Student Breaks ‘Gamer’ Stereotype

She sits, minimal movement, hunched over, a cord creating a trail leading up to where her gaze is lifted toward the television. This picture may seem unremarkable, and it became so when I lived with Sara Suganuma. But watching her now that I am not so privileged as to share quarters with her, I recognize the familiar identity of this Nebraska Wesleyan University student. It is neither an identity she conceals nor flaunts; she is a female gamer.

Sara Suganuma had not always been a gamer. She was drawn to the video gaming world in middle school when she got her hands on Pokémon. Her parents, like many parents were not thrilled by Sara’s interest in video games. They stopped her from buying them until she turned fourteen.

“People think it stunts your imagination, but it all depends on the game,” said Suganuma. She explained that some games can really open your imagination to new ideas.

Suganuma became a more serious gamer in high school because it provided something else to do since she was not into partying.

“It’s a social thing,” explained Sara.

She began considering herself a “female gamer” at age seventeen. Being a teenage girl who is interested in gaming does come with problems. Sara’s main issue is financial;
she must divide her disposable income between her two loves, clothes and video games. Her friends who are girls tell her to think about how many more clothes she could buy with the money she spends on video games. She faces the same reaction among her male gaming friends, who fail to understand her motives to spend any money on clothes when it could be spent on video games. She is a young woman torn.

Suganuma was also surprised to find the double standard that accompanies gamers. People both inside and outside the gaming world assume only guys are interested in video games. There are video game Web sites that allow comment postings, and Sara said when she does post, people either disregard the comment or assume it is written by a boy.

She described a situation when she was in a video game store, looking at a new gaming system. The man working the counter came up to her and proclaimed, “This girl plays video games.” He then proceeded to ask her questions about the game she was holding, his excitement visible as Sara established her credibility on the subject.

Although the gender stereotypes can be frustrating, Sara’s many male gaming friends are glad to have a girl in the mix.

“I’ve met a lot of cool guys through gaming. They think it’s awesome that a girl plays video games,” said Suganuma.

One thing is certain” this girl will not stop gaming anytime soon. As I leave, she readjusts her position in front of the television, mentally preparing herself for a game of Zombies.