Female Pokemon Players

[sora13]

When I was looking thorugh the Photo Album, I noticed that the mast vajority of the players were male. I started to think why there aren't that many female competitive players. I think that it's because females aren't interested in this kind of stuff, but I hit a major obstacle in that thought, because a fair amountof the females I know play uncompetetive Pokemon in my school like D/P/FR/LG, but no one plays actual competetive Pokemon like we do. SO I ask you, what is your explanation and opinion on this.

PS-For the random female out there, please understand this. I am NOT trying to be sexist or anything. Everyone please, do not be an idiot, sexist or anything of the sort. Try and take this seriously.(I know that's hard for some *cough people *cough* on this forum.)

 

[TUskate]

Girls are definitely as competitive as guys are. I've definitely noticed this in my mom and sister. They are just competitive with other girls, just not with guys, but rather girls. Since mainly guys play pokemon competitively there is a smaller amount of girls who want to compete. This kind of makes it hard for girls to really get into it I suppose.

Idk that's just from a guys point of view.

Btw I'm pretty sure we just battled on Shoddy.

 

[Firestorm]

There are more males than females on a video game message board. News at 11.

 

[Olie]

there may not be many females who play pokemon, but some do, and Smogon would really miss Mystica, Shiki, Fishy and any other female members.

 

[Thorns]

there may not be many females who play pokemon, but some do, and Smogon would really miss Mystica, Shiki, Fishy, Gen. Empoleon and any other female members.

Girls (and I'm generalising here) are not interested in competitive games of any nature. Blame your high amounts of testosterone if you're a girl and play Pokemon.

It's a shame, females on Smogon definitely add colour to the forums and Shoddy, and shiki and the other regulars are probably the reason why I can still play DPP without going insane.

 

[Kier]

free yourself from gender stereotypes!

 

[Olie]

lol is Gen Empoleon really a girl? I always thought he was male...

 

[jumpluff]

I started to think why there aren't that many female competitive players. I think that it's because females aren't interested in this kind of stuff, but I hit a major obstacle in that thought, because a fair amountof the females I know play uncompetetive Pokemon in my school like D/P/FR/LG, but no one plays actual competetive Pokemon like we do.

This is like asking 'why are there not as many female mechanics as male?' Video gaming, especially as a serious hobby which requires a lot of commitment, is traditionally -- and obviously as a girl whose every pastime is pretty nerdy I disagree with this mindset, but I won't ever argue that it isn't popularised -- considered a male-dominated field. This makes it harder for girls to actually get into it, seeing as, you know, 'oh wow a real girl on the internet... playing pokémon...!!' A lot of people get into things their friends are interested in -- which is how I got into competitive battling, having friends who played -- and if you feel too out of place, you might feel discouraged, I guess?

Plus a lot of girls consider it themselves to be pretty nerdy [and to them, therefore boyish ~_~]. Also, the competitive battling community is mostly centred around the internet [especially for people who don't live in major cities and/or the USA], and there are far more guys in the gaming community in the first place.

It's just a natural 'weird interest'; try to logically dissect it all you like, but I don't believe you'll get anywhere. Why are there more girls on Hello Kitty MMOs [I am assuming this, though x_x] than boys? Because girls, as a result of the way they're brought up by society and their parents [their image of 'femininity'], and their natural inclinations as people themselves, are more interested in Hello Kitty, which is marketed towards them. Nintendo have made plenty of efforts to market Pokémon to girls but ultimately the main attraction will be to boys.

I know there are many on Smogon who didn't start playing the carts at RBY, but a lot did when they were little kids, and it was still pretty boy-dominated from the early age. Hell, you couldn't even use a female character in-game until Crystal.

Where is Kristy Haruka? I'm sure she could enlighten us ^_^ You know, I'm probably wrong on some points, because I can't argue for individuals, but this is just generally what I find from other girls, even on the internet. You have to generalise to a degree to make arguments in a thread entirely about generalisations.

ETA: And, yes, girls are just as competitive -- on different fields often, but oh my God... x_x

Gen Empoleon is Injustice, IIRC, who I am fairly sure is male.

 

[Darkmalice]

In my opinion, there are less girls, because they either study more or have a better social life than guys.

 

[Olie]

In my opinion, there are less girls, because they either study more or have a better social life than guys.

So, just cause you are a male member of Smogon means automatically that you have no social life?

 

[Darkmalice]

So, just cause you are a male member of Smogon means automatically that you have no social life?

xD No, that would be paying out myself. But girls rather go on MSN, Facebook or Myspace (I hate Myspace) than Smogon or play competitive battling.

 

[jumpluff]

xD No, that would be paying out myself. But girls rather go on MSN, Facebook or Myspace (I hate Myspace) than Smogon or play competitive battling.

how did i know someone would bring up a point this moronically?

see, this is why it's pointless to make threads like these -- people make really, really stupid posts. honestly all the guys in my class go on all those sites at the same time for the same reason: to socialise. it isn't gender-segregated. although, yes, girls + boys have different browsing habits and spend different amounts of time on those sites due to the way they interact, like girls generally post more photos and stuff [anyone with common sense will tell you MOST girls (hi rikku ;D) post more pictures and such, and so will googling it] etc. etc.

plenty of girls go on forums and play games online and stuff, it's the actual non-casual gaming community itself which lacks girls, because of the facts that irl it's the same way due to the things i mentioned in my last post

 

[bugcatcherjasonn]

So, just cause you are a male member of Smogon means automatically that you have no social life?

yes, I have no social life. :(

 

[McGrrr]

This is how I see it:

Girls tend to socialise in groups. Therefore, common ground within the group will have greater sway over what the group spends time doing. Consider the following arbitrary, but demonstrative, scenario:

Anita
1. Prefers Pokemon
2. But likes shopping

Beth
1. Prefers judo
2. But likes shopping

Cathy
1. Prefers mathematics
2. But likes shopping

Diane
1. Prefers basketball
2. But likes shopping

Eda
1. Prefers Pokemon
2. But likes shopping

Although all five girls have different interests, their inclination to socialise together causes them all to choose a secondary option (shopping) for the benefit of the group. Even when only two girls spend time together, they will more often choose shopping than risk a polarising activity. Only when Anita and Eda are paired, will they default to playing Pokemon.

Subsequently, each girl spends less time pursuing her favourite activity. That does not necessarily mean Anita/Eda play less Pokemon, but it could mean that they have no time to post on a forum.

---

Guys tend to socialise in smaller groups and the same analysis is applicable. However, within a smaller group, each person has fewer commitments. Therefore, individuals have more time to pursue their own interests. This is more likely to include posting on a related forum.

 

[Solidus]

There's a simple explanation for it: girls don't really exist on the internet. Not to say that there aren't ANY girls, but just a small amount.

 

[Echo]

There's a simple explanation for it: girls don't really exist on the internet. Not to say that there aren't ANY girls, but just a small amount.

That's just a stupid 4chan-generalization of sorts, which only applies if you consider 'internet' to be game forums and funny/stupid pictures posted on a site. Just go check facebook or myspace and tell me again that 'girls don't exist in the internet'. If you didn't say that seriously, you shouldn't have posted at all.

see, this is why it's pointless to make threads like these -- people make really, really stupid posts. honestly all the guys in my class go on all those sites at the same time for the same reason: to socialise. it isn't gender-segregated.

The person you quoted used the word 'rather' to express that girls prefer those sites over competitive gaming forums. He never said it would be gender-segregated.

 

[Surgo]

The person you quoted used the word 'rather' to express that girls prefer those sites over competitive gaming forums. He never said it would be gender-segregated.

It was still a pretty stupid post, as I'm pretty sure he has zero evidence to back up that point and probably never asked a girl about it.

 

[Solidus]

That's just a stupid 4chan-generalization of sorts, which only applies if you consider 'internet' to be game forums and funny/stupid pictures posted on a site. Just go check facebook or myspace and tell me again that 'girls don't exist in the internet'. If you didn't say that seriously, you shouldn't have posted at all.

What gives you the idea that 'I didn't say that seriously'? Before you even start to troll me, pay attention to what I said. Don't put words in my mouth. I was referring to the lack of female members in game forums that I've been to like Gamefaqs and other Pokemon forums. There was even a poll of the day once that was on Gamefaqs about there being so little female members.

 

[Surgo]

Whoa there, nobody put any words in your mouth. People were responding to what you actually said, which was:

There's a simple explanation for it: girls don't really exist on the internet. Not to say that there aren't ANY girls, but just a small amount.

I don't see anything about "Gamefaqs and other Pokemon forums" in there, I see the internet as a whole. Maybe you should pay attention to what you said.

 

[Solidus]

I don't see anything about "Gamefaqs and other Pokemon forums" in there, I see the internet as a whole. Maybe you should pay attention to what you said.

I know there wasn't anything about 'Gamefaqs and other Pokemon forums' in that post. It was meant to be in general.

If you didn't say that seriously, you shouldn't have posted at all.

Whoa there, nobody put any words in your mouth.

When I said 'putting words in my mouth', I was trying to say to him, don't say I didn't make a serious post.

 

[jumpluff]

That's just a stupid 4chan-generalization of sorts, which only applies if you consider 'internet' to be game forums and funny/stupid pictures posted on a site. Just go check facebook or myspace and tell me again that 'girls don't exist in the internet'. If you didn't say that seriously, you shouldn't have posted at all.



The person you quoted used the word 'rather' to express that girls prefer those sites over competitive gaming forums. He never said it would be gender-segregated.

OK that was a bit straw manny, I'll concede that.

But my point still stands. He is completely generalising.

If you meant 'in general', Solidus, you are completely wrong. If most teenagers these days use the internet, I am assuming there are, yes, many girls on the internet. Sites like LiveJournal [lol] or most other social networking sites have more girls than guys, or a pretty damn even amount, especially in the active community as a whole [as opposed to just within friends lists]. If you did not mean in general, you are dragging 4chan bullshit into a thread that hardly needed further derailing, that or you are making a 'serious' post that still makes absolutely no sense seeing as you stated you didn't mean just gaming sites. gg

 

[DM]

how did i know someone would bring up a point this moronically?

I wouldn't get too bent out of shape about it. Keep in mind the key demographic of this website is teenage boys who have more than likely had very little contact with females in their lives.

 

[Vaevictus_Asmadi]

There are lots of girls out there that play pokemon, but from what ive seen (and please, other players, don't take offense to this) most of them are too young to be on online forums.
I.E: There are still parental controls on their accounts...lol

 

[Wyverii]

I'd say it's mostly social pressures. I'm a girl and I found that the majority of the girls i've been friends with had no interest in gaming and those who did never bothered their own friends with it. As a matter of fact my general interests differed so much from my female friends that I ended up detached from them and becoming friends with a group of boys. There are probably exceptions but there are very few gamer girl groups in the world i'll tell you.

 

[Echo]

What gives you the idea that 'I didn't say that seriously'?

The general outlook of the statement, the background of that statement that comes from unreliable sources and is considered a cliché and the previous posts made on your account.

Before you even start to troll me, pay attention to what I said.

Troll you? Even if you lack the verbal skills to insult my reply to your post, please, consider something that doesn't boost your 4chan/other internet nonsese -image.

Don't put words in my mouth. I was referring to the lack of female members in game forums that I've been to like Gamefaqs and other Pokemon forums. There was even a poll of the day once that was on Gamefaqs about there being so little female members.

It was meant to be in general.

If it was meant to be in general, yet you were referring to game forums, how does that make sense? Damn man, you really confuse me there. Now, luckily you put words into my mouth, so I'll go ahead and use them:

Before you even start to troll me, pay attention to what I said.

As for my stance on the subject, I really think it's all about the social status. After all, most posters on forums/etc. are teenagers or in their early 20s, so social status matters. And well all know the general consensus about posting on game forums - it's not that good when you want to be approved by your friends and acquaintances. That goes especially for girls for whom video games, the competitive-like, are a forbidden fruit and a taboo. Girls don't want to be labeled as video game nerds etc.

Heh, I just noticed I'm repeating what Wyverii said right before - that's what you get for not reading every post.