Frequency and Time Investment
Main Character and Highest Level Character
Reasons For Gender-Bending
Reactions to Gender-Bending
So How Many Female Characters Are Played By Men?
In Their Own Words
On average, EQ players have 4.96 (N=1236) characters
on their account which are above level 5. There is no significant
gender difference. Male players, however, have on average 1.24 (N=918)
female characters above level 5, while female players have on average
0.39 (N=157) male characters above level 5. This is significant
at the p=.03 level. Male players also have significantly more characters
of the opposite gender than female players even when all their characters
are counted, regardless of level (T[1196]=4.88, Mmale(1010)=1.25,
Mfemale(188)=0.44, p<.001).
Male EQ players who do have female characters report
using them on average about 35.3% (N=275) of the time, while female
players who do have male characters report using them on average
about 14.2% of the time (N=51). This is significant at the p=.003
level.
Players in the top quartile of Openness are significantly
more likely to have characters of the opposite gender when compared
with those players in the bottom quartile (T[582]=-2.27, Mbottom(260)=0.81,
Mtop(324)=1.20, p=.02). Players in the bottom quartile of Conscientiousness
are significantly more likely to have characters of the opposite
gender when compared with those players in the top quartile (T[528]=3.93,
Mbottom(251)=1.39, Mtop(279)=0.70, p<.001).
Only a minority (13.3%, N=898) of EQ players have
a character of the opposite gender as their main character (character
currently used the most). Male players, however, are significantly
more likely than female players to have a main character of the
opposite gender (%male(731)=15.7, %female(158)=2.5, p<.001).
Players who have a character of the opposite gender
as their current main character, when compared with those players
who have a character of the same gender as their current main character,
score significantly higher on Openness (T[700]=2.38, Myes(99)=14.3,
Mno(603)=15.1, p=.01) and significantly lower on Conscientiousness
(T[700]=-2.02, Myes(99)=20.5, Mno(603)=19.8, p=.04).
With regards to highest level character, again only
a minority (12.6%, N=888) of EQ players have a character of the
opposite gender as their highest level character. Male players,
however, are significantly more likely than female players to have
a character of the opposite gender as their highest level character
(%male(731)=14.6, %female(157)=3.2, p<.001).
Players who have characters of the opposite gender
were asked to indicate their main reason for doing so from a list
of reasons given. About a quarter of players who did gender-bend
(27.4%, N=333) did so for role-play reasons, while another quarter
(25.6%) did so because of the visual appearance of the opposite
gender.
1) For role-play purposes: 27.4%
2) Visual appearance: 25.6%
3) Other: 16.8%
4) To gain advantage in game: 11.8%
5) Gender exploration: 7.1%
Female players who did gender-bend were significantly
more likely to do so for gender exploration (%male=6.2, %female=21.1,
p<.001). Male players who did gender-bend were slightly more
likely to do so because of in-game advantages (%male=14.6, %female=5.3,
p=.07).
In a Flash-implemented experimental design that
manipulated the direction of gender-bending (male-to-female/female-to-male),
EQ players were randomly assigned into 2 conditions:
1) "You've adventured and become quite friendly
with a male character. One day, the character tells you that she
is female in real life. How much does this bother you?"
2) "You've adventured and become quite friendly with a female
character. One day, the character tells you that he is male in real
life. How much does this bother you?"
Participants were asked to rate on a 5 point scale
how much this bothered them, ranging from "Not At All"
(1) to "A Lot" (5). There was a significant effect between
the genders of the participants (F[1,666]=5.83, p=.01), and it was
found that female EQ players were significantly more bothered by
gender-bending than male EQ players were (Tukey HSD, Mmale(584)=1.64,
Mfemale(86)=1.89, p=.01). The direction of the gender-bending also
produced a significant effect (F[1,666]=5.38, p=.02), and it was
found that male-to-female gender-bending was significantly more
troubling than female-to-male gender-bending (Tukey HSD, Mm-to-f(317)=1.89,
Mf-to-m(353)=1.64, p<.001). There was also an interaction effect
between gender of participant and direction of gender-bending (F[1,666]=15.29,
p<.001). In particular, it was found that male players found
female-to-male gender-bending significantly less troubling than
the other 3 combinations.
We know that about 16% of EQ players are female
and 84% are male (N=1240). Given a hypothetical pool of 1000 EQ
players, 160 are female and 840 are male.
About 47.9% of male players have a character of
the opposite gender (N=1025), and about 23.3% of female players
have a character of the opposite gender (N=189). Thus, in our hypothetical
population:
Of 840 male players, 402 have female characters,
438 do not.
Of 160 female players, 37 have male characters, 123 do not.
Of players who have characters of the opposite gender,
male players use a female character about 35.3% of the time (N=275),
and female players use a male character about 14.2% of the time
(N=51). So, at any given time in our hypothetical pool:
Of 840 male players:
402 have female characters, of which 142 are using
a female character, while 260 are using a male character.
438 do not have female characters, and thus 438 are using male
characters.
Of 160 female players:
37 have male characters, of which 5 are using
a male character, while 32 are using a female character.
123 do not have male characters, and thus 123 are using female
characters.
So in this hypothetical population, we have:
260+438+5=703 male characters, of which 5 (1%)
are played by female players.
142+32+123=297 female characters, of which 142 (48%) are played
by male players.
Thus, about 48% of the female
characters you meet in the game are actually played by male players.
Many gamers cited visual appearance as a main reason
for gender-bending:
Personally, for some of the races, the female
graphic just "looks better" than the male graphic, and
that is why I chose the female gender. The male graphics for some
races just looks generic, and bland. [m, 22]
I really did not like the way female characters
were drawn. They make me somewhat uncomfortable and could not
imagine myself as that character. [f, ?]
mainly just because I like the appearance of the
character [f, 22]
Several male respondents talked about the Tomb-Raider
effect - the appeal of an aggressive yet attractive female:
Tomb Raider effect - I don't pine to be treated
better or different by other players, I just like to see a woman
kick some butt [m, 25]
She was my second character. I created a female
because the thought of a ass kicking female sounded fun. I played
her until 27 and lost interest in the class. She was a wood-elf
ranger. [m, 35]
Um probably had something to do with lara croft
i figured i would rater watch a pretty girl run around on the
screen than a sweaty guy. [m, 22]
Other male respondents said that they wanted to
gain more in-game advantages:
People in EQ are nicer to a cute Dark Elf girl.
(Advantage, advantage) [m, 24]
Personally, you recieve a LOT more stuff when
you start out as a female. Take my Barb Shammy for example. I
was simply medding on the ramp in EverFrost, when a guy comes
up to me and says " Hmmm Looks like you are looking for some
new stuff " So he takes me into Halas and buys all Large
Leather or better, and all my spells for lvls 1 and 4. Theres
no contest that female characters get a lot more help. I help
them too, though not as much because it is somtimes obvious that
they are guys =/ [m, 14]
Some gamers used a character of the opposite gender
for role-playing:
Roleplaying, mostly. I wanted to try something
different. So when the iksar race came out, I didn't like how
the females looked, and decided to finally try making a male character,
to try roleplaying a male and to see how I was treated as well.
After making my first male character, the two characters I have
made since him have also been male. [f, 22]
I find a roleplaying experience (which is what
EQ is to me) to be much more enjoyable when you are roleplaying
someone that isn't very much like yourself--having a character
of the opposite just happens to be one of many ways to create
a character that is vastly different than yourself. [m, 14]
My other character is an enchantress, rather than
an enchanter, for 3 reasons: 1) I see an enchanter/enchantress
as more of a feminine character, from other gaming such as AD&D
and Magic: the Gathering, and my own personal ideas. 2) Female
characters can get better prices when selling, since my enchantress
is also a jewelcrafter...:) 3) Since the character is on a 2nd
account, i enjoy the roleplaying i can produce from both characters.
[m, 20]
There were some responses that didn't fit neatly
into any of the categories mentioned already:
I thought the blond barbarian quite the hunk.
And since it was obvious that none of my girls would get hooked
up with one, I decided to play him myself. [f, 39]
I created a male character strictly for the purpose
of getting completely away from everything. It is the last place
anyone would think to look for me. There are also times when I
just don't feel like putting up with some dork who's found out
that I'm female in real life following me around hitting on me.
[f, 33]
When asked whether they found their characters of
the opposite gender were being treated differently, both male and
female players talked about the in-game advantages that came with
being a female character:
Yes! I'm a level 12 High Elf, and I have a staff
of the observers, and an FBR... neither of which I bought! Guys
gave them to me. [m, 16]
Yes. Female characters are given more unsolicited
help at low levels. [m, 24]
Yup. The stereotypes apply. Boy characters didn't
stop to help me the way they stop to help my female characters,
and they didn't just walk up and start a conversation. [f, 37]
Female players who have tried playing male characters
commented that male characters were treated more seriously, and
given more respect:
Yes. I felt that I was taken a little more seriously.
When I play my male characters, other male members of the party
will listen to me better, take me more seriously. In my male form
I could give orders and have them listened to, where as a female,
my characters aren't always taken quite as seriously. Also, where
my female characters were gifted many things when they were young
and naked by random players, I didn't see it happening with my
males, which I didn't mind at all. I've enjoyed the higher level
of "respect" for my abilities that seems to come with
playing in a male body. [f, 22]
I was in a group I had worked with for a while.
I was playing my male paladin and trying to be the group tank.
I was pulling the mobs too ( in a rather dangerous zone). After
a while, a conversation about our home lives started and I made
a comment about my husband. Immediately the guys in the group
asked me if I was really female in RL. When I confirmed it they
started sending out another male character to pull the mobs. I
found the whole group suddenly expecting me to do less melee.
I'm not sure if they became protective of me or if they just assumed
that a female would be less capable in the role of a tank. [f,
29]
When I'm playing a male character, I get a lot
of "bro's" and more of a sense of cameraderie from the
other male players, but that's about it. [f, 30]
When asked whether they had learned anything about
the opposite gender, many male players talked about what they learned
from being constantly harassed by male characters:
I never realized how irritating it can be to have
to put up with unwanted advances. [m, 38]
I'm amazed how throughtless some people can be,
how amazingly inept men are at flirting and starting a conversation
with a female, and how it really does take more effort to be taken
seriousely as a female versus a male. [m, 24]
No, I know most males think with their gonads,
and act accordingly. They live up to my low expectations. [m,
25]
Several male players talked about the difference
between female/female bonds versus male/male bonds:
yes....closer bonds to other female characters
than any male/male character bonds. Also some male characters
roleplay the "helping the lady" bit. I think I realized
that women are much closer to each other than man are. [m, 35]
I have experienced jealousy at another female
for looking prettier than me or getting more group praise than
me. I have experienced very close bonds with other female characters
(my "sisters") in the all-female guild I have joined.
I have experienced men treating me as an unequal because I am
female. [m, 30]
Whereas male players sometimes found the female
character's world more accepting of emotions, female players found
the male character's world more straight-forward and direct:
People were more passionate about things..If someone
died and I began to crie, all those around me began to comfort
me. That would never happen if I was a male [m, 22]
I enjoy seeing how long they assume I'm male in
RL and I find that conversation is more direct and honest in a
male group. [f, 29]
Yes, the fact that other male characters would
listen to me better and have a greater amount of respect for my
abilities. [f, 22]
Some female players commented that being male wasn't
as easy as they thought it would be:
I used to think men had it easy! Now I know they
have issues too; they are socialized to be more independent and
not ask for help. That has to be tough. [f, 37]
I learned that I use too many hehe's and :)'s
to play a guy, that people are far less helpful and friendly,
if they responded at all. I had never tried playing a character
of another gender before. [f, 23]
When asked whether they thought they had learned
anything about themselves from their virtual gender-bending experiences,
several respondents talked about an increased awareness of their
own masculinity or femininity, or how it let them see society differently:
I have learned how to flirt, how to be sexual
with peole in RL, and most importantly, I now value being a woman,
for the first time in my life. Always before I have focused on
the lack of respect, the expectation of lower quality work from
women, and felt that being a woman i was automatically disrespected.
In eq, i can plainly see that i am respected just for being a
woman, and can now see how in rl, that happens too. That both
viewpoints occur. Somehow, I am able to look at this mess of contradictions
and value myself more. That I am a lot more sexual than I have
thought of myself in the last few years. That being a woman can
be a lot of fun. [f, 40]
As I got to see how the rest of Norrath
treats males and females, I came to realize that, try as I might,
I don't treat men and women equally in RL myself. [m, 25]
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