Erin Reynolds over at Game Instructions wrote this piece a week or so back, “Women in Gaming, and Women’s Game Conferences,” which, if a little sloppily written, deserves a few words in response. Reynolds’ main point, so it seems, is that girl gamer communities (as represented by female-oriented sites, conferences, etc.) are actually harmful to the status of gender equality in the industry because they “other” women and don’t promote gender-blind inclusion. It’s certainly an important concern, and, as Reynold’s says, there’s no easy answer.

But that’s not the end of the story. Keeping quiet, working hard and waiting for the day when equality is a reality… all that does is promote the established male system with silent consent. True, women shouldn’t separate themselves into a world of niche gaming, but we’re only human, and we need to feel welcome and comfortable in order to take part in a community - something that obviously isn’t happening in mainstream (male-dominated) circles, otherwise female-oriented events and sites wouldn’t be popping up with the speed they are. Erin, in a perfect world, no one would need to hold women’s conferences, or talk about gender issues (Though they may still want to. When did it stop being constructive to discuss the culture around us?), but this isn’t a perfect world, nor is it going to be any time soon. Fasten your seatbelt for fun…

Morgan Webb, who was not my ideal role-model to start with, now has a column for which, in order to prove her true video game knowledge, she posed in a bikini. Hmm… let’s think about that for a sec. That’s how all women should go to work: half naked and oiled. Then we’ll get some real respect! Right?

At the moment I’m working on a piece for Killer Betties on lesbian gamers. If you are one (Hi there!) or you have any fun, constructive information/commentary on lesbian gaming communities, drop me a line [bonnie at heroine-sheik dot com]. Thanks!

A piece of mine went up today over at PGC, “An American Gamer in France,” and this after I said France was a land without video games :-). The editorial deals with the differences in gaming cultures here (aka America) and in Europe. Sadly, it doesn’t include any berets or baguettes, but it does come with the exciting knowledge that you’re talking about a country where milk is purchased in boxes and pastries flow like water… Sweet, sweet water!

God bless you, Gaurdian Unlimited Games Blog, for putting together this lovely article together back in January and providing us with tons of background info on the subject of homosexuality and gaming. Boys and girls, if you’re as interested in the topic as I am, follow these links for a sexy kind of text-based adventure (the adventure of research!).

“The Game of Wife: Gay marriage comes to video games.” By Clive Thompson, for Slate, April 7, 2004.
“Gender Blending,” Guardian Unlimited Games Blog, January 17, 2005.
Gender Bending Stats Galore, Nick Yee
More Stats on Gender Play, Doctor K., women gamers.com
The discussion continues…, Terra Nova

Oh my god, there are too many to count. I am in gaming and sexuality heaven! Will report later with more; head spinning; must not drool, must read.

Another interesting post (a few weeks old; sorry, I’m a space cadet) by Mike over at Game Girl Advance about “Lipstick Gamers” and the sexified girl gamer image. All intelligent, insightful stuff…strange. There’s been some great writing up there lately, and each time I read it and think, What an interesting female perspective, and then it’s a guy. Note to self: some boys have minds. Additional note to self: some girls don’t (”PSP licker”, I’m talking to you).

Just when you thought it was safe to be a cheerful girl gamer… potential booth babes attack from all sides! Okay, so maybe that’s not everybody’s worst nightmare (It’s not mine either; in the worst nightmare I ever had, I had to stab my brother to death with a fork. Eek!), but it’s still pretty damn unsettling. You go online, you write some things about the negative effects of parading around E3 in a bikini, and you rest easy at night thinking the issue is somewhere else, far away in LA where women are made of recycled plastic. Sure, guys across the country drool over booth babes, but how many of us actually know one? Most women, I assumed, had more sense.

Apparently not. Soon will come the day for you too when you find out that everybody you know and love is freaking insane.

My cousin, for example, it turns out - so my uncle tells me over dinner, trying not to seem disapproving - works weekends as one of those hotties who hands out beer-related merchandise at high-testosterone sporting events: car races, football games, etc. I say slowly, “So you mean she’s a… booth babe?” Sure she’s cute, but she fancies herself pretty badass. She quit a job waiting tables after three days, but this she’s kept up for months. Supposedly it pays well, but I don’t know. One of the few things I can think of worse than posing with thousands of sweaty guys is posing with thousands of sweaty guys who like sports.

And then, at dinner the other night, one of my friends mentions that her father wanted her and her sister to come look cute as his booth for a business conference. Doesn’t anyone else think it’s weird to be your own father’s booth babes? That conversation sparks rounds of “I wish I was a booth babe,” and stories about how working as a scantily clad waitress at a strip club makes you feel really special. Of course, after that the conversation degenerated into how jealous everyone else was of their anorexic friends, and why couldn’t they have willpower like that? Really frightening stuff. Don’t get me wrong, these are NOT dumb girls. Sometimes I wonder if there’s any hope… Standing up for women is well and good, but, just like men, they can be downright strange.