Welcome to the part of the Vagina Gamerlogues where you, the loyal and discerning reader get to have your little piece of the bitchery pie. If we like what you wrote (good or evil) it will end up here.

I totally agree. Its about time someone strong voiced these opinions on behalf of female gamers. When I write my computer games, I will try and make the male-female roles balanced. I have to admit I am concerned how to design the look of female characters though, as what is "normal" (both looks and characteristics)? I spend all my life surrounded by men, which I accept (as I am on a computing degree at a heavily male dominated university) and all the girls I did meet there (all 5 of them) are, in fact, shoe shopping addicts who I had nothing in common with. If only someone could summarise normal for me, I'd love to know it as I dont think I am normal! Anyway, Keep up the good work!
Jane - Unknown
You know what I always say Jane 'F_ck Normal'. 'Normal' is a socially constructed and restrictive term that essentially makes anyone interesting abnormal. Normal has far too many f_cked up ideas about normality attached to it. If you want help with regards to good female character representation in gaming you could do worse than 'Beyond Good & Evil' and the character of Jade, a female gaming character who isn't restricted to tits and ass mentality, hell she even has short hair, talk about f_cking with femininity. Good luck with your computing degree girl!

I for one, loath and resent the brush off that is "boys will be boys," a common phrase used in the '70s and '80s to explain why kids larger and older than me were allowed to issue a daily pummeling and rob me of my allowance after school on a daily basis. Similarly, I can see it being used presently to condone why boys are bad sports at network play, but it's still a brush-off of the complaint that they're being impolite. In the case of the expression's use in reference to grown men gaming in general, it sounds to me more of a judgment that his hobby is childish, of which, granted, men are more easily forgiven than women. But I think the issue in this case is that gaming (or any other "childish" hobby) is no more inappropriate to adults than it is children.
Love your term "wuckfits". I'll have to steal it sometime.
Derek - USA
Well 'wuckfits' is far more polite than the alternative and I am a lady don't you know. Sadly I too have heard the term 'boys will be boys' used in a similar frame of reference to that which you mention and it sickens me, the term seems to be spewed forth for anything from the bullying which you so rightly speak of to middle aged men having affairs on their wives or visiting lapdancing clubs with their other 'boy' mates. Regarding gaming, I've only heard it used by my parents and it's always said in such a way that lets my brother off the hook for his expenditure whilst keeping me firmly in my place. The issue therefore for myself as a female gamer lay in that it is seen as innappropriate for me as a female adult to game as a hobby but not for my brother as an adult male. I agree however that it should be down to the individual and therefore non inappropriate for either. Thanks for the feedback Derek!

I have a question for you, is the picture based on what you really look like? If so you're pretty hot, maybe I'll start paying attention to what you're saying if that's the case.
Bored - UK
Oh yes I can often be seen down my local sporting a cowboy hat and six shooter, my ass hanging out of my Kylie style hotpants. The imagery is lost on you though isn't it you poor bored soul? The six gun cleverly hidden from the audience but poised to shoot some wuckfit who is only interested in said ass and not what I have to say. Ask yourself this, why is the world so f_cking shallow that only pretty people can have a voice, is the cult of celebrity killing true voices? That should keep you busy for awhile and aleviate some of your boredom.
(Note thanks to Site Artist Stevie for the underlying imagery)

First of all, love the humour mixed with your wild and crazy rants! No, seriously, I love the combination, and the fact that you manage to get enough truth in there that it's applicable! Onto the question... wouldn't "girls will be girls" more refer to girls playing with dolls? First you gotta change the image of girls (as you already know) so that the saying actually has the meaning you want it to. Just a thought, but I wouldn't mind a response of disagreement!! [edited for size]
Lightening Clap - Unknown
Thanks for your positive comments re the Vagina Gamerlogues and interesting observation. You have indeed made a very good point so sadly no disagreement here. We often hear Boys Will Be Boys as a way of explaining away childish pursuits but we rarely hear Girls Will Be Girls. You are totally right with your idea about how it would seem to only be applicable if girls were playing with dolls and other stereotypical girls toys, however, what I was trying to get to here was that the term boys will be boys seems to be a continually used phrase all throughout a mans life. Now, I'm sure there are some guys who will disagree, saying they get a hard time for being a gamer and an adult, however, generally boys will be boys is used as a way of writing off childish or immature behaviour. Girls never really get to be just girls. They're always expected to be mature, to have grown up, to have accepted their lot in their adult lives and put away any fun childlike notions. That's what I was getting at but thank you for so rightly mentioning how it could also be taken, I guess I was using it as example only to illustrate my annoyance. Great to know someone is reading this and thinking about it on a deeper level!

Dear Miss A. Thropic,
Part way through Act One you opened a sentence by saying 'the games industry has a lot to answer for'. Could you let me know exactly what you meant by this statement? [edited for size]
Leigh - Australia
Firstly thank you for your post Leigh, a long post deserves a long reply so.... You say you thought that 'this was one of many statements that means something different to me than you' and you are correct assuming you are one of our male readers. I was not referring to the copious amounts of movie licenses, nor the rampant misogyny, excessive violence or number of Sims expansions as such. My meaning was simple and referred to the apparent inherent behaviour of some boys / men on xbox live. If the games industry is pumping out game after game with little to no positive female characterisation, if the magazines are STILL making silly sexist statements as the advertising machine churns out more sex laden (female led) advertising. then, it is my hypothesis that the industry has much to answer for as it tries to lure the female gamer with one hand, whilst using an erstwhile formula and leaving them secondary with the other. If this is all these chimps on Live are pummelled with can we really blame their silly behaviour wholly on them or is it a bipartisan problem with the industry at the core? I refer to this as 'the Lynx Effect', although most grown men realise spraying their body with this chemical formula will not have women hurling their naked breasts towards them, there are still plenty of men purchasing the can based on a false sensibility in part born of the advertising machine and therefore acting on that. A sort of 'help them father for they know not what they do' effect It is my belief that in some way the same can be said for the Xbox Live chimps, though I do not remove blame completely, merely suggest reasons as to why they may have said behaviours.... apart from being as thick as sh_t of course.

Dear Ann,
Just a quick note to say I am loving the Vagina Gamerlogues and cannot wait for the next instalment - bring it on!
Lov,
Kirsteen - UK
Why thank you for your gushing of girl power and you'll be pleased to hear the next installment is due to go live within mere moments, if the content manager can get off her butt ;o)

I'm luvin "The Vagina Gamerlogues" but I had a thought and wondered what you think of it also. Do you think guys actually care? I look at it like this, if they're getting games with male characters who are heroes and they're getting mags and advertising for them (like that stupid DS add where it looks like she's touching his dick) then what do they care to read one girls rant about gaming? [edited for size]
Tina - UK
Ahh but have you not just fallen into your own argument here and come up covered in goo, who says these are written for guys? These are written for gamers, be they male or female. I do take your point however, why would they care indeed, but they should and I believe many do. It is actually in the male gamers interest to care because if developers begin to make more well rounded titles that offer both male and female playable characters, that offer stories where perhaps, for a change the female hero rescues her male counterpart, that this is something different and therefore better for the male player, whilst also obviously being better for the female player as she has stronger characterisation to relate to. You say 'girls will ALWAYS be secondary so how can that change?', I think it is changing to some degree, not at speed but it is. It is not wise for a business to cut out what could become over %50 of its market, it is in their interest to try and woo this section of the market and this is actually a dilemma in itself because it is then that we get the pink consoles, which whilst perhaps seeming the obvious response is infantile and does little to stem the flow of sexist sh_t in the industry overall, in fact it feeds it.
A friend of mine has a poster on her door that states 'Why is it whenever I say something that differentiates me from a doormat I'm called a feminist' and this is something to think about with regards to gaming. It is my belief that female gamers do not want what male gamers presently have, that of an industry which blindly panders to their 'maleness', be that with suggestive DS masturbation technique or Juiced styled tit modification. Just like these 'feminists' all we want is equality, not to be better than, not to outdo, just to be on equal par. When the industry awakens to this things will get better.

I REALLY enjoyed "The Vagina Gamerlogue" editorial, yeah guys can be dicks lol.
Charlie - USA
Yeah they can, but then so can many girls. Remember VG is not a one off editorial so keep checking back. Thanks for the feedback Charlie, we live to serve... or something...

I'd kick your ass and own you on Live, maybe your just sh_t: girls can't play.
DarkChylde - USA
Maybe you need lessons in spelling since you're clearly spending too much time on videogaming and not enough time studying...next!

What's your gamertag? I tried MissAnnThropic and that's not it.
Colin - UK
Oh Colin, you dear sweet thing. Sadly publishing my gamertag would lead to all manner of problems so alas I cannot. I can tell you it isn't Miss Ann Thropic or any derivitive of though.

I recently read a girl getting totally trashed for an article she'd written about Xbox Live stating similar ideas to your own... [edited for size] ...so I was pleased to find your Vagina Gamerlogues, a lot of fun and I will be returning for future 'Acts', how often will they go up? Great Stuff!
Jessica_Rabbit - UK
She was always my favourite in Roger Rabbit. Thanks for your honey sweet letter of appreciation, I was going to get the content manager to BOLD it but alas she said no, some people are no fun. We're hoping the Gamerlogues will be at the least bi-monthly. Thanks Jess.