It is a well-known fact that online gaming is most popular among the male population. From online poker to first-person shooters, the market is dominated by male players. So, what happens when a female enters the field?
According to a recent report in McLean’s Magazine, women are subjected to harassment, abuse and prejudiced in the online gaming world. Although women constitute 20% to 30% of the online gaming population today, male gamers have yet to accept them as equals. As such, they are quick to hurl insults and dismiss them as having no skill.
“Online gaming is one of the last places where unadulterated male chauvinism exists,” the report states. “And, anonymity definitely plays a part”.
This even occurs in the online gambling market, especially in online poker. Female players (identified as such by their username or avatar) are often subject to differential treatment based on their gender. While most poker websites censor insults, women are still the subject of derogatory treatment.
A solution to the issue has yet to be the presented. Online bullying has been a problem for years, and the anonymity of the internet allows it to continue unphased.