Ongoing gender debates

I have a real touchy hatred of those studies that says one gender's brain is different from the next. Or various other opinions from women or men that make statements on behalf of the entire gender. I find it crass, limiting and ultimately annoying for the rest of us who might not fit into that world view.

I'm a gamer. I like roleplaying games, video games and board games. Give me Trivial Pursuit and I'll play for hours. I actually punch my husband in the arm (not hard) when I lose at Scrabble. I'm competetive and I <3 games.

I know I'm at a disadvantage. I've actually seen posts about the Internet that say things like 'women don't belong here' or 'women don't know what they're talking about.' I've seen market analysis of what women want from games, gadgets and technology. All in all, women are treated like these foreign reserves of unlimited gold that are hidden behind a magical key. Or in short like the end level of most video games.

I have a clue for you there Link, we're not that tough. Think less Counterstrike and more Asteroids. Basically people all game for the same reason: they like it. Men, women, transvestites, dogs, cats all game because the experience has something to offer them that real life doesn't. I really enjoyed Doom 3. I got to bludgeon things. Whilst I do get that urge rather frequently during the hours of 9:00 am to 5:30 I'd rather not have a jail record. That's what D3 was for.

I loved Civ 3, so much so I played it for a year. Why? Because I could build an empire without having to worry about little things like tabloids spreading rumors about my supposed relationship with a man whore named Julio. I played games not for any silly hardwired related reason but because I liked them. My breasts, my vagina, my estrogen had nothing to do with me hitting the start button.

The reason I haven't completed or played some games I picked up? They were crap. The AI sucked, or the first boss was insanely and stupidly programmed to be complicated, the camera angles were fucked up (I'm talking about the publisher for White Wolf video games right here,) or the game's premise sucked ass. Again, my vagina did not impact that decision to dislike them, only my taste.



So, do yourselves a favor and just put aside the pussy for a second. Think to yourself, 'these marketing people, they think that we'll buy an Audi if Brad Pitt drives one in a movie. They are idiots. Really. These marketing people are the same ones that are pushing together contrived and annoying studies based on genders and games. They are probably wrong. I will ignore them from now on.' And now? Make some fucking good games.

(Inspired by this well meaning post)