Where are the female gamers?

Someone told me last week that we need more There just aren’t enough vocal female gamers. Sure, it’s always nice to find other women who share my favourite hobby. Plenty of us online.

This is not an exhaustive or representative list by any means – just a few of the lovely gaming ladies that I’ve come across over the past few years. Some I know personally, some I don’t. Some of these websites are exclusively about games, some are personal blogs covering a wide range of interests.

Are you interested in gamer culture that extends beyond the denizens of most gaming sites? Take some time during your Christmas reading to check out just some of these women.

In no particular order:
Jenn, staff writer at xboxer360.com
Border House, “a blog that aims to break down cultural and stereotypical walls.”
Bonnie A. Nardi, society and technology researcher at the University of California. Her chapter on gender in World of Warcraft is worth a read for any MMO gamer
Regina Buenaobra, Community Manager for ArenaNet
Deirdra Kiai, indie video game developer
Geek Feminism Blog, another group blog “to support, encourage, and discuss issues facing women in geek communities”
Tara, Brittney and Kristina at Zaxy.com
Lesbian Gamers, yet another group blog. You can probably figure out their hook.
Michelle Baldwin, web developer and owner of Pioneer Project
Ashelia, founder of Hellmode
Lauren Wainwright of Daily Girl Attack Panic Super HD Remix
Josie Campbell, Clare Swindlehurst, Rebecca Mayes, Lottie Rose, Amber Gilmore, Catherine Spencer and
Anechka G at Game People

Cheryl Rowell, staff writer at Xbox Live Addicts
bs angel, Community Manager for Halo Waypoint
Alice Taylor, former Commissioning Editor, Education at Channel 4
Leigh Alexander, games journalist and news director at Gamasutra
Annette P. of Yuki-Pedia
Ysharros at Stylish Corpse
Kirsty Payne, Director of the London Games Festival and PR at Blast Entertainment
Susan Arendt, Senior Editor at The Escapist
Rain Rainycat, Senior Producer at BBC Learning
Tracey Kennedy, PhD Candidate in Sociology and research consultant in virtual and physical worlds

On Twitter:
Alice O’Connor
Vixx
Brenna Hillier
Catherine Woolley
Diane Hutchinson
Ellie Gibson
Danielle Cantrell
Natalie Sabin
Katie Rossiter
Terrie Chilvers
Jane Douglas
And thousands more, no doubt.

Reader picks:
Abbie Heppe from G4tv’s Feedback show, suggested by @GoodReactions
Kim Richards, former Official PlayStation and FirstPlay staffer now a freelancer and editor of JRPGTribe and Rachel Weber, news editor of Official Playstation. Both suggested by Rich.

Also read:
Go Make Me a Sandwich. Presumably a female gamer but I’m not jumping to any conclusions.
Know any other female gaming voices that should be shared? Post them below and I’ll add them to the list.

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