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The Gender Fallacy: Women in Military Gameplay; A perspective provided entirely by the women of NS
Topic Started: Dec 20 2014, 01:46 AM (594 Views)
Xoriet
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Fiendishly Adorable
The Gender Fallacy: Women in Military Gameplay
Xoriet

The contributions of militaries to regions in Gameplay can either be significant to inspiring more regional activity or largely dismissed – unless it encroaches on the sovereignty of an unaffiliated region – all depending on the focus of the community. An entirely different type of player is attracted by arguably one of the most interactive facets of the game. Outside of this specialized area of NS, it is regarded with varying degrees of indifference, resentment, and general contempt. In the basest of terms: “You’re in, or you’re out.”

To provide an example of purposes served to that crowd, the Game Created Regions are typically home to militaries founded with the interests of the region in mind. In The East Pacific, A Mean Old Man originally founded the existing Eastern Pacific Sovereign Army in 2012 with hopes of resuscitating the faltering activity level in the region. The North Pacific Army was first founded to combat Francos Spain, and later revived during Blue Wolf’s tenure as Delegate. The first incarnation of what is today the South Pacific Special Forces was founded in 2003 with the intent of bolstering the Delegate’s endorsement levels and assisting friendly regions. Organizations often have fairly specific, sometimes even cliquish, objectives and make every attempt to prevent deviation from their intended purpose. Unlike regional militaries, there is not always a specific allegiance owed their home region. Whether the focus is defending or raiding under any named ideology, keeping true to the core values responsible for their creation is a critical objective.

Regardless of preference, this specialized facet of Gameplay is typical of the standard ratio – there are far more male players than female. This is an unsurprising statistic. Despite being outnumbered, however, they are far from outclassed. It is from within militaries that some of the most remarkable female players rose to prominence far and away over what many members of the larger population achieved, whether as participants in the military or in an overseeing role. It is when women begin to surpass their male counterparts in terms of popularity and success that one of the most overplayed cards in far more than just NationStates is flashed. Conversely, when men surpass women in the same categories, the attitude is “Move along, move along, this is business as usual. Nothing to see here.” As a result, when women assume leading roles without undeniable evidence that their developing reputation is earned rather than given, it is likely that there will be even a single person who thinks, “Hey, there’s only one possible way that this person is where I want to be. It must be because she is a girl.”

One such prominent woman in the game, Nevadar of Gatesville, provided a particularly fascinating insight on the subject of the relationship between the exalted figurehead and the group structured around the individual. Though she remarked on what appears to be somewhat of a trend with female players – mistakes are more easily forgiven, trust perhaps placed more quickly, and female players being regarded as more sociable, she also observed that with a lack of victories or success, eventually the “entourage” will migrate to someone else, someone who can succeed where they have failed. Further analyzing this, a player of either gender with a set of objectives and expectations can hardly be expected to remain in a relationship which produces unsatisfactory results. Consistent failures have contributed to the downfall of countless regions and militaries both, largely because it demoralizes all involved no matter how magnetic a figurehead may be. Inevitably, the failure to produce the desired results will lead them to attempt to branch off, or perhaps the members will gradually fold into other regions and militaries in hopes of a better experience.

On a note which is an example of success in such a role, Pope Hope has been described as the bedrock of the Alliance Defense Network. Despite claims that criticism was redirected from one of the most remarkable female players in history to those who served as “attack dogs” to keep her reputation intact, Ananke also stated that this was false, as Pope Hope certainly received a fair amount of criticism for being a part of ADN. An interview with one of the pioneers of early Gameplay displayed an overwhelmingly negative view of her actual ability to contribute. Why? She was merely the means to attract new members and keep people interested because, as a female, Pope Hope was established for no other purpose than the expectation that she would play the gender card to win new members rather than because she had genuine talent in some of the most important aspects in a credible leader. In addition, she was good at it, better than most others. Few “figureheads” placed for mere convenience would merit the descriptions “bedrock” and “good at everything” from players as widely respected and highly regarded as Ananke.

Of course, the gender card certainly can be played to the advantage of the player in question. Various answers in response to the question regarding their view of claims that success is achieved through gender manipulation were varied, yet shared several base components:

Crazy Girl noted in response to the inquiry on this view, “If it works for them, fair enough. Not my style though.”

Improving Wordiness remarked, “I can understand the accusation as I have witnessed that tactic being used, although more often by male players pretending to be female players in order to manipulate others.” She also went on to express that, as a female player, the key to gaining respect was working hard, staying active, and being honest.

Tramiar’s answer was similar. “I’m sure it happens. I’ve seen it happen. But it’s not always the case. Many are truly great at what they do.” She went on to observe humorously that some female Gameplayers have been in the game for so long that they were stuck with them.

Ananke's views on the matter were direct. "It's possible women might stand out a bit more in Gameplay, because more guys than girls tend to get involved in the political and military aspects, but all the women I've known in NS who've risen to higher positions have gotten there due to their skills. From my experience to get into a commanding position in military Gameplay you need to show people that you know what you're doing, like f.eks. be good at spotting invasions or get intel."

Nevadar provided a detailed breakdown of the advantages to being female when she was active, as well as further elaborating on the note that the tactic has been used by male players to gain an advantage – to the point that some agents were trained to convincingly imitate women. “I could get away with far more than my male counterparts in terms of behavior and I had many more people offering assistance than I believe I would have otherwise. Being single and knowing how to flirt (without taking it too far, as that also had negative consequence) were huge political advantages.”

There is no shortage of instances where the identity of a woman assumed was applied with varying levels of success. Several particularly known cases of false gender identification include Lots of Ants, a Gatesville agent placed in The West Pacific who later achieved Delegacy – still under the female identity. Lady Anastasia was a critical member of Empire going under the alias Lady Anastasia to conceal his true identity in lieu of the multiple roles he held as Dalimbar. Liz Lemons, posing as a female player in Osiris whose actual identity post being exposed has been alleged to be one of the core members of The Black Hawks as well as one of the more prominent coupers in the game. Though Lady Anastasia was somewhat less personable than Lots of Ants and Liz Lemons due to differing objectives, all three of them are not liable to be forgotten so easily.

One thing to note, though, is that most of said cases are only related to military Gameplay insofar as regional delegacies and reinforcements are concerned. While the claim can still be made, the numerous women presently occupying commanding military positions within the most significant organizations and militaries today are there as result of effort and dedication on their part, not achieved through assumed identities. Their experience on the field and consistency within their spheres have long since perished thoughts of less honest methods of advancement. Improving Wordiness is the Field Commander of the Ten Thousand Islands Treaty Organization, one of the most widely recognized defender militaries. Tramiar is a General and member of the Council of Hawks in The Black Hawks, arguably the top active raiding organization in terms of quality and originality. Regarding the earlier statement about women who seem to rise without first having proven their worth sufficiently, the women here have a greater opportunity to win and hold the confidence of those who might question them in another setting. Their accomplishments speak for themselves at this point.

Examining the potential impact a player identifying as female may have in NS Gameplay, part of a political simulation game whose overall populace is comprised of significantly more men, using gender certainly be played to advance more quickly. In fact, the ability to do so is more of a strength than a weakness, and something that is not out of place in the game. While that much is true, the military aspect of Gameplay requires the utilization of a different set of skills. When asked about the keys to success in the military, the general consensus indicated that activity and contribution are worth the most in their eyes. Charisma might make a good motivator, but without sufficient consistency in participation, working to sustain the activity of the military, refusing to compromise beliefs for the sake of popularity, and maintaining genuine credibility gained through honesty, the person in question is liable to remain as another person in a perpetual assembly line or effectively serve as an advertisement. These qualities apply to both male and female players.

A position is worth very little in the eyes of others if it is achieved through guile or default – the difference between promotions justly earned and cosmetic promotions can be determined as soon as the planning phases of a first operation – or “just enough to be admired.” To really succeed in Military Gameplay, and certainly to reach the point of widespread acknowledgement by the biggest names in the game, the willingness to go above and beyond merely what is required will go a long way. Success is achieved, not bestowed. Every successful female military leader by that definition, past and present, is recognized as such because of her merit, not because of her gender.

If anyone finds it too much trouble to actually put any more than the bare minimum into the military just to move up a rank, or if the position is treated with negligence once attained, it is almost certain that “successful” is the last adjective to anticipate decorating their military reputation as far as the international community is concerned.

(Happy fifth year in Gameplay, Wordy <3)

**Disclaimer: No, I don't think this mindset encompasses the entirety of NS.**
Edited by Xoriet, Dec 20 2014, 03:44 AM.
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Niadh
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Your essay is brilliant.
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Severisen
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It is. A good representation of some of the leading ladies in NS MilGP. Well done. It was a pleasure to read.
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Cormac
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This is one of the best lectures I've read at any of the three World Fairs, and it was great to not only get your views but also the views of other prominent female players. Very impressive.
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McMasterdonia

Very well written indeed!
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NES
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This is a good, balanced essay, which was easy to read, and makes some valuable points - backed up by a variety of quality first hand sources - in addition of course to the authors own experience. Not at all like the last cringe-worthy attempt at broaching the gender issue, made by "El-Scorcho" aka. Unibot. Well done.

I thoroughly agree with the conclusions that at the end of the day, no one rises to the top of a military organisation without putting in substantial effort and having considerable skill in executing operations. From my experience in NS, military institutions are almost completely gender-blind. It is only in the wider sphere of NS politics where the "political advantages" Nevadar mentions become a real possibility. And even then, of course the vast majority of female players don't systematically engage in that sort of behaviour - it's just people only talk about it when it fits a stereotype and it suits them.
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Unibot
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Here is the transcript from Xoriet's lecture -

IRC Transcript - Dec 19 9-10 PM EST
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Lethen

This was great!
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Common-Sense Politics
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I very much enjoyed reading this!
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