Gamers In Search Of A Name
A few days ago I was poking around on the RPG Host
surveys (big surprise there, huh?) and happened across a survey about "hints,
tips, and tricks for seducing gamer chicks." There are so many things wrong with that survey title that I'm
not even going to touch on it here (although now that I'm inspired, you can
expect a column or five about gamers and dating coming up in the near
future). What I do want to discuss is
one of the comments posted in response to this question. It was by a female gamer who said something
along the lines of, "No female gamer appreciates being referred to as a
'gamer chick.'" This same
sentiment was echoed in several other posts by male and female gamers alike.
Naturally, I took an interest in this post right away. I refer to myself openly and willingly as a "gamer chick," and I've never felt offended by others using that label (even without the "gamer" part). When I'm with my friends I use the word "chick" quite frequently to describe myself and other women, and no one has ever asked me to stop. But do a majority of other female gamers (or women in general) have a problem with that term, or my use thereof? Frankly, I devote a lot of time and energy to a page called "Revenge Of The Gamer Chick," and I want people to visit it and enjoy it. It's unlikely that will happen if they're offended by the first thing they see.
"Revenge Of The Gamer Chick" was originally the title of a piece in a series of gaming-related poems called "Dice" (which I should really get around to finishing one of these days). It wasn't a very good poem and eventually got dropped from the collection, but I always liked the title, so when I first put together this website I finally got the chance to use it. It's memorable, it catches people's eye, and I think it has a certain ring to it. But if it's catching people's eyes for the wrong reasons, or my usage of the phrase "gamer chick" within these essays is making people angry, I have to think about whether that's the image I want my page to have. Unfortunately, there's no way I can know how other people see my page unless they tell me.
That's where you come in. I need feedback on this page's title and the phrase "gamer chick" in general. Do you find the phrase "gamer chick" offensive? Why or why not? Should I continue using it on this page? And if you think I shouldn't, what do you think is an acceptable substitute--something that's a little catchier than "female gamers?" I would especially appreciate hearing from women on this issue, since we're the ones it affects directly, but I'll welcome comments from anyone. All you need to do is email me and let me know what you think.
You could call this column an experiment of sorts. It's not going to go anywhere unless you participate. I'll post your replies as fast as I can after receiving them (cut me some slack, though, as I do have finals week coming up quite shortly!). Give me your opinions--they can only make this page better and more enjoyable for you. I look forward to hearing from all of you!
Copyright (c) 2000 by Beth
Kinderman. This is my original work, so
please respect it.