Over the past 2 months I have been an observer of and more recently, a participant in GamerGate. By following the hashtag (along with the more prominent folk using it) I've learned a great deal about feminism, gamers, and society at large. My thoughts on the matter are my own and first I’ll explain how I came to be a GG supporter. Further along in this essay, I’ll explain my ideal feminism, princess culture among women in this country (or the western world at large), and of course why all this is relevant to GamerGate. Some background into my life and moral code will probably be helpful to understand where I’m coming from with all this. I’ll keep it brief to avoid putting whoever bothers to read this to sleep.

First, you should know I’m a *gasp*, feminist. I use that word in the same fashion a gay gentleman may use the word “faggot” or how I myself use the word “cunt.” In other words, I’m reclaiming it from those who have poisoned it. I am currently a women & gender studies major and I am taking the LSAT in June. Having intimate knowledge of your country’s legal system enables you to make impacts you simply couldn’t from the outside.

My goals as a feminist are simple. I want to throw out every last 3rd wave, sex shaming, man hating person involved in my movement. Feminism by definition lends itself to misandry but it needn't be this way. Many women before me actively tried to eradicate that idea with the career woman movement in the 1980's, the idea that men also suffer from societal pressure just like women (Susan Bordo’s excellent study entitled Reading the Male Body), and many early adapters that wanted to push the idea of suffrage without dumping all over their male counterparts. They wanted actual equality through laws and society. Please refer to women like C.H. Sommers or Cathy Young for an idea.

In the opposite direction, the 3rd wave of feminism (as exemplified by damsels in distress like Anita Sarkeesian et al) are in the business of ensuring that not only do women get their comeuppance, but they take down men in the process. They have their vintage counterparts in the 2nd wave, where the patriarchy = oppression idea was born. This wave of feminism also gave us gems like all penetrative sex is rape etc. This is not the club I signed up for. So how do I define feminism?

Simply put, it is empowerment through choice. The choices made available to someone are as important as the decision they make. What good is “freedom” if you only have one choice in election (see North Korea)? So for me feminism = choice. If you choose to be a porn actress, great. Would you prefer to perhaps be a housewife? Great. A career woman with no kids? Great. All of these are valid and important choices. That’s what has me most upset with the 3rd wave & their ilk. Frankly, they’re mainly white, mainly men, and mainly prude as all get out. Which again, is fine if you make your choice and leave others to it.

Of course, that isn't what happens. They attempt to make your choices for you, or eliminate what choices you can make. Are you a woman that believes GTAV isn't the hate filled piece of misogyny certain “journalists” tell you it is? Too bad, we've gotta get it pulled. We know better than you do that its poison for your mind, little pretty. Your internalized misogyny is killing you and Dr. McIntosh has the fix. Just ban it. Or guilt game developers into never making games like it. Or call women/PoCs that voice their opinions through channels like the NotYourShield hashtag “sockpuppets” etc. Seems super inclusive and positive right? Why in the world would modern women care to call themselves feminists when all you offer is sex-shaming, kink-shaming, and man hate? The fact is, women in the Western world have it better than ever before. In many regards women have the advantage.

Take a look at the insanity of rape shield laws in this country (I recommend Cathy Young’s piece on rape shield laws located here) or custody/divorce law. The pendulum has swung too far in the other direction in some arenas. The fact is, misogyny as defined by radfem culture on Tumblr has turned all men into scared, hand wringing white knights. In my humble opinion, paternalism is far more offensive than strippers being killed in a video game. Period. Treating women & minorities like children isn’t helping. Why do women allow such nonsense anyway? My answer is overly simplified for this essay. I believe the true issue with women in today’s society is “Princess Culture.”

What *is* Princess Culture? Its the pervasive notion that women are all special beautiful creatures. We’re really really not. Some of us are loathsome. Some of us are indeed awesome. The idea that we all deserve fairy tales, should be treated with kid gloves, and can’t be wrong, is just as damaging to women as a whole than anything men are doing. Evidence of this issue can be seen on Tumblr in spades with the creation of terms like “head-mates” “privilege” and so much more. Its scary to think that you are just a person. Just a woman. Just a speck on a planet. In order to combat those feelings, they create things to become indignant about. My pronouns are xir, my headmate is a wolf, I deserve a big shiny wedding ring because I’m special and you’re lucky to have gotten me.

Dealing with people that behave as if they’re special in some way is awful enough when they’re 15. Speaking to the radical feminism set on Twitter that become enraged at Chan style humor when they’re 30 is depressing. Being offended is something princesses get to shout “Off with their heads!” about. Someone needs to pay for my feelings being hurt. Whether I get you fired, destroy your marriage with false sexual harassment claims, or run you from your home (see the Communismkills scandal on Tumblr) you *deserved* it, because you dared to cross your majesty. You’d better learn to curtsy.

They’re all representative of personal dictatorships, killing and silencing those who disagree or call the Queen out. Unfortunately, they tried to do this within the context of gaming. All of a sudden, the Princesses of Tumblr etc were encountering guys saying “Tits or GTFO” or men that were Anon and therefore, not guaranteed to be men. Its hard to disregard someone’s opinion based on gender or being cis when you don’t know what the fuck they are. Princesses don’t like being told no. Princesses don’t like being called out for being genuinely shitty people (not women, PEOPLE). Princesses also can’t comprehend that gamers don’t give a damn that they’re royalty in their own heads. Gamers have been dealing with women thinking they’re special since time immemorial.

How many “gamer grrls” started popping up once geek culture became cool? A lot. Some of them are certainly genuine and just want to play, but some of them are the same girls that take up watching football because their boyfriends like it. They’re “one of the guys.” In reality they’re anything but. Football is an apt comparison here. Look at the NFL, the supposed manliest institution of sport in America. Covered in pink, being led around like a puppy on a leash by special interest groups. What the extremists on the left didn't expect was the resounding “fuck no” heard from all across the internet when GamerGate started. Just look at the representation GamerGate has when compared to the 3rd wavers.

GamerGate has all races, all creeds, atheists, religious people, straight, gay, etc. What do they have? Mostly white dudes. White dudes are great by the way… White dudes telling women & minorities that we’re failing at being women & minorities are just racists/actual misogynists. Funny how that works.

GamerGate is the single group of people that has been unwilling to get on its knees to avoid the beheading. GamerGate is everything princesses fear, the dark fog creeping in to bring a change in regime. The radicals have had long enough with the megaphone, the platforms, the “righteousness” on behalf of their subjects. Clearly, people have had enough of the outrage army fighting on the Princesses’ behalf. In my anecdotal experience, GGers are some of the few people left in this society willing to laugh at themselves. They’re the most inclusive & intelligent people I've met en masse in my lifetime.

Here’s to hoping GamerGate succeeds in creating new media, new ideals, and knocking the Princesses down from the pedestal on which society has placed them.

*Please share your feedback as this is my first essay done for “public” consumption.*