The first ever video game was introduced in 1971. Since then, improvements in technology has kept the video game industry alive and well, and allows game developers to introduce new and exciting ways of game play.
Unfortunately, video games have traditionally been marketed towards children and men, but not very much has been offered to women in the form of reliability. In many games, female characters are scantily clad and don't offer much to the story. Any game that is marketed at girls are fluffy and cute, and whenever girls announce they play games such as Halo or Battlefield, men find it necessary to ridicule them or ask them a series of questions proving their loyalty to the game.
And heaven forbid a girl decides to join an online game. The comments she receives can be lewd and uncomfortable, just because of her gender.
In high school, I brought a copy of Game Informer to class to read during my free time. When a group of guys saw me pull it out, they laughed, and asked "why are you reading that? You're a girl." Little did they know I had been published in that particular issue of the magazine.
I'm here to say games don't have a gender. Games are to be enjoyed by anyone, at any age, for whatever reason.
Girls play video games too, get over it.
Girls today play video games and find great joy in them. Some games, like Animal Crossing or the Sims series are relaxing and don't require any thinking because there's no task to fulfill. They're nice for people to de-stress and take their time in. Other games involve fast paced battle-like game play where it's either kill or be killed. I personally find Left 4 Dead therapeutic when I'm angry, and sometimes I just feel like blowing up some zombies. Other games involve a complex story and involve decision making and split second thinking, such as Final Fantasy or Legend of Zelda. Other games simply involve solving puzzles, like Bejeweled and other related games.
There's literally games for anyone and everyone, so why do people find it necessary to put a gender on video games? Why is it normal for guys to play video games into their adulthood, while girls are expected to outgrow them?
Instead of telling a young girl to mature and veer away from video games, encourage a pastime that they enjoy. Instead of commenting on a gamer's gender and making them uncomfortable, welcome them to the game. Instead of ridiculing someone because of what they enjoy, ask questions about it. Instead of dividing video games into male and female categories, market it towards anyone who might be willing to pick up a controller and play.
Why do female gamers get painted in such a bad light? The double standard is glaringly obvious, and it's time to end this type of thinking. It's 2016, after all.
