[game_edu] Implications of students going into a male-dominated industry?

[Johnnemann Nordhagen]

This isn't specific to game development, but the Society of Women Engineers
basically makes that their mission:

http://societyofwomenengineers.swe.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=222

They do a lot of events where they try to just show young women and girls
that they exist, and that engineering in general is a career possibility.

I do think, however, that game development has its own problems relating to
this topic that are different (sometimes worse, sometimes better) than
mainstream society and other careers.  Just saying "well, it's society's
problem" isn't ever going to help solve the issue. At some level, we as
privileged white males are going to have to realize that we, individually,
have to at least scrutinize our behavior closely, and most likely change our
thinking and behavior.  As was discussed in the original article Ian posted,
there are still a lot of parts of games that are cringeworthy and make me
want to apologize for the medium as a whole.

On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 3:16 PM, Anthony Hart-Jones <tony at dragonstalon.co.uk

> wrote:



> **

> On 20/09/11 22:49, Adam Moore wrote:

>

>  I’d say the imbalance is endemic to society and the game industry isn’t

> the only industry affected. It’s not caused by genetics – it’s all caused by

> social constructs.****

>

> ** **

>

> Here’s an even tougher question – what can we and our students do to change

> this imbalance?

>

>   This may come across as flippant or sarcastic, but how about asking

> female developers and students to talk about their work.  Not TV-spots, not

> school visits, but simply talking about their jobs.  Get the to talk to

> their daughters, their sisters, their nieces and second-cousins.  Even half

> of the men can do it; you talk about how much fun your job is, then when the

> girl in question brings gender into it, you say '*actually, no; I know

> quite a few women who are in / are studying games-development*' and

> challenge those stereotypes by related personal experience.

>   The fact is that even we developers and educators here who are discussing

> this right now will probably talk about games and games-development to male

> family and friends, but gloss over it for female.  We assume they would not

> be interested and so we don't 'bore them' with details of our world.  The

> boys and men are more likely to initiate a conversation about these topics,

> but that doesn't mean girls and women are not just as interested if you

> catch their interest.

>

>   The fact of the matter is that girls will respond better to a woman

> relating her experience, especially one they can admire and meet in the

> flesh, but any one of us can say '*no, games development is not the

> sausage-fest it once was*' and maybe help turn the tide of public-opinion,

> which I have always held is the true issue.  (my anthropologist friend

> agrees on this too; she swears it is all cultural)

>

>

>  ****

>

> How can we solve these problems with game design?

>

>   Having read a long paper on this topic moments ago (thank you, Nick

> Lalone), I would say that we need to design for human beings irrespective of

> gender and let the boys and girls realise they like the same kinds of

> games.  Other than that, I am at a loss right now.

>

>   This has been an amazing conversation and quite eye-opening.  I think

> it'll take a good night's sleep to digest it all and maybe I will be filled

> with ideas in the morning.

>

>  - Anthony

>

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>

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