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Message: <blockquote data-quote="evilbob" data-source="post: 6875997" data-attributes="member: 9789">Wow.First, the meta:  this is easily the most civil discussion board on the internet, at least from what I can tell.  To be fair, these two harassment threads have also drastically increased my blocked list, so I am intentionally missing out, but the fact that you CAN actually ignore all the people being less civil is a great sign.  Kudos to the mods of ENWorld, seriously.  You folks set an example that I sincerely wish the rest of the internet would follow.  I have said time and again that it CAN be done, and this board proves it.Second, the link:  wow.  I mean, you hear about this stuff all the time, it affects literally every woman in gaming to various levels, but that woman's experiences are truly shocking.  They are also so incredibly not isolated and so sadly common that it's good to keep getting a light shined on these dark places.  It helps to remind the rest of us what the minorities in gaming have to put up with all the time, and remind everyone to keep their eyes and ears open, and know that yeah - it's happening, and yeah - you're probably oblivious because you can be.  The police thing was sadly a new one to me - although I'm sure it happens every single day.  I mean, I knew the police had effectively given up on enforcing harassment / threat / stalking crimes committed online (unless they were against a police officer, of course) but I didn't realize how hard it STILL is to get them to enforce those laws in real life.  That's part of what's always shocking about these stories:  it's freakin' 2016.  Why haven't we fixed this yet?Third, the blowback:  also wow.  It never ceases to amaze me how far people will go to discredit, blame, harass, and otherwise intimidate someone who speaks up about how women are serially mistreated in geek culture (which, ok, let's stop pretending:  the correct word for "geek culture" is officially "culture" now).  Ironically calling women "too sensitive" is always a fun one (since they are the ones so sensitive to being told they might be in the wrong) but that's never where it stops.  And yeah, it IS a culture change that has to happen.  It is happening.  It will happen.  Nothing can stop that, no matter how many gamergaters go around to all the different forums and messageboards and try to defend the systemic misogyny (typically with acute misogyny).  The truth is:  this woman just happened to be exceptionally smart and articulate, and like most millennials she's been raised to think that she shouldn't have to just roll over for oppressive, systemic injustice - and she is right.  The intensive retribution she's suffered for simply stating her case proves her right time and again.  This thread proves her right.And lastly, I know it's been dropped as a topic but the title of her essay was 100% right and on point.  Islam has a terrorist problem - but that doesn't mean that all Muslims are terrorists.  Gaming has a white male terrorist problem - yes it does.  It's painfully obvious, and yeah - that's exactly the right word for it.  Swatting is an act of terrorism.  Constant death/rape threats is an act of terrorism.  But it also doesn't mean that all white males into gaming are terrorists.  And if it makes you uncomfortable to know that you are associating with terrorists - great!  The article just created a tiny sense of cognitive dissonance in your brain.  Don't double down on your existing beliefs:  I encourage you to consider the alternative for a moment, and see if it is really you who is under attack, or gaming culture - or if it is really institutional sexism.</blockquote>

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