There is a popular Facebook page that I’m not proud to say that I subscribe to. It’s called Stuff that makes you cringe, a “facebook page [that] collects random pictures and videos of stuff that is intended to make you cringe.” Unfortunately, however, I find that the users and commenters more often than not are the source of any cringe I receive from visiting this page. This page often pokes fun at Furries, Bronies, nerds, feminism, gamer girls, etc. Comments range from threats of murder, rape, and humorous memes, but during the Gaming and Identity discussion week, I found myself constantly coming back and thinking of this page.

This is a screenshot from their Facebook page.

Photos like the one above are commonly shared on Stuff that makes you cringe. Within minutes these pictures gain hundreds of likes and just as many degrading, demeaning comments attacking the person featured in the image. These commenters react heatedly with angry responses that often mock the self-proclaimed gamer girl. In the above picture, one commenter mockingly states, “yes i am grill, yes i play video games, problme?” The commenter brings into question her intelligence and mocks her identity. Another commenter simply posted a picture of Piglet crying and holding a gun. Clearly poor Piglet does not want to shoot, but the commenter suggests that it simply must be done. He has no other option. She must die.

This image also screencapped from the Stuff that makes your cringe Facebook page.

There are countless posts shared by Stuff that makes you cringe similar to these two. The commenters who react most heatedly are often male. Shaw addresses the stereotype that the most common gamer is “the dominant White, heterosexual, male, teen.” Shaw states that this stereotype has been disproved time and time again by studies, but that the stereotype remains rampant among so many because game developers have yet to represent marginalized groups in games. Shaw states, for example that

“the argument is that if scholars can prove that members of marginalized groups are gamers, the industry will have to offer content that is more diverse.”

So I find it quite annoying that these commenters with their threats and their lame memes feel the need to attack girls that identify as gamers. I find it extremely annoying that these people assume that the gaming community should be one belonging  solely or mostly but widely to men!

I definitely agree with Shaw that the term “gamer” should not be all-inclusive. I play the Sims. I play Animal Crossing. I’ve beat Halo 3 on Legendary, but I would never, never, never call myself a gamer. Shaw states that “Labeling everyone
who plays video games as a gamer, however, is misguided.” I agree.

I don’t even know how this one is cringe worthy at all!

However, I think that applying the term “gamer” to yourself is a personal choice that I don’t think outsiders should really have a say in. Shaw says that “identification allows for the self-definition of the individual, rather than on static definitions of identity applied from the outside.” Why can’t these little girls call themselves gamers? How does it affect the critics? Really? How does it impact their lives?

I mean it’s not the same as eating broccoli once and then calling yourself vegan.

These girls are hurting no one.