Video Games and Women and Kids
Did you hear that? That was feminism acting out as it takes a step backward with Tom’s Hardware Guide Columns: Why Women Aren’t Gamers – Yet – Hands Up Who really Wants Women In Videogaming? Yeah, he’s got some, eh? But really, I understand his point and he is right about everything he said regarding Grand Theft Auto.
I played a lot of games growing up and even after college. I didn’t slow down until I had a kid. Same goes for Paul. My priorities changed. I still love a good game, but I don’t have time for it and I can’t make time for it because I have to do that for other things.
My older son is into Pokemon for the Game Boy. He has lost one of the game cartridges at the after school program during the first week of school. I’m glad he did. He played it way too much over the summer and I was wondering how I was going to wean him with school back in session. That was resolved with his losing the game. What about the other games he has? This one was different because he beat everyone. Yes, my son, the competitive feller. My son who gets a defeatist attitude when making the slightest mistake. I pointed out a minor writing mistake so he could do it right next time. He reacted as if he lost a ball game.
His sister got him into Neopets and she also installed AOL instant messenger (AIM) on his computer. I can live with these. Why? With AIM, you have to read and type. He’s in first grade, so yay literacy. And Neopets? It also involves reading and typing.
Outside? Yes, he still goes outside to play. The problem is that no one else comes out. Considering I loved play games myself, I don’t knock my kids playing. It’s about balancing. Eating a balanced diet. Living a balanced life. I played a lot of sports, so that gave me the exercises I needed.
This started out about women and gaming and ended up being about kids and games. Our lives and priorities change. If I was single, my time would be spent differently (obvious point, I know) — but not all of it. I’d still work. I’d still make time for reading, exercising, and volunteering. Instead of being a wife and mom — I might be a gamer, traveler, and playing volleyball on an adult team.
Off track here again. I don’t like many of the “hot” games out there. If I had time, I’d play Super Mario Sunshine, Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon, Sonic Hedgehog, and The Sims — yes, The Sims! I do play games (mostly puzzles from Astraware) on my Palm Tungsten T3 when I get stuck somewhere like the doctor’s office.
But, no, I never played games like Yu-Gi-Oh, Grand Theft Auto, Turok, Metroid Prime, Resident Evil, or any of the typical games you see covered on Lunabean. I did play Castle Wolfenstein way back on my old Apple ][+ or was it //e by then?
Who cares which gender likes which games. If you have a crew playing games together — then it should be about enjoying the game not about women lashing out at a game’s disgusting antics. There is another time and place to do that. If I like to play Grand Theft, then by golly what’s wrong with joining the group of guys to play the game?
Geekwoman wrote an article in response to Aaron’s original. She covered the kinds of things I would address if I played these games. She writes, “There are plenty of women gamers who are just as dedicated to the same games as guys. And some of us are even as well endowed with flat stomachs, too, just like some of the avatars that we use to represent us in our games. A figure like that takes lots of blood, sweat and tears to maintain.
“Some of us frag harder with words than with weapons. That’s where I come in, and why this article was conceived.
“I grew up in an era where women strived for the freedom to be sexual. Women fought for the right to work in the sex industry and obtain biological freedoms such as birth control and safe abortions. I would hate to see all the accomplishments of women’s liberation lost to future generations of women due to the current puritanical fads and censorship.”
Way to go mom! As an avid gamer myself, I find it ridiculous that the government is trying to censor these games, although they already come with age ratings. I just love playing them and looking at all the newest video games out there. And so far, I’m still a well adjusted human being. It’s all in how you raise your kid and the values you instill in them that matters.