The quasi-scandal dubbed "GamerGate" is the talk of much of the geek-oriented internet. Suffice to say that it's a "movement" that buries some legitimate concerns about game developers and their relationship with the press in a mess of misogynistic vitriol towards a woman who - gasp! - may have cheated on her boyfriend. Understandably, many gaming sites refused to cover the story, given that a woman's sex life really isn't major gaming news. (There is, in fact, no evidence that said woman -- Zoe Quinn, an indie game developer -- actually exchanged sexual favors for positive coverage or awards, in spite of what some might insist.)
Into this charged climate, feminist critic Anita Sarkeesian released her latest video in her series Tropes vs. Women in Video Games. Already a recipient of death threats, Sarkeesian again found herself subject to vicious harassment. Of course, that many a gaming site was willing to cover Sarkeesian but not Quinn only further incensed those convinced of a media conspiracy to stamp out those opposed to "Social Justice Warriors" (SJWs; read: those actually concerned about sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and other prejudices.)
An appropriately scathing analysis of the whole thing is here, and one gaming site and its editor, Tim Colwill, had the chutzpah to give the pro-GamerGate crowd the advice they needed:
If you really think feminism, or women, are destroying games, or that LGBT people and LGBT relationships have no place in games, or that games in any way belong to you or are “under attack” from political correctness or “social justice warriors”: please leave this website. I don’t want your clicks, I don’t want your hits, I don’t want your traffic. Leave now and please don’t come back.
I’m asking politely. You’re free to think whatever you like and to complain about whatever you like, but do it somewhere else. Comments are closed on this article, because this isn’t up for debate. I’m not seeking any input on this, or any carefully worded thoughts on how we need to take these concerns seriously or to hear “both sides of the story”. As long as I am in charge of this ship, I will happily admit to pushing an agenda: I want better representation in games. That’s my agenda. That’s our agenda...
But if you’re not on board with that, leave. If you’re not on board, find another ship, and good luck to you because that ship will be sailing against the wind.
Well said, indeed.
