Monthly Archives: August 2012

How to Stop Sexism in Gaming.

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The New York Times published a story about Miranda Pakozdi, who forfeited the Capcom Cross-Assault reality show / video game competition after her trainer, Aris Bakhtanians, told her to take her shirt off, asked about her bra size, smelled her and then said that sexual harassment is a part of the gaming community (he said it later, not while he was smelling her. That would’ve been even creepier). The article brings to light the bigger problem of the environment of harassment and general sexism in gaming.



Wait a second. There’s sexism in Gaming? You’ve







got







to







be







kidding







me



must be chilly in Scrooge McDuck’s vault





This problem has been around for a long time but is just now gaining mainstream attention as gaming becomes more mainstream. The problem is that the gaming community is full of awful, horrible people. Don’t believe me? Go buy an Xbox, play Call of Duty, throw on a headset and find out how a bunch of 14 year olds think you’re a nigger faggot.



Women gamers have it particularly bad, though. Just check out this blog called Fat, Ugly or Slutty which post screencaps from women either getting insulted, clumsily hit on or outright threatened.



The article also asks “how do you stop this?” Microsoft says they’re working on a way to better police online chatter but that doesn’t really get to the root of the problem. The article links a great piece by Erin Kissane called how to kill a troll but there’s an easier way to do this.



You gamers need to stop being so fucking gross.



Yes, you. If you’re an avid gamer and you’ve ever done any of this gross shit to a girl online, just stop. Seriously.



I get it. Why you’re like this. You started playing games obsessively because you had a hard time with social interaction. You played so much that you got really good and found some friends with the same interests. With just you and your like minded buddies you could just let the misogynistic slurs fly and you got comfortable talking like that. Now more girls are gaming and you’re supposed to change just because video games are commercially viable?



Yes. They’re people. They paid money to play a game and they deserve to play it without being harrassed. Stop asking to see their tits. It’s fucking gross.



Seriously.

Bill Murray Party

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3

Everybody loves Bill Murray. He’s a ghostbuster, he had a hilarious cameo in Zombieland, he’s been in pretty much every Wes Anderson movie, he’s part owner of the Saint Paul Saints, he banged Gilda Radner. Bill Murray’s done so much cool shit in his lifetime that his fans would forgive him for doing three more Garfield movies.



He totally seems like the kind of guy you’d want to party with which is why the announcement of the Bill Murray Party Crashing Tour sounds so awesome.







Of course it’s not true but wouldn’t that be awesome? Bill Murray drinking and singing karaoke at your party?



No he won’t.





It’s really too bad this is a made up story. That would be so much fun just to see how many people would fly banners outside their house to lure in Bill Murray to get drunk and belt out some karaoke. I’d totally put a banner in front of my house in hopes that Mr. Murray would crash my party. Here’s how I’d set it up.



Bill Murray knocks on my door. I open it wearing a Bill Murray mask and the leather Ernie McCracken shirt. Nobody else is in the house. There’s five bottles of Sailor Jerry rum on the coffee table and Elvis Costello’s “(What’s So Funny Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?” is playing on a constant loop on the karaoke machine. I’ll look him right in the eyes, say “nobody will ever believe you” and slam the door in his face.