I believe it is an obvious sign of homosexuality, possibly repressed. To role-play as a female is a sign that a male wishes he was a female in real life, & is probably even a cross-dresser behind closed doors. They feel more comfortable playing as a girl & they tell themselves there is nothing wrong with it so they don't have to think about why they're really doing it, but we all know why.

I realize some males play as a female character to fool other males into helping them or giving them free items. I find this style of play to be despicable. It's also a reason I give items & fiancial help only to those in my guild or to those I have become friends with over time within the game. I never give charity to strangers or gold-beggars.

Some males use the excuse that they want to look at a girl character while they play rather than a male character, but that's just pathetic & lets us all know they can't get a girlfriend in real life.

These males are all transvestites by definition. Go look it up if you don't believe.

much like another person said in another thread about this, if i had a choice of looking at a persons rear end, I would much have it be a females. so far, I have had the glorious distinction of looking at a the brown hairy rear end of a wookie in Star Wars Galaxies. Yet, another brown hairy rear end on my Tauren shaman in wow. then I got to look at my effeminate elf druid in wow. then for my last character, I got lazy, and chose an undead female warlock. it was not so much for a 'male or female' thing but a 'female was where my cursor was' thing.

truth be told, i did find it interesting when a small percentage of people thought i was a girl.

I agree with the author's assertion that we girls have it easier when we can blend in with the Potemkin girls...it takes some of the pressure off, and one needn't feel as though they've stumbled into a biker bar while dressed for bed.

And let's not forget that, while the traffic is certainly a trickle in one direction and a flood in the other, this is a two-way street. I have female friends who only play as males in order to get "respect" and avoid being hassled by the more lecherous element of the gaming community (i.e., men. ). Personally, I think gathering the figurative robes of manhood around oneself in order to gain benefits (presumably) unavailable to female players is just as deplorable (if not more so) than males posing as women in order to get "goodies," if only because of the implication that women are inherently inferior and have to be Jeanne D'Arc in drag to garner any respect.

Finally, (and I cannot stress this enough) it's a bloody video game. Yeesh. Yes, there's all sorts of compelling psychological minutia related to the whys and wherefores of deciding to "cross the street," but come on, folks - sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar.

I found it strange that his final reason he gave was gender experimentation:

"Besides, a big reason for playing an MMO is to experience something new and different from real-life."

"Anyway, I think fear of playing a different gender is more of an insecurity/macho thing. Many people can't/won't cross genders online because of an inability to separate their self image from their avatar. Which is fine, but they always "analyze" it and try to figure out "what's wrong" with people who can."

Agreed, and very well stated.

Whenever I see the homophobes go off about it all I can think is "Me thinks the lady doth protest too much." ;P

Seriously though, it just screams of insecurity and self-doubt to me.

According to studies (which, granted, have to be taken with a grain of salt) women are more inclined to identify with their toons than men are, anyway.

I dunno if it's so much a Mars/Venus thing as it is the fact that those of us who were gamers before the industry knew we existed (and didn't want stereotypical girlie games) were deprived of playing females for so long (with exceptions like Mortal Combat, Street Fighter, etc.)

And in our case, it may be possibly be a throwback to our youth when we played with Barbies and She-ra.

What's wrong with you tekhedd, GOD!

I generally agree with the article, except for that part about being deprived. And for the oversimplification. "I know what your problem is..." For example, lately I've been making male characters, because there are too many females. Which reveals my motivation: I like to see variety in the game world. Hey, I can play dress-up with a male toon just as easily as with a female. (Barbie *and Ken*, OK?)

Anyway, I think fear of playing a different gender is more of an insecurity/macho thing. Many people can't/won't cross genders online because of an inability to separate their self image from their avatar. Which is fine, but they always "analyze" it and try to figure out "what's wrong" with people who can.

lol, good point kamujin

Good point Xtink, one that readily comes to mind is Molly in Vampire Slayer. That @#$%& had no hitbox I swear lol.

I agree with Kamujin,

In the FPS games, smaller is better. And you can really get some folks pissed off talking smack while playing a female toon.

I play female characters around 25% of the time. My reasons are as follows.

1) In PvP, its an advantage. I like advantages. Strangers treat me differently when I play a female character. Its quite obvious.

2) Variety. Sometimes you wanna try other options.

3) Appearence, some races just look alot less lame as female characters.

4) Female toons often have more condescending laughs. Great for the little extra rub as you stand over the corpse of "stabsjoonubs".

At first it used to bother me, when I found out that most of the women chars are manginas, but I have filterd them out and found real female players!!! It doesnt bother me, but I dont need to make them.

Hey, you wanna alienate your subscribers and destroy your business GAME ON! I pay to play, I choose what kinda toon to make. Yes, I agree a nice female butt is better to stare at for hours on end, but I'm pretty much 50/50...i make whatever character calls to me in that game or that class or whatever...Just sounds like some communist homophobe stuff to me...

Because it's bloody hard to get an actually decent looking male character.
(Guildwars does have a few, like Ranger Norn armour, but its still easier to make a cool looking female.)

might help if they weren't all ridiculously buff.

I also subscribe to the shallow club of 'well, if I have to stare at a butt for hours on end, it might as well be a chick's...' Lately, I've been creating more male avatars over female, so there may be some hope for me yet.