The Girls Got Our Backs: Women Are Making Gaming More Inclusive

When most people think of the word gamer, they probably have a very specific image in mind: that of a guy holding a controller, wearing a headset and, if we really lean into the stereotype, probably shouting at his screen.

I remember in my early twenties, right about the time I was gifted my first console, being amazed at girls who properly gamed. With barely any access to the online world, gaming seemed like such a men’s world to me, one where I (or any other girl, for that matter) couldn't fit particularly well. The stereotype was so drenched in toxic masculinity - I saw the stereotype first-hand several times - that I didn’t want any part in it.

I was, of course, aware that girl gamers existed, I just always figured they’d somehow managed to thrive in a world constantly against them by pure stubbornness, a tiny minority with a very thick skin. It never occurred to me - a reader through and through - to even pursue that title, to find out what was on the other side, even as I gobbled up any Professor Layton game I could put my hands into.

Then, fast-forward to the end of 2023, I tried Unpacking.

With my love for organisation and stories, Unpacking had everything I could ask for in a game. I played it back to back on a borrowed Steam Deck two nights in a row, lost in it until the wee hours (which, to me, was about 2 a.m.), hooked and amazed.

It was Spiritfarer, however, that made me go into the second-hand market to get a console of my own.

The step from playing games to becoming a streamer was short and straightforward. Unlike when I had my first console, I now had easy access to gaming communities online. What I found at their forefront was not what I expected to find, it was better: other women, some like me, some unlike me, many a little bit like me. Women who had whole careers in gaming, as game devs, streamers, content creators.

And I realised that they represented the opposite of the stereotypical image associated with toxic male gamers. They represented inclusion, more diversity, acceptance, a bunch of them welcoming me to the community with open arms and saying: you belong here too.

Of course, I do not want to fall into stereotypes, and the last thing I mean to do is claim that all women gamers are saints. In doing so I once more run the risk of only allowing women to exist within the constraints of roles that are already widely associated with them. But if you ask around, you will hear several reports of gamers (of all genders) claiming that “the girls got their backs”.

Because, in general, they do. Women gamers are out there building communities focused on kindness, support, creating safe and inclusive spaces for all of us to be our best selves.

And yes, you will often come across chicks holding a controller, wearing a headset, probably shouting to their screen: “GG! Don’t forget to hydrate! Love you!” And that’s not leaning into a stereotype: it’s the truth.

Article written by Carina Pereira

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