For over two years, I’ve been working for a major video game retailer. You’ve probably been to at least one of our stores; there seem to be several in every mall or shopping center. I moved through the ranks and went from part-time sales associate to assistant manager pretty quickly, and have had to deal with pretty much every kind of gamer out there. Yet, it still catches me off guard every time some sleazy dude strolls into the store, addresses me as "sweetheart", and ignores me while trying to converse with a male co-worker. Now, why does this happen? Because I’m a chick. Yes, I play games that aren’t called Barbie’s Magical Horse Dancing Mystery Party or something equally ludicrous. Yes, I own almost every major console that has been released in the last twenty years. In high school I devoted more time to Final Fantasy than I did schoolwork. And most nights, I’d rather be playing Halo with my friends than going out. Is that really that hard to believe? It’s hard to talk about being a "girl gamer" without sounding pretentious. I’m not trying to make a statement; I really just like to play. I enjoy well-written stories, interesting and challenging gameplay, and just having fun. So why are people broken up into the categories of "girl gamers" and "guy gamers"? Why aren’t there just "gamers", period? I think it’s about time some of these ridiculous myths about girls who play video games were dispelled. 1. THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS "GIRL GAMES" Do not ask me to tell you where these games are when you come to my store. I’ll recommend anything from Zelda to Grand Theft Auto, but I’ll also be sure to let you know that anyone can play anything. It’s not about being a girl, it’s about personal taste. 2. GUESS WHAT? WE DO PLAY THINGS BESIDES HARVEST MOON AND NINTENDOGS While there’s no need to name-drop any more than I already have, don’t assume I don’t play "real" games just because I’m not a dude. I may not be a professional gamer, but I can hold my own in just about any genre. And even though I may love role-playing games, that doesn’t mean I can’t handle first-person shooters or your basic action/adventure game. 3. JUST BECAUSE I'M WORKING WITH A GUY DOESN'T MEAN THAT HE KNOWS MORE THAN I DO ABOUT WHATEVER GAME YOU'RE LOOKING FOR The number of examples I could give of this occurring are countless, and almost every time, my knowledge of the video game industry and its releases is superior to that of the guy I’m working with. They’ll admit it willingly. Don’t assume that because I have boobs, I am completely devoid of information. 4. Now this one's very important: IF YOU DO SEE A GIRL AT YOUR LOCAL VIDEO GAME STORE, SHE HAS A NAME No, really, check her name tag, it’s true. And it’s not "sweetie", "honey", or "baby". You wouldn’t call a guy those things, would you? She’s not there to look cute and be patronized, guys. Not a day goes by that a complete stranger doesn’t call me some aggravating pet name. This isn’t acceptable. Do you really think I would have been hired, not to mention put into a position of management, if I didn’t know anything about the product I was selling? Don’t get me wrong here, it’s not like every single guy I come across at work is this ignorant. A lot of them are pretty cool, and don’t give the fact that I’m a girl a second thought when they ask me about the hottest new release or what console they should buy. Unfortunately, I’m afraid there’s always going to be that minority that assumes I’m either brain-dead or too busy playing Hannah Montana to help them. Maybe someday, girl gamers won’t be such a minority. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m done charging up my pink DS, and I’ve got some gaming to do.