Women in games: unanswered questions

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New from Girls Workshop comes a brand new Hello Kitty line in 40k space.

I’m kidding aside, I was browsing through articles about gambling and this one came up . It opened up a lot of questions I have about the industry and hobby, and there’s still a problem with the boys ’club regarding gambling?

The article was about a woman who was not just a heater but owned a lover of miniatureslo Shop, but whenever she went to conventions or meetings, she was bombarded with the same questions as, "Are you here to see your father?" . 

The idea of ​​being an actress was constantly overlooked or she didn’t even register for her colleagues. 

As a man, I changed my mind a little to see how I felt about the situation. In my younger years and certainly in the world before Covid, I was a socially awkward child who played a few games and hid.

I often went to ComicCon and conventions and ran around dressed in really bad cosplay. I was able to easily turn on and not have to justify my existence every 5 minutes ... then nervousness was not as ubiquitous as it is today. 

How awful would it be if I showed up at a peer rally and still feel like an outcast or someone else ?

The question arises: Is there still a shortage of actresses in the industry? If so, why?

Where are the ladies?

I can only speak from my own experience, but during my ex-partner’s travels I’ve met quite a few players around the world and (for now) I think there’s a fair mix. The only real constant is that for a regular game like mine, I can’t put together a whole group of D&D players mate perma-DM and blogger knows. 

Again, this is my personal experience and communities are as diverse and numerous as grains of sand. For about the last year, there have been mostly informal meetings, as in 2020 and beyond, major conventions and major meetings frowned quite a bit, so I can’t talk about the industry anymore. 

There was always at least one girl at board game meetings in my youth who loved board games, but ... there was usually also a host girl - another stereotype in the gaming world. It’s the idea that women aren’t necessarily really actors and that they’re only there for important others. 

If we look at two experiences that are 20 years or more apart, there are certainly more women in meetings and playgroups that I visit often now, but that was certainly not always the case. 

The next important question is why? And even how? 

How did the hobby and industry exclude a whole group of people ? 

Society as a whole and not individuals finds it acceptable. 

What's on the box?

The last question can be answered by asking another: What is on the box?

We’ve probably all seen it before, but if you haven’t, check it out. 

Do you see the difference between the sexes? I'll give you a hint. It is between the living room and the kitchen. 

More on Analog Game Studies , Tanya Initiative conducted a fairly in-depth study on the covers to play the Top 100 games in the Geek board games , analyzing the representation of women and POC (color people) on the covers. 

That was in 2018, but the data still seems important today. To summarize her findings, I will leave you an offer. 

"There is a desperate study that shows that consumers on the cover of a board game are more likely to find a sheep than a woman."

- Tanja Pobuda

This is not the only reason for the painfully slow growth of actresses in the hobby / industry, but the lack of representation in the hobby is not exactly tempting. 

Although it’s not always like that (and the good news is that it gets better over time) - it’s still not great. In the rare cases where women are represented in the world of gambling, it can also be unfavorable or unrealistic. 

Let ’s use the King Death Monster as an example. This is an incredibly innovative game with a crazy dark world that has come to life with detailed miniatures and artwork. Like it. 

These are, of course, the purest Miniatures in a box - and I know what you’re thinking.
"This is not an honest example. KDM is specifically marketed and designed as an adult game."

This is true. 

What about the Sword and Witchcraft though? Love prison-spider . 

Here is Ekar in full armor. 

And here's Shae in ... "clothes"? More like a goat skull bra. And how protective are goat skulls?

This question has been going on for quite some time. There is too much sexualization and too little representation of strong female characters.

And vice versa ... Unit on board FTW

An example of pushing in the right direction (and quite the opposite spectrum) is the Dungeon on One Deck . 

All the characters in this game are female. Not only that, but they are also properly equipped with armor and equipment that makes sense. (And not in the 80's hair band metal album, "sense")

The tank has thin armor, the thief has light clothes, the witch is in magic clothes and there is no +2 bikini in sight with chain mail. 

It’s so unique that when I reviewed the video reviews, the vast majority of YouTubers specifically mention the entire female cast. When someone portrays an asexualized version of a female character, everyone seems to be sinking their backs because they are so progressive. This could only be a litmus test of the industry. 

All of these are just thoughts I put on paper when I read the article and went down the rabbit hole that is the internet. I don’t have any big answers or solutions. Just thoughts and a wonderfully strong female business and life companion who has also been a hobby from a young age.

I wonder what you think, dear readers. 

How do you feel about your hobby at board games? Do you think that the women in your playing group are well represented? Leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!