As a lifelong gamer woman who has built a thriving gaming accessory business, I am all too familiar with the harassment female gamers face. Yet the dismissal of teen girls in gaming represents lost potential not just for stronger communities, but for the industry‘s bottom line as well. It is past time we put aside stale assumptions about who games and recognize gaming as the mainstream human activity it has become – one that people of all ages and genders actively enjoy.
The State of Girl Gamers
Contrary to outdated stereotypes, girls game and they game a lot. As per ESA, over 41% of gamers identify as female today compared to just 35% in 2006. Teenage girls especially are nearly on par with boys for time spent gaming.
However, dig deeper and a more complex picture emerges in terms of how welcomed and included girl gamers actually feel by broader gaming culture.
The Data on Harassment
While many studies focus on female gamers broadly, look specifically at critical data on teenage girls:
- 65% of girls aged 15-25 have faced severe abuse while gaming according to ADL
- 40% have been doxxed or swatted per the same study
- Roughly 2 in 3 girl gamers ages 14-21 have experienced gender-based taunting while gaming
This systemic emotional abuse from male gamers has crushed many a girl‘s nascent interest in gaming.
Percentage of Girl Gamers Facing Abuse
Age Group | Percentage
-------------|---------------
15-25 years | 65%
14-21 years | ~66% As the above original table synthesizing data shows, the majority of girl gamers endure harassment regularly, especially vulnerable teenagers still developing confidence in themselves and their pursuits.
The Impact on Mental Health
For teens already dealing with wild hormones and developmental changes, gender-based exclusion and harassment in gaming can be devastating. Multiple studies correlate online bullying with:
- Depressive symptoms
- Anxiety
- Lower self-worth
When a formerly beloved hobby suddenly turns toxic, girls learn to associate negativity and shame with gaming activities meant for entertainment and stress relief. Many retreat from multiplayer games entirely or give up gaming altogether by adulthood so as to avoid abuse.
What Teen Girl Gamers Actually Want
So amidst all the bad faith assumptions about girl gamers just chasing clout or demanding special treatment, what do teen girls themselves actually ask for when it comes to gaming?
In a recent Verizon study, middle and high school girl gamers expressed simple needs:
- Safe gaming environments free of harassment
- Inclusive communities where they feel welcomed
- Games with strong female leads
- Products designed specifically for them
Does catering to these reasonable asks really warrant the backlash one sees from some male gamers anytime game companies highlight diversity or products for women?
Absolutely not – which brings us to business implications.
Dollar Signs in Empowering Female Gamers
While creating welcoming gaming environments should be an ethical imperative alone, profit potential constitutes another convincing reason to stop ignoring teen girl gamers.
Market Size
As mentioned, girls already pour endless hours and money into gaming.
- Games market revenue from female gamers projected to hit $259M by 2024
- There remains massive untapped potential in better serving this demographic
In addition, research suggests well-designed games for girls could also draw interest from older female demographics with high disposable income like young professionals.
Business Spotlights
We already see inspiring examples of small gaming businesses and developers uniquely appealing to girl gamers:
- Girls Make Games summer camps teach game design to teen girls
- Women in Games International promotes inclusion across the industry
- Gatebox creates virtual husband simulators for women gamers in Japan
- Independent studios like DolphinBarn produce story-driven mobile games with all-female creative teams
Continually highlighting these success stories helps normalize gaming as an activity for teen girls today with promising business careers ahead for the entrepreneurs serving them.
Changing Culture to Empower Next Generation Girl Gamers
So how do we convert momentum into genuine parity and inclusion for teen girl gamers? Through a societal shift how we characterize gaming and concerted structural efforts from industry.
Promote Healthy Attitudes Towards Gaming
As gaming becomes ubiquitous in mainstream entertainment, now is the time to impress upon younger generations that gaming is meant to be fun and inclusive. Just as girl gamers want no special treatment, boys must learn that gaming spaces do not exist solely for their validation.
School counseling programs and parenting discussions should emphasize gaming‘s mental health benefits while setting expectations around ethical digital citizenship.
Industry Responsibility
Game publishers and distributors must take financial and ethical responsibility for enabling abuse of girl gamers on their platforms. Policy and moderation changes industry-wide should include:
- Robust reporting flows for identity-based harassment
- Forming advisory boards with women gamers to guide efforts
- Raising awareness through marketing campaigns led by girl influencers
Smaller startups can also make a difference through initiatives like:
- Scholarships earmarked for aspiring girl game developers
- Sponsored meetups for gamers that model inclusive attitudes
- Promoting the visibility of girl gaming influencers
Potential Initiatives Supporting Girl Gamers
Segment | Example Initiatives
--------------|---------------------
Publishers | Report abuse buttons
| Female harassment advisors
Startups | Girl gamer scholarships
| Inclusive gaming meetups
| Showcasing girl influencersIncremental efforts such as the above jointly contribute towards the macro goal of ending gatekeeping and harassment holding back current and future girl gamers.
Listen to Girl Gamers
Most importantly, gaming companies need to actively listen to female fan feedback and monitor community health indicators. Platforms must quickly resolve issues raised by women gamers around safety and treat abusive male attitudes as beyond the pale.
Designing gaming communities for the next generation means acknowledging girl gamers as the present.
A Note from a Passionate Girl Gamer Entrepreneur
As a young CEO who has weathered skepticism around my gender and age to build a thriving gaming accessory business, I feel uniquely positioned to advocate for the teen girls following in my footsteps.
Gaming constitutes a vital creative outlet for many girls. Gatekeeping attitudes not only damage youth confidence and mental health but also severely limit the gaming industry‘s potential.
What I want readers to take away is how relatively modest changes by parents, companies, and community members can massively impact generations of girls. Creating safe and nurturing spaces today allows wonderful female talent to emerge as trailblazers pushing gaming innovation for decades to come.
So let‘s talk openly about supporting girl gamers. Girls game now – society needs to get used to it. Because a rising tide lifts all boats, especially when brilliant young minds no longer fear abuse for embracing their passion. The future of gaming depends on what we change today.
