List of Themes
A while ago, I said I would compile a list of themes which sprang from the longer post I wrote a week ago or so and it’s comments. It’s taken a bit longer than I hoped to get around to this (see the post just below this) but here we are. So here’s the list. What have I missed? What has been talked to death? What are you interested in? Basically, what I’m trying to do is couch all these discussions in the framework of gaming for couples. I’m not trying to turn this blog in to yet another site talking about gender and gaming or women gamers, or pick your hot-academic-topic of the moment. However, I do realize that in order to have and intelligent and useful conversation about gaming, couples and the dynamics therein, you have to look at things like power and gender in games. Because all of that, from what avatars look like, to who games are marketed to, to how the gaming industry sets up a power dynamic between Harry and I whether we know it or not, all of that and more is going in to and affecting our experience as a couple who games. So although there are blogs and books and websites which address all of this much more thoroughly and thoughtfully than I’m able to, I still feel they are an important aspect of gaming to bring to the table when we are talking about couples who play.
All of that being out of the way, here’s that list:
• Gaming as an identity: both male and female, what does it say about you.
-The de-feminization and over-sexualization of female gamers
-What is the male flip side? What does being a male gamer mean? Is it only an identity that you choose? Or can it be given to you? As in, if you play games casually and are male are you automatically a gamer in the eyes of the public?
• The hetrocentric nature of the conversation, this blog, gaming in general, etc.
• Power, gaming and couples.
-Assuming a m/f couple, how does this affect, if at all the dynamic between them? How does it affect game play? Choice of games? Etc?
• Where are women’s invitations in to games?
- How to we get hooked? How do we get permission to play? From others? From our selves?
- What are we given permission to play socially? RPG’s, the sims, “cute” games, but not FPS, etc
• Perceived vs. actual minority status of women gamers
- Including the domination of the male voice
- Women who play seen to be “giving in” to their male partner rather than having an interest of their own.
• The bigger problem of how do men and women share interests and experiences that are traditionally gendered, regardless of what it is.
- How do we share these important parts of ourselves when they are traditionally inaccessible to those we care most about?
• Men, Women and MMOs
- a whole nother barrel of worms