It’s a Friday night, and instead of going out, I want to stay in and play a lively game of "Fallout" or "Skyrim" -- my taste varies from time to time as to whether I want to be the Lone Wanderer or the Dovah Queen. When I go to my boyfriend’s room to use his consoles, those who don’t know me are surprised to see a girl playing a video game. Or my friends who submerge themselves in the world of Tumblr and makeup (which I also love) give me funny looks when they find out I geek out from time to time. Regardless, though, there tends to be a stigma about girls who actually like video games.

People assume when I say I like video games that I’m talking about "Mario Kart" or "Super Smash Bros," in which they are correct, but they are not my preferred method of gaming. I’m always down to play "Donkey Kong" or something else that Nintendo put out, sure. But I do not always want to see a cute cartoon plumber running around saving Princess Peach, because I’m tired of saving the damsel in distress. These games are influential within the industry for a reason, but I feel as if society thinks because I’m a female I’m supposed to follow the cult classics, and I’m not down with that.

For some reason, people do not embrace the girl-gamer culture all the time -- maybe because video games tend to be violent, but I honestly don't know the answer as to where this stigma comes from. Video game ratings vary from early childhood, teen, to adults 18 and over, with a few categories in between, but because one game may lean to the mature side, does that also mean a female should be shunned for liking such a game? I've been scrutinized for liking a game involving dragons simply because it is weird. Yet it is OK for a guy to like it because he can pick up an iron dagger and use the right trigger to kill Paarthurnax because men are the original hunters, and I should be on my Wii U gathering gold coins.

Regardless of the side glance I get when I say I need to go to Game Stop or need to the get the season pass for a game, Microsoft points, or to buy "The Witcher," there are those who will always want to shoot the breeze and the trigger with you about the latest gaming news. To those I say thank you for setting aside my gender for a real conversation about something I am interested in, for admiring my sneak skills, and for having a debate about which faction within a game is the best. Girls can like video games too, so please, next time you judge someone for geeking out a little, set aside the stereotypes.