Sexism, especially online, has been prevalent forever but recently it has felt like a plague. Online gaming has been a breeding ground for sexism, especially in games like Valorant that allow users to have a voice chat feature. It happens in every game but I will use Valorant as my example since that is where I have seen it firsthand.
I am writing this blog with the intention of spreading awareness since I don’t exactly have a solution to this issue, my voice alone won’t be able to speak up for this enough. Many women who have used their microphones to speak in-game tend to get harassed by men in the lobby at an unfortunately high rate. In some cases, you don’t even need to speak to get harassed. For example, they will make an assumption based on your name if it seems feminine and enable them to act differently.
I have been experiencing this with my girlfriend recently, we cannot play a single game together without her getting bullied simply for being a girl. Men will say the usual sexist comments like “get off the game and cook, you shouldn’t be here”. It is 2022 and people are still making kitchen jokes its actually pathetic. It’s offensive and just sad at this point. This example is nothing compared to the much more vulgar stuff they say but I would rather not quote any of it.
Some people may think cyberviolence is silly and not that big of a deal, but this has been a rising concern for most women trying to enjoy a simple hobby. This happens in almost every game to every woman I know, and the harassment is seen outside of just games too. A survey from the Canadian Women’s Foundation shows:
- 67% of the victims of police-reported intimidation on the Internet were women and girls.
- 73% of women are abused online worldwide, according to the UN Broadband Commission.
- 52% of the women polled disagree with this statement: “The Internet is a safe place to express my opinions.”
Of course, there is a mute button that can offer a temporary fix but it is not a solution. It’s just frustrating that muting has to happen in the first place because it takes away a part of the game that makes it more enjoyable to play. Why can’t we just behave and make it a safe space for everyone?
As men we just need to do better, the only gradual fix for this is to speak up when we see this happening even though it’s easy to ignore since you might think it isn’t your problem.
People with platforms such as streamers on Twitch, need to speak up against this issue since they have the power to influence a large number of people. Set an example, raise your voice, and speak up for those who stay quiet. Please and thank you.
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