your soapbox and pontificate against female clans or whatever. Tsk, well, you can have it, but I see there's no sense to be had here.
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Right so differing each other based on gender only. Sounds sexist to me.
"Actually, you're assuming a *lot* here"
Sure am, a "girls-only" club no room for males is talking about eqaulity, hypocrit huh?
"I *never* said it was guys who give me flak online"
Yeah you didnt, but you did mention specifically and main reason it made you join a "girls-only" club.
"You just want me to say that, so you can have your soapbox and pontificate against female clans or whatever. Tsk, well, you can have it, but I see there's no sense to be had here."
I do? I am? Are you 5 years old? I just dont like the idea that we're looking too much into guys or girls and making sex-based clans. I believe we should both guys and gals should be treated equally, not running away and hiding in clans and complaining about this and that.
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yeah, and we're saying that guys and gals are *not* being treated equally inside of games. that's why we're talking about it. are you dense, or what?
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So the problem is gonna be solved by creating a clan of women only, not allowing guys in it and asking for equal treatement, yet holding narrow of "girl gamers only". Nice logic good luck with that.
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Communities of girl gamers are actually important to the games industry. The presentation by PMS and the Frag Dolls at the Women's Games Conference in Austin this year (look, ma, on topic!) left many industry people I spoke to at the event almost shell-shocked. Not only had they found girl gamers, they'd found a goldmine of them. It's effectively a free focus group for developers to use to figure out what appeals to the bits of the market they're missing. This, indeed, *does* help the developers solve their problems which are usually centred around "not enough women are buying our product" and thus "we aren't making as much money as we could".
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I do? C'mon keep throwing those accusations, I just replied the post they were directed at me. Yeah you're women thats common thing but complaining you're not being treated equally and then throwing your gender by "women-only group" is hypocritical. Look I dont agree with these group, its pretty self-serving, instead of focusing its on real issues. You're too focused on yourselves. Thats my belief, if you dont agree then dont, I dont care thats what I think. Well I'm done.
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this group exists to talk about and represent what the experience of being a girl gamer is like, to other gamers, to the media and to developers. can you tell me exactly what a guy knows about being a girl gamer? what would he contribute to that group?
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So no "thank you" for me?
"to address the real issue of sexism"
I didnt know women had moral superiority over ethnics and gays. To me the real issue is any form of discrimination, that includes racism, homophobia.
"because you sure as hell aren't doing it."
So I should create a clan with specific female who openly dont accept male gamers and yet talks about equality? Who throw the fact they're girl gamers and then hide by the same statement, asking for equality?
"this group exists to talk about and represent what the experience of being a girl gamer is like, to other gamers, to the media and to developers."
So basically its all about yourselves, apprently not for others, and you expect me to respect that, something that isolates the gaming community and individuals girl gamers.
"can you tell me exactly what a guy knows about being a girl gamer? what would he contribute to that group?"
Its either about girl gamers only or its about equal treatement of gamers regardless of whether a person is black, female, gay etc. Either its self-serving or equal.
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dude, you're not listening... "other gamers, to the media and to developers" are a lot of folks, all of whom care about what's going on with girl gamers. this is about the opposite of isolationism because it's about working with the larger gaming community (of all genders, races, classes, etc.) to figure out how to get to a place where being a girl gamer *doesn't* isolate you. this is about the fact that women are isolated *already* and we don't want to be, dig?
it's about equal treatment, yup. let's get proactive- what are you doing to promote that?
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You're telling me your listening? You created a group that contradicts its own beliefs.
" this is about the opposite of isolationism because it's about working with the larger gaming community (of all genders, races, classes, etc.) "
I dont see how creating a "girl-only" group and then be vocal about your views about equality, which seem hypocritical. The only thing I specifically see is a bunch of girls talk about what matters to them nothing more or less, pretty much self-serving. You seem to complain about different treatement of women, yet your group doesnt allow guys and makes statement about male gamers.
"to figure out how to get to a place where being a girl gamer *doesn't* isolate you"
Again contradiction, "girls-only" group doesnt isolate to male counter-parts?
"it's about equal treatment, yup"
Equal or self-serving cause you're full of hypocrisy.
"let's get proactive- what are you doing to promote that?"
Same as what you're probably doing, expect I dont hide behind a little girl group, and start making threats and start making excuses for your own discrimination. Apprently according to your other post, you dont believe guys dont know anything about girl gamers or anything towards your cause of "equality".
Look you can argue with me all you wont, it wont change my view. Personally i dont care if you accept my view or not, cause I'm not trying to do anything with opinion except express it. So lets agree to disagree ok?
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ahhh, i see -- you're just trying to win an argument instead of actually having a conversation. looks like i wasted my time, then! too bad.
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I am? Thats news to me, you ladies seem to know me better than myself. I did in fact give you alot counter-arguement instead some one liners and nothing in return. I just wanted to express what I felt and I did, I can have this arguement with you but it wont get anyway except me repeating myself endless with the same counter-points you keep throwing at me.
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