Gender Discrimination and Prejudice

[Caitlin 18]

Hello  :)

 

I don’t know how to write this. Predominantly, I am worried that most will look at this with prejudice and that the term ‘attention whore’ will be thrown around.

 

I guess what I am trying to say is; please take this seriously, as it is in no way an attempt to seek attention of any kind. It is meant as a serious discussion on an issue, which has significantly ruined my gaming experience to the point at which I am considering giving up on this game entirely.

 

Although I am fairly new to this game, I have had my fair share of really bad experiences (KoS being the main one, but that is a discussion which is already going on). I am not sure whether this is just down to bad luck or simply bad gameplay by me.

 

Either way, what has bothered me the most (KoS aside) is the fact that most people are very discontented about the fact that I am a girl. Some have even accused me of using voice-changing software when they hear my voice even though I never bring attention to my gender.

 

Before anyone says, “it’s because you were a threat/bandit/mean/” that they mistreat you. I don’t play as a Bandit. Heck, for the most part I’ve been trying to play as a Medic/Hero although this hasn’t worked out very well so far. I am very nice and helpful to everyone I meet. Therefore, people have no reason for shooting me or mistreating me. In many cases, I am certain that if I had a male voice, people would be much nicer to me.

 

There was one time where a few minutes after re-spawning, I came across a big group of people (about 5-7) whom started shooting in my direction as soon as they saw me. I immediately went on to say, “Please don’t shoot. I do not have anything. I have just spawned” while holding my hands up. One of them walked right up to me and said, “It doesn’t help being a girl in this game, so bye.” Then he killed me.

 

I am so sick and tired of people assuming that I am some troll who is only pretending to be a girl. Yes, I am aware of the fact that there are not a lot of girls playing this game, but that doesn’t mean that everyone who has a girl’s voice is a guy with voice-changing software!

 

I realize that there are also many people who are under the assumption that girls who play games use their gender as a means of gaining special privileges, but it is unfair to assume that this accounts for ALL girls. I for one have never done any such thing.

 

I have considered looking into using voice-changing software to sound like a male in order avoid situations of prejudice and gender bias, but I am not sure if this would be a viable option?

 

When someone meets a girl in Dayz, do they just immediately assume that it is a man? Do they hold some sort of grudge against girls who play games? What is it with all this prejudice against girls?

 

How do you feel when you meet a girl in Dayz?

Edited June 22, 2014 by Caitlin

[gibonez 3633]

Ps nobody is discriminating against you because you are a girl.

 

They were going to kill you on sight regardless of your gender, race, age or background.

[Inception. 9443]

How nice you are in-game is irrelevant. You will be shot on sight by an abundance of players regardless, just as gibonez said. 

 

There is nothing that can be done about this: it is DayZ.

[emigrates 261]

Hej fra Naestved! 

Excuse me, my Danish is terrible but I'm learning! Best way to reduce discrimination? In my opinion is to play in a group.  Still, I get discriminated against because I'm Welsh - which is okay, because naturally we understand everyone is jealous of our greek-god-sculpted bodies and skills. 

[khrononkey 38]

Besides a few sad and lonely pervs, noone has ever really griefed my girl. Usually they stop trying to punch/shoot/troll when she speaks over comms and end up offering her assistance. Just know 80% of people playing this game are dicks, and the other 20% are half the time.

[khrononkey 38]

 which is okay, because naturally we understand everyone is jealous of our greek-god-sculpted bodies and skills. 

 Made me lol

[TyrDaishi 36]

There are some threads that can teach you how to be (relativly) save while approaching others, you can read about that here or on reddit.

 

It generally doesn't matter that you are a girl, but it gets abused in larger groups quite often so that made more experienced players careful.

 

KOS is part of the game that is just how it is. If you can't deal with it the game is just not for you. There are certain general behaviors that will get you killed, but that also depends on the individuals you are dealing with.

 

My personal reasons to potentionally kill people I'm interacting with:

 

Your weapon is drawn

You run around constantly when we talk

You ask me strange question about the size of my group or similar

You don't talk or write at all. Normally I will tell people how to use the chat ingame, if they don't react at all I will kill them.

You are walking around in military structures

 

There are many that are to afraid or have no interest in talking to others, for them it's a straight shootergame. You will always find players with this kind of mindset. Also some are just switching roles depending on their mood. It happens. Your gender has nothing to do with it, if someone wants to find a reason to kill you they will.

Edited June 22, 2014 by TyrDaishi

[MarchHare 184]

Women in game may experience disproportionate lewd behavior from sexually repressed basement dwellers but KOS is equal opportunity. Best advice I can give is be a ruthless cold hearted femme fatale! Verbally emasculate them.

[Legio23 82]

Hej fra Naestved! 

Excuse me, my Danish is terrible but I'm learning! Best way to reduce discrimination? In my opinion is to play in a group.  Still, I get discriminated against because I'm Welsh - which is okay, because naturally we understand everyone is jealous of our greek-god-sculpted bodies and skills. 

Well don't worry I'm sure Being Welsh is only partly your fault, but what do I know I'm English....oh and Hej fra Sørup ! which means you're just down the road from me boyo.

 

On the topic of this thread I don't really think that being female is a cause for discrimination, idiots will be a pain in the ass whether you're male or female.

Edited June 22, 2014 by Legio23

[emigrates 261]

 Made me lol

I do try!

 

Well don't worry I'm sure Being Welsh is only partly your fault, but what do I know I'm English....oh and Hej fra Sørup ! which means you're just down the road from me boyo.

 

On the topic of this thread I don't really think that being female is a cause for discrimination, idiots will be a pain in the ass whether you're male or female.

Haha, only partly. Oh really? You made the move as well? I'm fresh from it, only came here last month and absolutely loving it here!

[Blern 71]

Remember that a percentage of male gamers are misogynistic sociopaths right from the start. They flock to games like this so they can simulate homicidal acts all day long. You can bet that if the devs programmed in a 'rape' feature for this game, they might not do anything else. 

 

Find some friends and play as a group. Fight fire with fire. Head out in force with 5-7 other girls and bully these little boys whenever you can, but let us nice guys watch and laugh too.

[Phoenix777 43]

Trolls gonna troll. It doesn't matter if you're a guy, a woman, boy, girl, whatever. If they want to be an ass they'll be an ass and use whatever they can to hurt you. I get descrimnory slurs all the time just because I play as a black female, but would they have been my best friend if I played as the white male? Doubtful...

Now if you really wanted to test if they're being asses because of your sec try approaching some seemingly friendly people as a friendly mute, or text chatter. Do the "hi" command and do the wiggle dance. Then once they're all nice and friendly with you eventually use your mic... Like if they ask if you have a mic or after traveling a few minutes with them.... Then again there are also people that just want to destroy your trust by betraying you after pretending to be friendly

Basically, while there is sexism to some degree, most of it is just that anonymity and games like DayZ bring out the worst in people. I've met plenty of nice people in game and come accross about 4 females in game without it being a big deal.

[zeeabo 92]

When someone meets a girl in Dayz, do they just immediately assume that it is a man?

 

 

Can't speak for anyone else, but when I meet a girl in the game I immediately assume that in-game character is a girl and don't give the slightest fuck about the gender of the person playing her.

 

Whinging that the big boys aren't going easy on you because you're a girl? DayZ probably isn't your game. I have 2 little sisters that both play female characters and neither have ever felt discriminated. They play using strategy, stealth and awareness, and are rarely seen before they have the upper hand in a situation. Treating someone equally only works when they act equally. Any male character in the game that just runs up to a group they don't know claiming to be friendly is 95% likely to be shot as well.

Edited June 22, 2014 by zeeabo

[Caitlin 18]

Halloejsa :)

 

I feel stupid for writing this forum post already.

 

I guess I have yet to understand this game. It just never made any sense to me why everyone I came across shot me as soon as I uttered a word. I was never a threat to them – most of the time, I don’t even have a proper weapon (usually I only carry an axe to defend myself from zombies). I guess I just concluded that they had something against me because I spoke.

 

I don’t know. I just find it so difficult to understand why people find enjoyment in being so unsociable.

 

You are right. I should play with friends, and I think I will do this from now on  :)

[TyrDaishi 36]

As long as the zombies are no big thread there is only so much you can do in the game until you start pvp out of boredom. would be different if the map would be filled with zeds. But for this to happen fortification and some other stuff must be in the game first.

[freethink 984]

Online gamers have the highest proportion of the most sexist and racist people I've have the misfortune to interact with. It's nothing like real life but I think it reflects their base instincts.  Have to say that 90%+ of gamers are good people but it's an embarrassment to hear this sort of stuff:

 

 

Also try being a black character on a euro server and you'll get eastern europeans calling you the n-word continuously.

 

Honestly, it's a surprise to meet a woman/girl gamer but once I'm over the shock it really doesn't make much difference.

Edited June 22, 2014 by freethink

[Lady Kyrah 1110]

Well FPS games have a tendency to attract teenagers who have yet to get their first relationship and frustrated young adults seeking to assert their virility amongst their friends.

 

There is also reasonable peoples obviously, but the same way it empower the players to create a compelling experience, it also empower douche bags.

[Pandema 352]

Its DayZ, they're not killing you because of your race/age/gender/creed, they're doing it because you're playing.

 

And if they are, oh well, its a video game. Suck it up princess.

[LanceroxD (DayZ) 75]

in our group we have a girl called mariana , so for us its preaty weird to find people who discriminate other genders , is fun to play with she n.n , maybe the people who killed you and sayd , it doesnt help being a girl , .....they maybe got bad experiences with girls in real life? .-.  so they take payback ingame u.u

[nexventor 429]

Wow, I thought Australia was immature and racist. Can't say I have experienced any of that in the 480 odd hours I have played the SA or the 1000's of hours I played the mod. 

 

Geez with hackers, racists, sexist and immature players you guys deal with in Europe, I am surprised anyone plays. lol

 

However in saying all that, the player interaction in this game is 95% KoS and people will make up any excuse to justify to themselves that shooting you was the right thing to do. "Oh you were wearing a mask, oh you were wearing camo, oh you were a pink tutu, oh you had a backpack, oh you are black, oh you are a girl, oh you were breathing".

 

I am sorry you feel that way about leaving as I enjoy playing with girls as they bring another element to the game and all I can say is don't take it personal and find a group to play with. The game is soooo much better playing as a group than lone wolfing.

 

GL

[Etherious 907]

Why would you want to change your voice? :o

 

[randomspawn 215]

Just remember, boys are 100% stupid until they get to about 25 years old, or thereabouts. From age 25 to 35, they are only about 75% stupid. At 35, they typically have offspring and will start to act almost normal. I'm well above that 35 age, but I practice KOS routinely. It is the way I enjoy playing, as I am fearful that other players may take all my oxygen. I need oxygen, so I have no choice really.

 

If I see you in-game, I will shoot at you well before you get close enough to talk. Sorry about that, well, not really sorry, just know that I feel your pain.

[Mark Darkers 151]

Well if they say they are gonna shoot you regardless of gender, that would be actually the most honest and equal thing to do.

 

But if they use slang or other uneducated shit, that is just low. Also keep in mind that most of those people are not even on a legal age to play the game. So if steam could go and start banning those, the atmosphere would change drastically. Less annoying kids in the game, let them play on cod or something.

[hells high 676]

When someone meets a girl in Dayz, do they just immediately assume that it is a man? Do they hold some sort of grudge against girls who play games? What is it with all this prejudice against girls?

 

There are morons everywhere, unfortunately a lot of them do play video games. And no they would have killed you anyway, their statements are pure nonsense because they lack social skills and default to dumb shit like that. I can assure you these people would have killed you if you were a dude, they've killed plenty of guys before you.

 

How do you feel when you meet a girl in Dayz?

 

Like I do when I meet any other person (inb4 whiteknight or some other bullshit from the same morons). I've been backstabbed by female players, I've helped female players, I've been helped by female players, and I've killed female players.

[emigrates 261]

Online gamers have the highest proportion of the most sexist and racist people I've have the misfortune to interact with. It's nothing like real life but I think it reflects their base instincts.  Have to say that 90%+ of gamers are good people but it's an embarrassment to hear this sort of stuff:

 

 

Also try being a black character on a euro server and you'll get eastern europeans calling you the n-word continuously.

 

Honestly, it's a surprise to meet a woman/girl gamer but once I'm over the shock it really doesn't make much difference.

Bit of an eye opener. What the fuck. I'm all up for banter, but that was just.. shit, they must have been dribbling down their man tits at the thought of killing a girl.