Women in the tech field are few and far between. That’s why I was excited when I came across an article titled “Half of Tween Girls Are Online Gamers” while perusing the Mashable archives today. Since I’m a woman working in the tech field alongside Ballpoint CEO, Susan Leigh Babcock, I excitedly clicked to learn about this new generation of lady techies. Ultimately, I was saddened by what I found.
According to a new report, “50% of tween girls between the ages of 8 and 12 are turning to the Internet for entertainment and social gaming.” I was excited about this. I don’t really care about how many girls are gamers, I care about the fact that girls are just as familiar with technology — one of tomorrow’s biggest fields — as their y-chromosome toting counterparts. So, this seemed to be excellent news. Then I kept reading.
The report came from GirlsgoGames.com. A gaming site that’s made just for little girls. How wonderful, our gender informs the games we can play! (Insert sarcasm here.) Go to their website and you’ll immediately see that EVERYTHING is wrong. Apparently, girls of the millennial generation (AKA generation next) are still supposed to grow up to be trophy wives, cupcake bakers, and Suzy homemakers. Let me just say that all of those professions are fine in my book! You want to be a trophy wife? That’s your prerogative, sweetheart.
My issue is that we’re pushing these professions on our girls. By showing them *only* stereotypically feminine choices, aren’t we limiting their options? Aren’t these stupid games, with taglines like “When it comes to cakes, Sandy is in a league of her own.” or “Charm your way into these hunks’ hearts. May the best flirt win.”, embedding these notions into a new generation of women?
Although I’m not in favor of these girl or boy-only gaming sites, why can’t the games they feature be a little more substantial? For instance, I love animals so I’m totally in favor of keeping the cutesy animal games. But, why can’t they revolve around the notion that girls can grow up to be veterinarians who take care of these animals? An animal hospital game would be so much fun! It would accomplish the same thing, but would concurrently give little girls something to aspire to.
I’m just saying that my ability to decorate donuts, apply eyeliner, or flirt with hunks didn’t get me through college. And those things certainly didn’t get me a job in one of the worst job markets ever for recent graduates.
Parents, game developers, and little girls of the world, we can do better.
Oh, you silly girl! (snicker) It’s not really funny though. This is the same crap I grew up with and I’d hoped that horizons were being expanded, not collapsed.
Looks like it is up to those of us who broke the “rules” to show the next generation that here really are no limits if you study hard, work hard, and NEVER let other people define you.
That’s too bad. I really do feel like we should have moved past that sort of stereotyping by now. I was just reading a similar article from Snide Reply, complaining about the same sort of stereotyping in movies and their target audiences, if you want to check it out
http://jlwrite.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/what-do-gloria-steinem-beyonce-the-avengers-and-i-have-in-common
DoingDewey sent my snideness here from my blog, Snide Reply. I wish I’d thought about girl games. Maybe I will write about them soon. I don’t think parents much think about girls and gaming because girls aren’t killing hookers and running over old ladies in their games. Playing “dress my model” just seems so much more wholesome in that light.
OK, I’m in my early 30′s, but I never had issue playing the games my brother played – computer/video, imaginary, board, whatever. That said, I was in a VERY small minority. I now have a boy and a girl. I’ll offer them the same stuff, and they’ll both play with everything, but my girl plays with the dolls more and the boy plays with the cars more. I don’t have a problem with the stereotype in that there’s *some* (note, I didn’t say much) basis for it, but the label on it makes it harder to deviate. Also, what about the boys who are into cooking and fashion? I dislike calling “girls” and having stereotype stuff.
IMHO, if you label it, cover all bases. If you don’t label it, feel free to go niche.
Nice post
Or, you do what most geek moms do and buy the kid a Wii and Lego Star Wars and Mario Galaxy. Or take the to Puzzle Pirates and Runescape. Or cruise Gamefish. Some girls want the pink games, but that’s hardly the limit to what’s available.
If the site is sexist, that’s fine. I don’t need to support it with my money.