For the first time ever I joined a voice call while playing a game (among us) and as soon as I said something everyone immediately started going "Is that a female??" "You're a female??" "There are females here??" I get that it was supposed to be a joke but fuck it felt so alienating to be bombarded with that in my first attempt at gaming socially
I think it’s more that “gamer spaces” are perceived as dominated by white guys at this point more than anything. That enables reactionary weirdos and discourages women from allowing themselves to be visible.
Allowing a seed of misogyny or any reactionary world view will lead to normalized “gamer culture”
Women play video games. Be a normal fucking human being about it.
Not just women. It may unfortunately contribute to it being a self-fulfilling prophecy but I'm a cishet white guy and you couldn't pay me to turn chat on with a bunch of strangers in video game.