Neither of these make a difference if these women, after enrolling in computer science or a related field (which will set them on track to getting into the game industry), face the kind of treatment that happened to Jade. It’s not acceptable, full stop, whether the person being targeted is male or female. As we saw with the Jade Raymond situation, though, it’s a lot more likely that the whole thing will explode. And the whole thing got out of hand BECAUSE she was female.

Anyway, that’s all that I really want to say about this situation. I believe that we’ve both made some excellent points and made some respectable conclusions. My blog isn’t 4chan, though, so I’d appreciate it if you’d send me a message (via the “Contact” tab above) letting me know who you are. It’s the least you can do, considering how you commented on my blog and used an anonymous name and email service to do so. Thanks!

1. http://www.psych.utoronto.ca/~spence/Feng,%20Spence,%20&%20Pratt%20(in%20press).pdf
2. http://scholar.google.ca/scholar?q=female+spatial+skills+and+science+enrollment&hl=en&lr=&btnG=Search

In addition, women are a minority in the game industry - that’s true. However, that’s not anyone’s fault. You can’t blame men for the lack of women in gaming. The men (and even women) at the top of the food chain in any industry couldn’t give two shits about who they’re hiring whether they be black, asian, woman or man. All the want is MONEY. Whoever does the right job for the least amount of pay is who they are going to hire. As long as you’re good at what you do, there will always be someone that wants to hire you to utilize that skill. If women are a minority in the gaming industry then it’s either of two things:

a) Women are incompetent and can’t do the same job a man can do (I disagree here, fyi)
b) Qualified women are hard to find (This is the more prominent option, I think)

Once again, if it’s option B then there is no one to blame - it’s just nature: women are not as interested (looking at the whole population of women vs. the whole population of men) in game design as men, and hence don’t bother building up the skills for that field. Sure there’s people like Jade Raymond that may be interested in this field, and that’s great! If you are interested in something, by all means pursue it, but don’t complain that there isn’t many other people like you in your field. Moreover, I could just as easily complain that there’s not enough men in the exotic dancers field - but that would be stupid, because clearly it’s not of interest to men and there’s not as much demand for this (not to say that women are only good for being exotic dancers).

Going back to the original topic of Jade Raymond’s incident; EVERYONE in any high-up position has to worry about their reputation and this kind of defamation can happen to anyone, not just women. Everyone is in a position to be afraid of it, but it shouldn’t stop people from going into a field. If it does, then maybe you just don’t have what it takes to deal with the harsh realities of the unjust world we live in.

This kind of argument is used in denying minority rights as a whole. It is as ridiculous as recommending a “straight pride parade” or better yet a “white persons’ parade.” Why do either of these groups need to fight for any rights? They already have them! Gay people had been denied rights for centuries and still face discrimination today, as well as coloured people — up to and including the right to vote, the right to own property, and even the rights to theirselves.

I could keep going on that but the point is simple: women are a minority in the gaming industry. In industries where there is a good gender balance, issues like the one that plagued Jade Raymond do not appear to be prevalent, and when they are occurred there are means of solving the issue. Because women are a minority in the gaming industry, and their presence in the industry is a very good thing, issues like this must be tackled proactively to tell women considering a career move to the industry that they don’t have to fear this sort of thing happening to them.

Anon.

If a man attacks a woman, even if to fight back, he’s automatically considered an asshole, a misogynist, etc. I don’t necessarily mean physical fighting, though women physically abuse men quite a lot (many studies done). A man fighting a woman in any way shape or form is a losing battle. Regardless of the situation, a man is always at fault in a domestic abuse situation. A man is always to blame when a woman files for sexual assault even if she led the man on, even if the man has done nothing wrong. These days all a woman has to do is claim a man raped her (which is a lot more serious than a fake nude photo, imo) and the man will either find himself out of a job or in jail because the man is always to blame it seems; even if he’s never even touched the woman in question.

When you realize this, the case of Jade Raymond no longer seems so serious. For every gender injustice a woman faces, there’s a equal or more severe injustice towards men - though it may be a different and non-related one.

Why is it that women complain when men leave the toilet seat up, but men don’t complain when women leave it down?

Why do women complain about men that only want one thing, but men don’t complain about women that want everything?

Why do women have the choice between abortion, adoption, dropping an unwanted baby off at a hospital, raising the child with a father, or raising the child without a father, but the only choice men have is to agree?

Why do women dress in makeup, short skirts, bare midriffs, and low-cut blouses but complain about men that stare at them?

Why do we pretend that men are the ones that abuse children when it is a well-known fact that women abuse children more than men?

If single mothers have it so bad, why do women initiate about eighty percent of divorces and routinely commit perjury to win custody?

Why do we have a Violence Against Women Act but nothing for men when women cause domestic violence just as often as men?

Why is it funny when a woman kicks a man in the groin but terrible if a man did the same to a woman - won’t the man be in more pain?

Why is it terrible for a woman to be raped once but funny when male prisoners get raped over and over?

Why is a man a wimp if he lets his wife beat up on him but a criminal if he defends himself?

Why does women’s health get much more attention when men die about seven years younger than women?

Why do we complain about legislators being mostly male when they always promote women’s rights and never promote men”s rights?

Why is it sexist to have clubs for only men but empowering to have them for only women?

If women only make 72 cents for the same work where a man earns a dollar, why don’t companies hire only women and put the competition out of business?

How do police know who to arrest when there is a domestic disturbance involving lesbians?

Why do married women complain that their husbands don’t want to change a baby?s diaper but divorced women say their ex-husbands can”t take care of a child”

Why do men that don’t pay child support go to prison but nothing ever happens to women that don’t allow visitation?

If women-in-the-military is such a good thing, why don’t they have to register for the draft?

Why are we so concerned about girls under-performing boys in math and science but not concerned about boys under-performing girls in everything else?

Why do fathers have to pay the mother to take his children away from him in divorce?

Why is it legal for women to lie to men about who the father of a baby is to get child support, but a crime if she tells the same lie to the government to get Social Security or military benefits?

Why do women have to prove they spent the money on the children when they collect welfare but don’t have to do the same when they collect child support?

Why do we have to cut men”s sports that have fans to create women’s sports that don’t?

Why do women tennis players win the same prize money as men when they only play three sets and men play five - isn’t that equal pay for less work?

Why is it called sexual freedom when a married woman commits adultery but called cheating when a man does the same?

Why are female murderers presumed to be mentally ill but male murderers presumed to be killers?

Why are there thousands of “father”s rights” groups but no “mother’s rights” groups?

Why do we have so many fathers groups fighting for more time with their children when there are so many social problems attributed to fatherlessness?

Why do men have to support women at the same standard of living following divorce when women don’t even have to cook and clean his new apartment?

If divorced women have it worse than divorced men, why do divorced men commit suicide eight or ten times as much as divorced women?

Why do we pretend that men walk out on their wives and children when women initiate about eighty percent of divorces?

Why is it considered sexist to have a couple of television shows geared towards men when there are several channels catering only to women?

Why are television moms always portrayed as wonderful and loving and television dads always portrayed as inept buffoons?

Why is it politically incorrect to say anything negative about women but funny to put men down?

Why are women without a job considered to be exercising free choice but men without a job considered a bum?

Why do feminists demand that women be equally represented in high paying and powerful jobs but don’t complain when low-paying, dirty, and dangerous jobs remain mostly done by men?

Why do we have to say “Chairperson” and “Congressperson” but its ok to say “garbage man” and ?bad guy”"

Why do we always hear the phrase “innocent women and children” but never hear about “innocent men” or “men and children”?

Why do news headlines use the terms “student”, “spouse”, or “parent” when a girl or woman, or mother does something wrong but use the terms “boy”, “husband”, or “father” when a boy, man, or father does something wrong?

Why do feminists demand equal results for traditionally male roles but object to equal or shared parenting after divorce?

Why does the term “angry mother” sound like someone that needs our help and support and the term “angry father” sound like someone that needs to be arrested and forced into anger management classes?

Why is it that when men are more successful than women it’s because women are oppressed, but when women are more successful than men it’s because men are lazy?

Why are only women free to criticize other women without being labeled anti-women, but both men and women are free to criticize men?

Why are feminists pushing for laws that prevent new laws from being passed that protect men from women, such as with domestic violence against men, false allegations by women, or paternity fraud?

Why is it that when a woman accuses a man of rape, the man’s name is made public and he is presumed guilty, but when he is proven innocent the woman remains anonymous and the man is still ruined?

Why is it considered woman-hating or whining to point it out when women have something better than men, but we rush to pass new laws if men might have something better than women?

Why is it that we’ve had forty years and billions of dollars going into women’s rights and men’s responsibilities, but it’s taboo in most circles to even suggest that maybe it’s time to consider men’s rights and women’s responsibilities a little bit for a change?

If those who always side with women are feminists and those who always side with men are chauvinists, why don’t we have a wing of a political party and billions in funding going to chauvinists when we have that for feminists?

For those who believe men had it better than women in the past and believe now it’s time for women to have it better than men for a while, why don’t they advocate whites being forced into slavery to blacks?

Why are men considered more privileged than women with so many double standards against men?

If you put a woman on a pedestal and try to protect her from the rat race you’re a male chauvinist pig.

If you stay at home and do the housework, you’re a pansy.

If you work too hard, there never is time for her. If you don’t work enough, you’re a good for nothing bum.

If she has a boring repetitive job with low pay, it’s exploitation. If you have a boring repetitive job with low pay, you should get off your rear and find something better.

If you get a promotion ahead of her, it’s favoritism. If she gets a job ahead of you, it’s equal opportunity.

If you mention how nice she looks, it’s sexual harassment. If you keep quiet its male indifference.

If you cry, you’re a wimp. If you don’t, you’re insensitive.

If you make a decision without consulting her, you’re a chauvinist. If she makes a decision without consulting you, she’s a liberated woman.

If you ask her to do something she doesn’t enjoy, that’s domination. If she asks you, it’s a favor.

If you appreciate the female form, and frilly underwear, you are a pervert. If you don’t, you’re gay.

If you like a woman to shave her legs and keep in shape, you’re sexist. If you don’t you’re unromantic.

If you try to keep yourself in shape, you’re vain. If you don’t, you’re a slob.

If you buy her flowers, you’re after something. If you don’t, you’re not thoughtful.

If you’re proud of your achievements, you’re full of yourself. If you’re not, you have no ambition.

If she has a headache, she’s tired. If you have a headache, you’re gay.

If you want it too often, you’re oversexed. If you don’t you’re gay.

We do know however that the individual who made the image on Something Awful was indeed male. We don’t know his true motives, but the image quickly took on a life of its own as it was used to defame Jade across the web. That’s the kind of thing that happens on the Internet.

The fact remains that there is a serious gender imbalance when it comes to executive roles in the gaming industry as a whole. Jade Raymond is perhaps the highest-profile female game producer, but by no means is she the most successful or revered producer in the industry as a whole. Could she become more successful? I believe so. But it might take some more women in senior management positions as a catalyst.

Ultimately, that’s the problem. Men can brush off this kind of thing because it’s seen to be “all in good fun.” For women considering an entry into the gaming industry, they have to consider that their success will bring with it a possibility that this same thing could happen to them. This isn’t something that women can brush off as easily. There isn’t the same level of support in the gaming industry for women as there is for men.

That’s why this kind of behaviour has to be condemned as inappropriate.

Additionally, to quote you… “… how women are being treated … appears that women pursuing leadership jobs in the industry have two choices …” - relative to men right? So you’re ASSUMING that the person who created the picture was a man - there’s gender injustice right there. Whoever created the picture could have just as easily been female, thereby voiding everything you said as it’s no longer sexist discrimination. If you’re about to say “but why would a woman want to defame her like that?,” maybe it’s because they had an argument or something. Who knows?

Also, if a male was responsible, who says it’s because they wanted to create an awkward situation at her workplace or even cared about it at all? Maybe the guy just thought she was hot and wanted to see her nude, and did it the only way he knew how. Before you start arguing about that, also consider the fact that this kind of thing happens to celebrities all the time - plenty of photoshopped pictures of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, or any celeb really. This isn’t because people really care to put them out of their business, but because those pictures are found attractive by many people, and there’s demand for them. You can’t stop it, and men can’t stop it either from happening to them. It’s a shame it happens to innocent people, but there is no one and nothing to blame but human nature. It’s too bad it created a hassle for her at work, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that someone wanted to get her canned or doesn’t have respect for her as a game developer.

Consider the alternative of this situation too, if someone did this to a famous MALE game developer. It would probably be passed off with a few lulz and no one would care about what happens to him, because he’s a man and we all know that men never have to face injustices, right?