(Re)construction of gender identities by young people in video game communities
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Abstract
(analytical)
Among the different digital leisure platforms, video games are one of the primary entertainment environments for young people. Video games generate new ways of socializing in digital communities through which gender identities are (re)constructed. This article presents the results of a qualitative study carried out using focus groups with Generation Z university students in Spain. The data analysis identified the different forms of socializing between genders that occur in video game communities, specifically how players choose characters/skins to construct identities that are either different to their offline gender or reproduce it. The persistence of stereotypes assigned to female characters, which is visible in the collected data, was notable. Finally, participants highlighted the possibility of these platforms becoming new, more plural and inclusive social spaces.
Keywords: Video games; stereotypes; identities; communities.
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