Girls Can Play Too

            For the final project I decided to incorporate alternative media along with my passion for the written word to create a blog. The blog features a discussion on the representation of women in video games, whether in the actual, finished product or in the industry itself. Knowing full well that the gaming industry is imbued with misogyny and a disparity in representation of minority groups I tried to focus on the good aspects that can be found in the industry.

                Girls Can Play Too: Is There Room for Real Women in Video Games, incorporates examples from created female characters from video games as well as women who make a difference in the industry; women like Amy Henning, Corrinne Yu, Jade Raymond, and Roberta Williams, and Sheri Graner Ray. These women who show that women have, in fact taken a large role in creating and developing video games are the focus of my blog.

                But I didn’t want a blog that merely featured only the achievement of women, with this blog I also wanted to give voice to the minorities that are largely forgotten when one thinks of video games. I researched the way minorities are depicted from none white racial classes, to children, to religion, as well as social status. The question remained; what are the stories being told and why, if the world we live in is so diverse, do we repeat the same stories with the same characters? But most importantly why do consumers continue to support a medium that has made slow advance in representing the demographics that follow it?

                The answer wasn’t that minorities weren’t there so much that their representation was all skewed by the stereotypes that have perfused our society. The interesting part of it all was that people have realized the problems in the industry and have tried to address them. And while change is slow in progress the spark of change continues to inspires hope that one day video games will be indicative of the human race as a whole.


Project link to Blog:
Girls Can Play Too: http://womenandvideogames.blogspot.com/

Sources List:
*Since every blog post has its own list of sources and reference I will only include few examples here that served as inpiration. For more details please refer to the blog and any particular post within it*
1. Beyond the Portrayal of Women in Video Games
2. Anita Sarkeesian TED Talk on Misogyny
3. 100 Most Influential Women in Video Games
4. Women And Games International 
5. From Barbie to Mortal Kombat Chapter One