Misogyny alive and well in video games

I came across the story of one woman's experience in the gaming world today and it reminded me to speak about that world - briefly, as I'm not an expert - to express my support for women in gaming and those who speak out in support of them.

Video games have been a niche market up until relatively recently thus are yet to be fully explored as a base of misogyny.  Now that world is becoming more and more mainstream and games are an art form in the view of many participants and interested parties (me included). The field is very much an adult environment, despite the popular notion that it's all about kids, however, kids are operating in that environment and doubtless being influenced by the online interactions and commentary.

Women gamers playing online are subjected to almost casual sexism and misogynistic assumptions, statements, even threats.   I am not a gamer myself (I don't have the coordination and reflexes for it, not to mention the memory) but I hear about the female experience from my son and particularly my daughter-in-law, keen gamers and commentators (http://blackpanel.com.au/) and other sources that I come across.  Mind you, at my age you tend to know it anyway because that's just the ongoing history of women moving and acting in the world.

When sites & critics speak out about misogyny, they tend to become targets.  This discourages and frightens many who, although they don't agree with the bad behaviour, don't want to be confronted themselves.  If we're silent in the face of this we're part of the problem.  We need to speak out when we see this going on because overwhelming the offenders with disdain is a powerful tool and the more who speak the more isolated those offenders become.

Here's an example of a critic's page:  http://www.feministfrequency.com/
Here's a tale of her backlash experience:  http://www.feministfrequency.com/2012/12/tedxwomen-talk-on-sexist-harassment-cyber-mobs/