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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Female Game Developer

128 replies

GodPlayedByJamesMason · 13/10/2014 11:56

I'm a frequent lurker here but never really post but just felt I had to after reading this article about a female game developer and the threats she receives just for doing her job, I don't know what response I want really, just someone to talk through with me how horrific this is/how brave she is for refusing to break/what can we do, you know?

OP posts:
Monkeytrousers101 · 14/10/2014 15:11

Slug are you like, the old Slug??

almondcakes · 14/10/2014 15:11

All of this is disturbing because it is part of the silencing of successful women in male dominated tech fields.

But it is also disturbing because it is part of a trend that harms many ordinary women - that of Internet used as a threat by partners to stop women leaving, or they will be stalked, have allegations made up and spread about them, revenge porn distributed and so on.

There was talk about the government bringing in new laws around this kind of behaviour in the UK.

BriarRainbowshimmer · 14/10/2014 15:12

Do you have any links about that almond?

Monkeytrousers101 · 14/10/2014 15:14

I have to study now too. Not ignoring

almondcakes · 14/10/2014 15:19

www.bbc.co.uk/news/29596583

That is about laws on revenge porn and ex partners. I think evidence of ex partners (or current partners) making remarks in blogs, facebook, message forums and so on about a person can also be used as evidence of the emotional aspects of DV, which presumably the allegations about the female games developer would fall under.

BriarRainbowshimmer · 14/10/2014 15:25

Oh that's good news. It should be illegal everywhere else too though. Images can be hosted on sites from other countries.

slug · 14/10/2014 15:41

Two can play at the linking game It's yet another one of an endless series of harassments of women in the IT and gaming community I don't care if you are male or female. What you are doing is endlessly repeating a rumour started by a pissed of man that has resulted in numerous women being driven out of their jobs, their careers, their homes and their communities.

Is perpetuating the myth of women sleeping with men for good reviews worth all this vitriol? Are you just buying into the "all women lie" myth?

Monkeytrousers101 · 14/10/2014 15:43

Almond, no one has mentioned names here. And if people aren't allowed to talk how can the truth ever be uncovered? Like the fact that she was set up by a bitter ex. The misogynist label is equivocal until I have further evidence of that.

Monkeytrousers101 · 14/10/2014 15:44

The linking game?

Bifauxnen · 14/10/2014 15:51

#notyourshield was a lot of white men with fake accounts. The link is upthread.

slug · 14/10/2014 15:53

This linking game

almondcakes · 14/10/2014 15:53

Monkey trousers, if you go to gamer gate on Wikipedia, the woman who the allegations are about is named. So it doesn't take a genius for anyone at all to quickly uncover who you are making allegations about.

Unless you actually have any evidence yourself, such as you work for the gaming organisation that the male journalist involved works for, how on earth is you repeating an allegation as if it were true 'uncovering the truth?'

None of us here is some kind of uncover reporter. We are not uncovering anything. What we can be responsible for is our own behaviour towards other people online. It is not 'fun' to discuss other people like this.

Dervel · 14/10/2014 16:02

I'm a huge gamer, but the specifics of Anita's perspective is eclipsed by the nature of the abuse she received. It's simply the more important issue.

There are a few points she raises I would disagree with, but that conversation CANNOT happen whilst this spectre of harassment looms overhead.

It affects the whole dynamic around which the debate occurs. In addition it is not feminism that causes this. I'm afraid we're still at the stage where we need to fight for a persons right to express thier perspective without threats of violence, irrespective of wether one agrees or not.

Monkeytrousers101 · 14/10/2014 16:08

Not your shield what?! lol Yep, I'm a while make with a fake account. As are the women in the vid. As are most of the 10s of thousands who've used it.

Slug why are you linking to an MRI site?

Almond, you're right. And now I know her boyfriend lied. I'm glad I found that out. I'm trying to find out what his comeuppance was, the prick. She has written about her experience under her own name.

Monkeytrousers101 · 14/10/2014 16:09

Dervel, which is why I have called for the abuse of Sarkeesian to stop. For genuine gamers to stamp on abuse when they see it.

Dervel · 14/10/2014 16:13

...and on the topic of gamer gate. Whilst sexual favors for career advancement is undoubtedly dodgy, If women were more represented in the game industry perhaps it would be an issue, but the fact they are not is a bigger disgrace that passes without comment.

Also why are none of the men who allegedly slept with her having their names dragged through the mud? Looking at it from a balanced perspective aren't these men guilty of exploiting her given the limited opportunities for women in the industry?

Why yet again is it the woman who is one being scapegoated? For fucks sake this isn't the Middle Ages.

Monkeytrousers101 · 14/10/2014 16:14

Slug the first link you posted is #gamergate supporters hunting down an an online abuser, who was a brazillian journo manufactuing outrage, not even a genuine psycho, and reporting him to the FBI

noblegiraffe · 14/10/2014 16:23

What was the boyfriend's comeuppance? His lies have been repeated as fact around the world, his ex has been disgraced, harrassed, threatened and had her career ruined. Through lies and misogynistic males running with those lies because it suits their hate agenda, which they dress up as'genuine concern'. You've been sucked in. When you support them and repeat their lies, you are continuing the attack on an innocent woman.

Does that not give you pause for thought? That you are legitimising them with your unthinking, uncritical support?

You never even bothered to check if the allegations were true.

slug · 14/10/2014 16:27

Just keep on spouting the lies.

And while you support the right of men to sexually harass and threaten women who dare to claim a place in a multi-billion pound industry spare a thought for the talent that is being wasted and lives that are being because of the manufactured outrage you spout unthinkingly.

YonicScrewdriver · 14/10/2014 16:29

". I've been threatened (or attempted) by radical feminists for not following party lines."

Radfems made death and rape threats against you? Real rad fems with a posting history of radfem posts? Not @RadFemz27156?

YonicScrewdriver · 14/10/2014 16:32

"but that conversation CANNOT happen whilst this spectre of harassment looms overhead"

This.

almondcakes · 14/10/2014 16:35

Monkey trousers, I think part of the issue is that you think that people on here or the public at large care about the collective group reputations of two groups of people on either 'side' of some kind of gaming argument.

Speaking for the public at large (which maybe I shouldn't), we don't. I don't care about it anymore than I care about whether One Direction fans are more or less corrupt, mean, rude than fans of Lady Gaga.

I do care that women are being harassed, having allegations made about them and being threatened online. I think that is the topic of this thread, not who the real gamer, directioner, little monster or whatever other kind of fan of something is, or what their reputation as a group of fans is.

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 14/10/2014 16:37

"". I've been threatened (or attempted) by radical feminists for not following party lines.""

Really? Actual threats of violence?

slug · 14/10/2014 16:45

" I've been threatened (or attempted) by radical feminists for not following party lines.""

Just join the dots

Monkeytrousers101 · 14/10/2014 17:03

Struggling to see the connection between gamers wanting to defend their territory from radical feminists and ISIS