ABSTRACT
This chapter describes sexism and sexual harassment and explain how the affordances of online games can aggravate these problems. It also describes factors at the individual, game, and industry level that perpetuate sexism in gaming and elaborate its consequences. Because video games are seen as a space dominated by and oriented to men, masculine identity may be linked to sexism and sexual harassment in games. Research specific to video games demonstrates that many players are highly involved and engaged with specific games as well as groups within the gaming community. These incidents suggest that there are zealous members of the gaming community that are resistant to highlighting and confronting sexism, and in some cases are openly against women's participation in gaming. In addition to more equitable hiring and representation, the gaming industry also needs to make consistent efforts to curtail sexism and sexual harassment across game content, game participation, and gaming events.
