Game-changers: The rise of queer gamers
12.08.2022 - 17:31
/ mambaonline.com
The Sims ushered in a new era of self-expression for queer gamers
Despite many people being under the impression that the world of video games is one mostly occupied by straight men, the gaming sphere is awash with queer gamers – sometimes also self-identifying as “gaymers”.
Not only does this demographic account for 10% of all gamers, according to a recent poll, but 21% of people in the video games industry also identify as LGBTQIA+ or queer gamers.
It stands to reason, then, that the gaming industry would be at least as queer as the so-called “real world”, where approximately 10% of people identify as being a part of a sexual minority group.
Perhaps the key difference between being LGBTQ in the gaming world and being openly so IRL (“in real life”) is that there is a certain freedom associated with expressing a gender identity or sexuality that is different from what a still predominantly heteronormative society dictates.
The Proteus Effect
In Greek mythology, Proteus is the protector of different bodies of water, and is also known for his shape-shifting abilities, turning into different animals and even entities like water to escape the wrath of the king of Sparta.
Researchers studying people’s behaviour in virtual environments like online chat rooms and gaming portals found that the way people virtually self-represented in online environments also had an effect on their behaviour in their life away from the screen.
As people adopted certain physical attributes and characteristics online, these also found a way into the way they carried themselves when interacting with other people. Further studies also revealed that this transformation wasn’t only restricted to physical attributes, but also extended to things like