Last Blog – Sexuality
While exploring the virtual world of WOW I couldn’t help to think that sexuality would be an issue in a game so violent and revolved around quest. But there are some sexual innuendos that vary among players. It’s nothing too explicit and nothing too revealing, but it’s a simple act that characters perform. Depending on the character either elf, oger, shaman, the characters performs elaborate dances that displays some kind of mutual interest toward the other. Or sometimes it can be a simple gesture to identify themselves as a friend and not a foe. Also I believe that sexuality and gender overlap. For female characters, they have the option to blow kisses at others, and from the discussions in class and the book reading we have learned that female characters are more prone to being a subject to protect while also receiving offerings of weapon upgrades and armor. Gender and sexuality overlap because the female characters are the only characters that blow kisses which I believe kids could identify as a girl trait. I did do a little research on the side as an attempt to obtain multiple views on sexuality in WoW. One article by Rick Nauert, suggested that 1 out of 3 players in WoW have found themselves to be attracted to another player. Through surveys Nauert has discovered that players feel more themselves online because they are not judged by their appearance, gender, age, or other personal information. The study found approximately 75% of players made “good friends” with someone else in the game environment. Characters in WoW may not be getting physical, but they sure seem to be venting or displaying information about themselves as they please. Individuals get to open up to others online without being face-to-face which allows them to escape embarrassment when something is of odd nature. WoW almost becomes a world wide web of chatting that is displayed through a virtual character. Nearly 40% said they would discuss sensitive issues with their online gaming friends, issues they wouldn’t discuss with their real-life friends. Women were more likely to do so then men. I believe the biggest factor in online gaming is that it allows people to express themselves in ways they may not feel comfortable doing in real life. Sexuality is not necessarily displayed through the acts of the virtual players, but through online chatting that stems from virtual participation of fulfilling a quest.
