Women gamers are ashamed of their hobby: one third feel guilty, another 16% hide their games

Women gamers are more likely to feel guilty about their hobby — one third of them feel embarrassed when they spend their time playing games.

A survey of 1,000 women in the UK found that 29% of women feel guilty, and another 16% hide their hobby because they are afraid of being judged. Younger girls (16-24 years old) feel the most guilt: they are three times more likely to experience it than women over 54. At the same time younger generation spends less money on games. The level of guilt is also influenced by how the participants themselves see gaming culture. Those who consider gaming to be a “man’s activity” are twice as likely to experience negative emotions.

At the same time, 41% said that gaming is one of the main leisure activities they look forward to every day. Surprisingly, almost 60% do not consider themselves “gamers” because they do not play often enough. Even among those who spend more than five hours a day playing games, only 16% identify themselves as “hardcore gamers.” In addition, more than 30% admitted that they are embarrassed to call themselves “gamers” directly.

The study also revealed other social problems. Female gamers were twice as likely to feel guilty if they didn’t know how to search for or choose games, or vice versa, if they thought some projects were too violent. But various achievements in games became a reason to hide their hobby. The authors of the study emphasized that guilt is only a symptom, because the main problem is that many women still feel excluded from gaming culture.

Source: The Conversation