“It's A Boy Thing”

Thornham, Helen

doi:10.1080/14680770801980505

Cited by 56 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Previous research into video games has demonstrated their highly gendered nature and the ways in which both female and male bodies in these games are portrayed using a restricted set of meanings and codes relating to hegemonic masculinities and femininities (Dickerman, Christensen, and Kerl-McClain, 2008;Thornham, 2008). Apps similarly depict a narrow and partial perspective of women's (pregnant) bodies as, ideally, primed and beautified.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Threats and thrills: pregnancy apps, risk and consumption

Thomas

Lupton

2015

Health, Risk & Society

107

105

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In this article we draw on the findings of a critical discourse analysis of pregnancy-related mobile software applications designed for smartphones ('apps') to examine how such apps configure pregnant embodiment. Drawing on a detailed analysis of all such apps available in June 2015 in the two major global app stores Google Play and Apple App Store, we discuss how such technologies (the 'threats' mode of representation) portray the pregnant body as a site of risk requiring careful self-surveillance using apps to reduce potential harm to women and particularly their foetuses. We show that the second dominant mode of representation ('thrills') constructs the pregnant body and self-tracking in more playful terms. App developers use ludification strategies and encourage the social sharing of pregnancy-related details as part of emphasising the enjoyable aspects of pregnancy. We found that both types of pregnancy-related apps endorse expectations around pregnancy behaviour that reproduce heteronormative and gendered ideals around sexuality, parenthood, and consumption. These apps are socio-cultural artefacts enacting pregnant bodies as sites of both risk and pleasure. In both cases, users of the apps are encouraged to view pregnancy as an embodied mode of close monitoring and surveillance, display, and performance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Threats and thrills: pregnancy apps, risk and consumption

Thomas

Lupton

2015

Health, Risk & Society

107

105

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“…L. Taylor, 2003;Thornham, 2008), females are relegated to game roles that are perceived as less aggressive, and more collaborative than other in-game roles. In other words, females are discouraged from playing roles that enhance the skills related to the more competitive elements of the game (e.g., killing opposing players) and instead encouraged to facilitate other (male) players' pursuit of more aggressive roles.…”

Section: Study 2: a Quantitative Complementmentioning

confidence: 98%

Stand by Your Man

et al. 2015

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Although video gaming is becoming a more widespread activity beyond its historically core demographic of young males, participation in competitive gaming remains largely male dominated. Addressing this issue, this research examines the experience of female players in one of the world's most popular games, League of Legends. Two studies-one qualitative (with 15 participants) and the other quantitative (with 16,821 participants)-confirm that although female players accrue skill at the same rate as males, there remains a dearth of female players in this community. Moreover, those females who play with a male partner are less confident in their skills and often focus on supporting their partner's advancement, not their own. This work suggests that one way to address the gender gap in gaming is to better understand and improve the social dynamics within popular games.

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“…En teoría, con la proliferación de ordenadores en los hogares, se podría haber ampliado el acceso de niñas y mujeres a los juegos de ordenador (Thomas y Walkerdine, 2000), sin embargo, la introducción de los videojuegos en el espacio doméstico también queda atrapada en las prácticas y las lógicas de género para el consumo de tecnologías en el hogar. Mientras el teléfono o los artefactos de la cocina se sitúan bajo el dominio de los miembros femeninos del hogar, el ordenador, el mando a distancia y los juegos los controlan los miembros masculinos (Bryce y Rutter, 2003, 2007Gailey, 1993;Na, 2001;Thornham, 2010). La casa no es un contexto de juego provista de una filosofía equitativa de acceso y oportunidad al videojuego.…”

Section: Acceso a Los Videojuegos: Espacio Y Tiempounclassified

“…Su estudio concuerda con lo señalado por otros trabajos, que muestran cómo el uso del ordenador y de los videojuegos es algo más complicado para las niñas y las mujeres que para los niños/hombres en el espacio doméstico. Son ellas las que tienen que esperar o negociar para usar lo que no es "suyo" (Jenson y de Castell, 2008, 2010Schott y Horrell, 2000;Thornham, 2010;Walkerdine, 2006). En este sentido, se alude a la percepción común por parte de niñas/mujeres de que es el espacio de los hombres (hermanos, hijos, maridos, primos, tíos) y que ellos son los expertos.…”

Section: Acceso a Los Videojuegos: Espacio Y Tiempounclassified

“…Aunque les gusta jugar, no le atribuyen la importancia que le dan los hombres. Su tiempo para jugar está restringido y es asumido como algo secundario (Krotoski, 2004;Schott y Horrell, 2000;Thornham, 2010). De hecho, algunos estudios señalan cómo hombres y mujeres utilizan de forma diferente su tiempo de ocio: las mujeres para la socialización/interacción social y el cuidado personal y los hombres para los deportes y los hobbies (Krotoski, 2004).…”

Section: Acceso a Los Videojuegos: Espacio Y Tiempounclassified

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Gender Technological Performativity: Exploring the Digital Divide in Video Gaming

Juárez

Samuel-Lajeunesse

González

2010

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Resumen En este artículo revisamos el campo de los estudios sobre género y videojuegos. Los videojuegos por su carga lúdica, que hace que su consumo sea facultativo e informal, nos permiten comprender algunos de los mecanismos que mantienen a las chicas alejadas del mundo tecnológico, sin tener que apelar a razones o mecanismos institucionales, que no explican correctamente las exclusiones "voluntarias", es decir, aquellas que se producen porque la persona "no quiere" o "no está interesada" en participar en un sector básico para la configuración de la sociedad. Mostramos cómo la creación y el consumo de tecnología, especialmente de videojuegos, en el mundo occidentalizado, recrea distintos espacios de vida para las personas en función de la invención, distribución y performación de diferencias sexuales.

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“It's A Boy Thing”

Cited by 56 publications

References 6 publications

Threats and thrills: pregnancy apps, risk and consumption

Threats and thrills: pregnancy apps, risk and consumption

Stand by Your Man

Gender Technological Performativity: Exploring the Digital Divide in Video Gaming

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