We often hear that girls are terrible at video games, but it’s not because “they belong in the kitchen,” nor is it because they’re “boosted.” Other than the numerous stereotypes and misogynistic insults we have to steadily endure from our male counterparts, female gamers have to deal with some serious grievances from other fellow female girls, too.

It’s hard to enjoy the game when another girl on the team is trying to seduce my teammates.

It’s hard for people to play with “gamer girls” who are just attention-seekers and do things like “fake a sneeze” to be “cute” in voice chat, or even pretend to masturbate (stories are based off my post in the Facebook group “League of Hunnies,” in which you may join and search through the comments yourself). This is a team chat, not an orgy.

And as the ones who grab the most attention in the gaming community, “Twitch cam girls” give girls who legitimately enjoy playing games a bad rep. It’s no wonder so many females have to endure sexual harassment within the game. Twitch cam girls condone inappropriate behavior and treatment that ultimately spreads to how guys treat any other female gamer they encounter. Just because there’s a market for it doesn’t mean it’s okay.

“I’m not like the other girls, I’m part of the bros.”

I’ve also noticed that there can be a lack of support for girls who play video games from girls who play video games, even if that girl isn’t trying to be an attention-whore. I’ll admit, I’m guilty of this myself, but we should stop putting up a front when it comes to pretending to be “one of the bros” or “better than the other girls.” Some girls are actually friends with more guys than girls in real life, but that isn’t a reason to feel threatened by the presence of another girl on the team.

Even the most well-educated, intelligent, and genuinely good-hearted gals will turn into high school mentality bitch queens once they’ve had a taste of that sweet, sweet center of attention. The exception is women who are in genuinely satisfying relationships. They couldn’t be less manipulative or destructive. — “Calhoun” on Kotaku

If a girl is terrible at their champion in a 60-minute ranked promo game and constructive criticism hasn’t helped, then I understand why anyone can be tilted. However, it’s counter-productive to hate on each other just because we’re suddenly not the only girl on the team, or because “she sucks ’cause girls suck.”

“How would other people know you’re a girl when it’s all online?”

This goes out to those who have obvious girl IGNs and/or those who find themselves in a chat room (or Discord, Skype, Mumble, etc.) with other players. I’ve even experienced different treatment from real-life friends, whether it be a good or bad thing. In an ideal world, I shouldn’t have to worry about whether my IGN reveals my gender or not, and if it does, I shouldn’t have to be on the receiving end of unsolicited dick pics.

Of course, not all female gamers are pure attention-seekers, nor may they experience as much harassment as others do, but that doesn’t mean that those who don’t get harassed can’t do anything to help out those who do. Females (and males) who find themselves in a usually amicable environment can encourage those who don’t to join them. Females (and males!) who see sexual harassment happening in team chat should team up and shut it down.

Professional female gamers are on the rise now more than ever. More females will be entering the video game scene as video games and eSports continue to grow in popularity. Amateur female gamers like myself should encourage more girls to enjoy video games, rather than bask in the “special” feeling of being a female in a male-dominated sport. So whether you’re a seriously skilled gamer or someone who’s just trying to have some fun, let’s all work on mitigating the toxicity of the gaming community and start enjoying the game with each other more.