Podcast discussion about sexism in games and feminism

[marurun]

Warning: Do not reply to this thread without reading the full first post and listening to the podcast audio.

I realize that feminism is a topic that raises hackles on the internet, and I'm not posting this to try and start fights with anybody. This topic is to introduce forum-goers here to a neat podcast that happened to have an episode in which there was a great discussion dealing with sexism in games and feminism not just in games, but a bit in general. My intent with this thread is for people to post about the discussion of sexism and feminism as it occurs in the podcast, not to start a general discussion about sexism or feminism. We've already had a half-dozen of the latter and they've not really gone well.

Shamus Young (of Twenty Sided) and crew have a podcast called Diecast, in which, weekly, they talk about what they've been playing that week and what's going on in the gaming world. I've recently become a fan. They go on some great tangents and talk about games in a way that I really enjoy hearing. In Episode 49, from back in March, 2014, they end up talking about female characters in games and end up diving into feminism and responses to feminism in the gaming community. This is a podcast with 5 different voices, only one of them female, but they are great bunch to listen to. They do really voice what I consider a middle-of-the-road view of sexism in the games industry, and they do it without blaming anyone and without rancor (except maybe a little minor frustration).

If you have felt like cries of "sexism!" have been thrown at your favorite hobby like an attack, this podcast might help make you feel a little better by putting things in perspective. This same might apply to those who feel like they get shouted down every time they try to speak up about gender issues in gaming.

This is the landing page for the episode in question. Feel free to read some of the text there about the episode before diving in.

http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=22554

The conversation starts the shift to gender issues in gaming at about the 9 minute mark or so, but doesn't really hit its stride until about time stamp 11:30 or so. It continues up until about minute 36, where they begin to get back to talking about other stuff.

Please read what I type carefully, and listen to the audio in question BEFORE commenting to avoid misunderstanding. If you have a tl:dr/tl:dl moment, you should not type anything in this thread. This thread is about the podcast discussion, your thoughts on the podcast discussion, and how you felt it applied/did not apply to your own experiences or thoughts.

[dsheinem]

what do they say that's interesting?

also, i think most of our threads on sexism, etc. HAVE gone quite well.

[AmishSamurai]

also, i think most of our threads on sexism, etc. HAVE gone quite well.

Yeah but its such flamebait on the internet in general I feel it probably does need content warning. The regulars on this site may be grown-ass adults but not everyone who posts is necessarily a regular.

[lisalover1]

also, i think most of our threads on sexism, etc. HAVE gone quite well.

Yeah but its such flamebait on the internet in general I feel it probably does need content warning. The regulars on this site may be grown-ass adults but not everyone who posts is necessarily a regular.

Yeah, all of the Racketboy regulars are on average level-headed about these topics, outside of a very small number of bad apples.

[Ack]

also, i think most of our threads on sexism, etc. HAVE gone quite well.

Yeah but its such flamebait on the internet in general I feel it probably does need content warning. The regulars on this site may be grown-ass adults but not everyone who posts is necessarily a regular.

Yeah, all of the Racketboy regulars are on average level-headed about these topics, outside of a very small number of bad apples.

Hey now, leave the Mod team out of this. We know we're rotten.

[AmishSamurai]

Yeah but its such flamebait on the internet in general I feel it probably does need content warning. The regulars on this site may be grown-ass adults but not everyone who posts is necessarily a regular.

Yeah, all of the Racketboy regulars are on average level-headed about these topics, outside of a very small number of bad apples.

Hey now, leave the Mod team out of this. We know we're rotten.

As long as we all acknowledge it <3

[marurun]

what do they say that's interesting?

Listen for yourself if you really want to know. I don't trust myself to summarize an entire discussion in a way that preserves nuance.

also, i think most of our threads on sexism, etc. HAVE gone quite well.

Well, better than on most other gaming forums doesn't mean we haven't had some unnecessary hurt feelings over this topic from time to time.