I'm not sure whether this is genteel sexism or clumsy chivalry.
So during the closed beta for BoI, I did something I hadn't done before.
I had a male main. I'd had male characters as alts before, but dammit, this time I wanted to play Nick and pewpew things with awesome fireballs of awesome, so I made him and pewpewing commenced. Then I started partying with other players, and noticed something. Namely, good god is it ever easier to put up with male players when you're visibly female and they have reason to suspect you may be an actual girl.
They're more patient when you're trying to figure out how to do something new, offer actual help instead of just calling you a noob over and over, and are more likely to assist in combat, lend items, and buff without asking for payment. They're also less likely to PK without warning or provocation (I hate that - PvP is fun and all, but don't do it when I'm minding my own business and trying to turn in a quest, assholes). Guys are massive douches to other guys in the wonderful land of MMO, and while they may assume someone with a female avatar is probably male, it never crosses their brains that someone with a male avatar may be female. :/
On the other hand, people with male avatars are much less likely to get catcall PMs, have someone in their guild/clan confess that they've fallen completely in love with them (despite only having seen their avatar, which is built exactly like all the other female avatars in the game -_-;), and get catty bullshit from female players (at least guys are open when they're causing mischief). The only way I've seen to get around this BS on both ends to play something small, cute, and decidedly non-sexy, like a Pom or a halfling or a mog or what have you. But I'm easily distracted by pretty things, and most vanity items look silly as hell on a tiny character. >>;
Actually, this is not really that dissimilar from what you get when you walk into a gaming store - the guys stare and shuffle nervously and offer to help you find anything you need, and any women already there glare at you because this is their herd of nerd boys, dammit, and you may be recalibrating the hotness rating system if you're prettier than them. The interwebs are only different because you can pretend to be a different sex than you are, throwing an element of uncertainty into things. -_-; Don't know why I was surprised, come to think of it.
Nick got wiped when closed beta finished, and I'll probably remake him for open beta (even though women get much better vanity clothes in BoI - the guy stuff either looks silly, doofy, or is made of shiny plate armor which, while cool, does not suit a traditional glass-cannon wizard). But I'll probably also make a female cleric (Sarah lives! Holy Bolts for everyone!). The question will be whether I wuss out and make a female mage as well.
I had a male main. I'd had male characters as alts before, but dammit, this time I wanted to play Nick and pewpew things with awesome fireballs of awesome, so I made him and pewpewing commenced. Then I started partying with other players, and noticed something. Namely, good god is it ever easier to put up with male players when you're visibly female and they have reason to suspect you may be an actual girl.
They're more patient when you're trying to figure out how to do something new, offer actual help instead of just calling you a noob over and over, and are more likely to assist in combat, lend items, and buff without asking for payment. They're also less likely to PK without warning or provocation (I hate that - PvP is fun and all, but don't do it when I'm minding my own business and trying to turn in a quest, assholes). Guys are massive douches to other guys in the wonderful land of MMO, and while they may assume someone with a female avatar is probably male, it never crosses their brains that someone with a male avatar may be female. :/
On the other hand, people with male avatars are much less likely to get catcall PMs, have someone in their guild/clan confess that they've fallen completely in love with them (despite only having seen their avatar, which is built exactly like all the other female avatars in the game -_-;), and get catty bullshit from female players (at least guys are open when they're causing mischief). The only way I've seen to get around this BS on both ends to play something small, cute, and decidedly non-sexy, like a Pom or a halfling or a mog or what have you. But I'm easily distracted by pretty things, and most vanity items look silly as hell on a tiny character. >>;
Actually, this is not really that dissimilar from what you get when you walk into a gaming store - the guys stare and shuffle nervously and offer to help you find anything you need, and any women already there glare at you because this is their herd of nerd boys, dammit, and you may be recalibrating the hotness rating system if you're prettier than them. The interwebs are only different because you can pretend to be a different sex than you are, throwing an element of uncertainty into things. -_-; Don't know why I was surprised, come to think of it.
Nick got wiped when closed beta finished, and I'll probably remake him for open beta (even though women get much better vanity clothes in BoI - the guy stuff either looks silly, doofy, or is made of shiny plate armor which, while cool, does not suit a traditional glass-cannon wizard). But I'll probably also make a female cleric (Sarah lives! Holy Bolts for everyone!). The question will be whether I wuss out and make a female mage as well.