0 Comments 
The internet can be a wonderful place. Nowadays, none of us could imagine living without it. It’s the source of information, it keeps us connected, some of us work online, and the majority of people use it for entertainment. However, given that anyone can have access to it, it’s a given that you’ll meet some bad eggs occasionally. This especially applies to gaming communities, as people tend to be more direct when the adrenaline is running and the cloak of anonymity protects them. We’ve said this before, and we’ll gladly say it again, Helldivers 2 community is one of the good ones. The players support each other and generally don’t stand for any type of bad behavior. Still, there will always be individuals who crave conflict and chaos. Recently, it came to light that female Helldivers 2 players often face misogynistic behavior and it’s time for the community to react.
Many Female Helldivers Had Bad Experiences
As in real life, women on the internet get a lot of uncalled-for “attention”, especially in gaming communities. It’s 2024, and still, some people are astounded by the existence of female gamers. So, when a troll full of adrenaline stumbles upon a female gamer in, say, Helldivers 2, they feel compelled to make a misogynistic comment and make the other party extremely uncomfortable.
Acceptable-Piglet249 took to Reddit and shared their bad experiences, and many female Helldivers joined in. The OP explained how she loved playing Helldivers 2 but she was getting tired of all the off-hand comments.
She stated: “I get that gaming is a male-dominated space, but I can hold my own, and I’m just here to spread Democracy like everyone else. What ruins it for me is the wildly inappropriate comments I hear almost every time someone realizes there’s a woman in the group. The moment I speak, it’s like a switch flips – I’m suddenly the target of creepy remarks or outright gross comments”.
She continued: “It often starts with something as simple as my accent or the fact I’m a woman, and quickly escalates into things that are completely over the line. I’m talking comments that no one should be making under any circumstances, let alone out loud. Saying “I have a boyfriend” isn’t me being coy or flirty; it’s a clear attempt to shut the behavior down. Instead, it’s often taken as a challenge, or completely disregarded – which is infuriating.”
The OP added: “The worst part? Nine times out of ten, the other guys in the team say nothing. It’s obvious I’m uncomfortable, yet almost no one steps in. To the few who do, thank you—you’re the reason I still try to enjoy this game despite all the nonsense”.
Helldivers Stand Against Misogynistic Behavior
Many female Helldivers 2 players joined the conversation and shared their experiences with misogynistic behavior. Some have never experienced this type of behavior, but the ones that did had stories similar to the OP’s. We all know that we can encounter a troll, but being harassed while other players watched on is ludicrous.
Although the female players received a lot of support, and the majority of comments were on point, some comments, although well-meaning, missed the point. The comments advising women to mute their microphones and find female-only groups will help short term. However, they don’t address the bigger picture and in no way do they solve the systematic problem. Women should have the same rights and privileges as any other member of Helldivers 2 (and any other) community.
Thankfully, many Helldivers understand this, so they advised their community members on what to do to help achieve this equality. One player, darxtorm, noted: “Be that rare someone that steps in. Do what you would do if it happened on the street in front of you. Doesn’t really matter if it’s going to stop them or not. As always, the standard you walk past is the standard you perpetuate”.
ResponsibilityOk3543 added: “Tolerating such vile behavior is what makes them so bold, to begin with. There need to be consequences. They need to feel that their actions are not okay. No Matter how “pro” they might be, If they are an a**hole, everything else is irrelevant”.
We wholeheartedly agree. Abuse shouldn’t be acceptable in any form. So, if you come across someone mistreating another teammate male or female, react. The Major Order is in its final 24 hours, so let’s dive together. For Equality, Liberty, and Super Earth.