In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Teresa Lynch discuss the portrayal of women in video games and its impact on gender stereotypes. Teresa explains her research on gender stereotypes in media, influenced by her personal gaming experiences. She highlights the evolution of female character representation, noting a shift from sexualized to more diverse and empowered portrayals. They also address the economic significance of the gaming industry, which generated $59 billion in consumer spending in the U.S. in 2021, and the prevalence of online gaming, with 89% of gamers playing online weekly. The conversation also touches on the challenges women face in gaming communities and the importance of diverse and interesting character portrayals.

Key Takeaways:

• Game context can change how a character is perceived. A female character in a bikini in a beach volleyball game might not feel objectified in the way that the same character in the same outfit in a war game might.

• How women are portrayed in video games can influence gender stereotypes in society.

• To be able to interface with gaming technologies and utilize video games as an entertainment option allows you to develop tech savviness and comfort with technology that can boost your skills in other aspects of your life.

• Gaming is not just for young people. It is not just for any one demographic. While the term "gamer" can be gatekept by certain members of the gaming community, if you play games, you are a gamer.

"Everybody benefits from more interesting characters and from lots of different kinds of physical portrayals of characters." — Dr. Teresa Lynch

Connect with Dr. Teresa Lynch:

Professional Bio: https://chronoslaboratory.com/people/faculty/

Website: https://teresa-lynch.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-lynch-22364845

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Threads: @critically_speaking

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

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