What ‘GamerGate’ Reveals About the Silencing of Women

For years, the online gaming community has faced criticism for its often abysmal treatment of women. But even more evidence of this systemic sexism has emerged in recent weeks, prompting a wave of denials and counterattacks from a huge number of gamers. Their vitriol, in turn, provides an excellent example of what crowdsourced silencing of already marginalized voices can look like—and how chillingly effective that silencing can be. Just a few days after credible, violent threats drove independent critic Anita Sarkeesian out of her home in late August, Depression Quest developer Zoë Quinn withstood a deluge of online harassment, which included the publication of her phone number along with nude photographs.

[LostDjinn]

So gamers brought Anita and Zoes' deceitful, greed motivated behaviour on themselves? Seriously?

Yeah, good luck with that.

[CaptainObvious878]

This is a classic shaming tactic used by feminists and SJWs. Instead of focusing on the actual argument and maturely address the criticism they receive, they scream "misogynist!!" to anyone that has anything negative to say.

They do this because they know dam why how utterly sexist, hypocritical and stupid their argument is, so they try to silence the nay-sayers.

The title of this article is very ironic.

[Serrafina]

In the article, I read the line about women who act as a gaming critic is viewed corrupted, but I don't believe this because many guys and girls often focus more on what the written or verbal content is rather then the speaker.

[Scatpants]

Somebody needs to silence some women. I remember a day when the videogame scene didn't have anyone whining about anything. Now it's everywhere you look. I don't like this new crybaby culture that has been forming over the past decade or so.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Wait... I am confused. Are you saying that the gamer whining / crying mentality that has emerged is directly related to women?

[Scatpants]

They seem to be a large part of it.

[hazelamy]

you don't like people complaining about something they dislike in the gaming industry, so you complain about it.

right. >_>

[Scatpants]

You're right, I think I'll do a Kickstarter to fund a 10 part video series about it.

[masterfox]

the Silencing of Women ? hmmm what ? go and see a twitch streaming by a women, these gender talks/scream/yells like a mothe#$^fueckr! where is the silencing ?

Women like attention and receive more of it and this is no different, in the end they want the same rights as men so knowing that lets begin by: women Shut the hell up or I will tea-bag-you! :D

[Gezmoyassine]

When things don't go their way this what they do.How else will they get what they want.They need to stop making it look like they are victims.

[DevilOgreFish]

I'd prefer a gamer chick over any chick that hates games or people passionate about games, and when i say games i don't mean smartphone sh!t....just saying.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Its a bit of a long read but ultimately a pretty good one.

[CaptainObvious878]

Maybe you should read the article again, but this time take your white knight goggles off.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Nah, I don't do goggles but I also am not one to witch hunt for the sake of which hunting.

I thought the final word was pretty spot on: What GamerGate showed us was how a small group of angry 4chan users apparently convinced a horde of well-meaning people to believe that they should silence certain women for the good of all. The willingness shared by too many of us to believe that the ends justify the means was ruthlessly exploited here. Attention must be paid.

[CaptainObvious878]

This isn't a which hunt, this is simply gamers calling out 2 individuals on their BS and the people that try to defend them.

Why are people like the author of this article constantly focusing on what's between said individuals legs? Why can't we just focus on the issues at hand?

[Lord_Sloth]

Which is the 1 that faked the twitter threats and which is the 1 who traded sex for better reviews?

[ziggurcat]

anita is the threat faker, zoe is the sex briber.

[Lord_Sloth]

Thank you.

[Summons75]

What a joke. 1 it has nothing to do with silencing women. 2 the ONLY people who care are amateur bloggers who typically have no journalistic integrity. Major sites haven't or briefly touched on this joke.

[Bimkoblerutso]

I have to tell you. I feel like these "feminists" (in parentheses because I don't consider them actual feminists) are making enemies of a lot of men that have absolutely no problem with strong women. I'm a pretty liberal guy, but the manipulation and misinformation being passed around during this whole fiasco makes me absolutely sick.

[Chrischi1988]

So true. This whole thing turns way worse for these feminists. I literally lost my third bubble for a comment about these feminists, even though I actually never cared, but made me mad at one time... aaand bubble is gone^^

I never cared to much, but at some point it became too much, I wonder what these feminist fight for right now, it is more like, bitching here, bitching there, not so good for the normal female gamers...

[JD_Shadow]

This was written by one OF the main SJW's that is said to be the mislabeled groups, and never once brings into account that there is substantial proof out there to suggest that there was manipulation on the part of Zoe Quinn. Neither does it bring up the obvious evidence that suggests that she fabricated the psychological abuse that she had received. And nothing about the odd timing of the DMCA takedown notifications or the attempt to go right after TotalBiscuit when he only said "IF she participated in such behaviors".

Then, to make matters worse, she then goes and lumps all gamers in with the actions of the few (assuming it did happened), doesn't even bring up the Game Jams, doesn't bring up the admission that Zoe made that an affair happened between her and Nathan Grayson happened (and that things happened rather suspiciously in tune to when Grayson posted positive Depression Quest articles and reviews), and that because the industry is now critical of two particular females in this discussion, we are critical of the female gamer base as a whole.

All from a woman with obvious, personal ties to both Anita and Zoe. This rabbit hole just continues to have no bottom.

And to think that none of these types of articles are written by accident or never with any kind of agenda. It's clear they do, and they will never, EVER admit any fault what-so-ever, and they seem to ALWAYS take a very shallow, black and white view as to what the issue is. Two or three people does not equal the entire base of the group they claim to belong to.

To me, this is more of us having to separate the three as individuals instead of a particular movement, then get people to understand that they should not represent them. But their too busy kissing the feet of everyone involved in this, and the one that are actively pulling the strings have no low they won't stoop to in order to keep themselves absolved of any and all blame in any of this that it's becoming impossible to do so. There are too many players right now that are being too good at trying to keep this under wraps. It's like a Mafia gang right now.

[viperman240]

Couldn't have said it better myself. They just love to falsify evidence or ignore them. Always playing the victim card. They would never admit fault, Anita and Literally Who.

If you or anyone bothered to read the ex boyfriends long ass manifesto, you would see what a conniving manipulative perpetual liar Literally Who is. Also explains why she attacked TFY, claimed she was attacked by a certain board on the internet when it was a lie (not 4chan) and used Robbin Williams death to promote her game.

Anita and her fellow SJW followers flagged thunderf00t's twitter account so much it got suspended.

http://i.imgur.com/rvBg1Qu....

[ziggurcat]

"What ‘GamerGate’ Reveals About the Silencing of Women"

nothing. because that's not what it's about...

[itisallaboutps]

If I had a full time job botching and whining it would be called femenist

[leemo19]

Look another article being bias only seeing one side and not doing the research like they should. GamerGate has nothing to do with silencing women, its the fact of transparency has been thrown out the window with so called journalist. Anita and Zoe no one cares for because one Anita logic is so off the wall and Zoe is someone seeking desperate attention trying everything she can to still be relevant. Lets add that Zoe got the TFYC(group of women trying to get women into gaming developing) kickstarter shutdown many times, but I guess the writer doesn't know that since she would of found that out if she did her research. Feminist now a days logic is you don't agree your sexist misogynist. They won't debate or have any rational discussion whats so ever because in their eyes only their right and your wrong.

[Chrischi1988]

You got a well said from me. They truly are all about bitching... Not able to debate the slightest bit, you are not on their side, you are automatically a women hater, just one extreme, or the other...

[Tex117]

I hate everything about how this issue has been presented and in many ways corrupted.

At no point should personal attacks be thrown at anyone. That's it. End of story. Nothing, and I mean, nothing good can come from it.

There is a debate to be had about corruption in gaming journalism, but the way it was teed up with Quinns ex-boyfriend's post is not the correct way to do this. It just isn't. It is not a clean way to debate. There are two issues at hand, the perception of women involved with gaming, and games journalism corruption. They really aren't related, but when you put both of them in the same paragraph, you are looking at a can of gasoline. And the internet is the match.

Each issue alone is worth debating and can get incredibly heated, but when you mix the two....nothing constructive will come of it.

[bluzone]

Did anyone check out the content on this site. It has a bit of an agenda to it. definitely has its own bias on the subject,

[BlackWolf12]

Definitely written by a modern feminist.

Man hating cult modern feminist.

[Sneaky_khajiit]

Holy crap! Is this written from an alternate universe?! People on 4chan, reddit, and twitter are being blocked or even banned for just talking about #Gamergate. Then there's the incident with the Fine Young Capitalists. These people either live in an echo-chamber and never venture out to discover any information that disagrees with their rigid world view, or they're outright liars, pushing an agenda so they can keep getting paid. I know that's a gross over simplification, and this post is sloppy and reactionary, but I'm tired, and I just couldn't let this go without a response.