Girls Can Play Too
Grace Ding
“Match found!”
On a casual Monday night, blowing off a day’s algebra homework, I queue into my daily game of Valorant. However, instead of being greeted with glowing animations and ominous tunes, I’m bombarded with demeaning insults. From “girls can’t play games” to “go back to the kitchen”, I endure a symphony of criticism. The culprit behind this crime is none other than my in-game alias: “Grace”. As a noob, I had not yet learned to hide my gender to avoid harassment.
Before queuing into another game, the misogynistic comments linger in my mind. However, these comments are nothing new. Since the days of Pacman, there has been an inherent belief that men are naturally better gamers and women don’t belong in gaming spaces. A New York Times article by Lorenz and Browning highlights that the “sexist” and “male-dominated” plague of misogynistic culture in gaming is an “industry” rooted problem, not an individual one. This plague drives 59% of women to hide their identities on gaming platforms — a technique used to circumvent discrimination.
The ability to speak freely online can be a game-winning decision, yet women across the world continue to lose at the hands of abusive men. A study by the University of California affirms that most women do not use their mics while playing, which can deeply hinder in-game collaboration and communication. Communicating with teammates is described as “an integral part of the game”, with one callout being the “difference between a win and a loss”. Hesitating to use microphones in competitive matches to avoid thoughtless insults may impede performance and overall collaboration of a team, leading to an incalculable choice for women: avoid potential harassment or risk persecution to boost chances of winning.
Logically, you may believe that this would get better as gender equity improves elsewhere, however, women still face sexual harassment, objectifying comments, and death threats at alarming rates. A toxic mix of poor reporting systems, inefficient bans, and anonymity for the offenders ensure that they can continue their harassment unchecked. Reporting structures and bans are insufficient on their own, so it’s up to us to explore alternative options.
Focusing on prevention instead of mitigation is the first step. Instead of a reactionary approach, gaming companies can take a proactive approach, designing diversity policies and outreach campaigns targeting women to make the gaming community a more welcoming place. Beyond prevention, we need integration. We must make game development a more inclusive career path for women. Despite women making up 48% of all gamers, only a mere 22% of game developers are women. Incorporating more women into game development is key to combating the patriarchy in games — and ultimately, the world. After all, girls can play too.
