Fat Neckbeard Gamer Stereotype- idea for FA blog article -

[Ouija Board]

Hi Kiwi Farms members,

I write for a fairly reasonable fat acceptance blog (keyword, blog, this isn't a media outlet) and I have noticed that a lot of the articles on there are fat issues as they pertain to women and that there are very few articles about fat issues pertaining to men and fatphobia (for lack of a better word) effects males as well.

I also have been reading on and off about Gamergate and one of the things that I noticed about the opposing (anti-GG) side is how often they revert to calling gamers as "fat neckbeards who live in their mommy's basements and have no job or no life" and I realize that this is one of the many harmful stereotypes against fat men and this is something that I want to examine in an article, that is, the stereotype of the Fat Neckbeard Gamer. I want to focus on gamers specifically because it narrows down the topic.

I have noticed that there is a large gamer community here on the CWCki and I would like some help and input from the members here that partake in gaming or are heavily in the gaming community. I am focusing heavily on fat males who are gamers though I would also be willing to discuss how these stereotypes broad brush male gamers as a whole. I don't mean to be discriminatory against female gamers but as I said I want this article to be male-centric.

Also, I ask if anyone can tell me or know of any examples in popular culture (TV shows, movies, etc.) Where the Fat Neckbeard Gamer is portrayed.

So I have at least 6 questions to ask for those that are fat, male gamers:

1. If you are a fat, male gamer how does this stereotype (fat neckbeard gamer) affect you?

2. As a fat, male gamer do you find these stereotypes personally hurtful?

3. Are you afraid or have reservations to call yourself a gamer, or tell someone that you are gamer because of this stereotype?

4. Do you do things in your life that break this stereotype? (i.e. have a job, girlfriend/wife, friends, family etc.)

5. As a fat, male gamer do you find yourself having to use qualifiers to justify your gaming pastime? (i.e. having to say things like "I have a job," "I get out and do things," "I only play games for a couple of hours," "I have a family, etc.)

6. Do you feel that overall, the fat neckbeard gamer stereotype harms gamers?

If you do not feel comfortable talking in thread please feel free to PM me. Also, let me know if you want to me to use your username, a pseudonym or to remain anonymous.

I will not mention the CWCki in the article other than referring it as something generic ex. "A forum that is discussing Gamergate.

I can't talk about Gamergate in detail as this is a FA blog but I can mention it, give links or links to a video or two.

Thanks in advance,

Radi Ashun.

(This is the first thread that I have ever made on these forums!)

 

[Null]

i'm categorically overweight and sometimes play videogames so i guess i'm applicable

1. If you are a fat, male gamer how does this stereotype (fat neckbeard gamer) affect you?
don't care

2. As a fat, male gamer do you find these stereotypes personally hurtful?
no

3. Are you afraid or have reservations to call yourself a gamer, or tell someone that you are gamer because of this stereotype?
i don't call myself a gamer because i think the word is gay and that culture revolving around video games is retarded.

4. Do you do things in your life that break this stereotype? (i.e. have a job, girlfriend/wife, friends, family etc.)
this question is poorly worded. it's like asking "how are you different from chris". am I supposed to brag about life accomplishments? i feel "do your video game habits impact your life negatively" is more succinct. to answer that question, not at all.

5. As a fat, male gamer do you find yourself having to use qualifiers to justify your gaming pastime? (i.e. having to say things like "I have a job," "I get out and do things," "I only play games for a couple of hours," "I have a family, etc.)
i don't surround myself with assholes so i've never had anyone criticize my hobbies.

6. Do you feel that overall, the fat neckbeard gamer stereotype harms gamers?
not particularly. the accusé perpetuated by anti-GG is the death throes of a threatened organization as they try to take down as many people as they can with them. nobody outside of their circle takes these things seriously. i suppose some people totally disenchanted with games and technology might come to the conclusion on their own that people who play video games are losers, but this stems from the same issue as with Gawker and its friends: ignorance.

 

[Ouija Board]

Well thank you Null for answering me. Yeah that fourth question isn't that great but I am still relatively new to blogging and writing so it's something that I am learning along the way.

 

[Da Pickle Monsta]

I'm slightly overweight and I play games, so I'll bite.

1. If you are a fat, male gamer how does this stereotype (fat neckbeard gamer) affect you?
It doesn't.

2. As a fat, male gamer do you find these stereotypes personally hurtful?
No.

3. Are you afraid or have reservations to call yourself a gamer, or tell someone that you are gamer because of this stereotype?
I don't refer to myself as a gamer. It's way down on my list of self-identifiers, if at all. I'm not afraid of it, it just doesn't make a blip on my radar.

4. Do you do things in your life that break this stereotype? (i.e. have a job, girlfriend/wife, friends, family etc.)
I have a job, I'm working on a Master's, I have a wife and a family.

5. As a fat, male gamer do you find yourself having to use qualifiers to justify your gaming pastime? (i.e. having to say things like "I have a job," "I get out and do things," "I only play games for a couple of hours," "I have a family, etc.)
I have a lot of pain in my knees, back and neck and playing a game for a little while helps take my mind off of it. I usually don't justify my game playing because I don't feel that I should have to.

6. Do you feel that overall, the fat neckbeard gamer stereotype harms gamers?
Not really. You'll find fat, neckbearded types in every fandom.

 

[niggers]

i think really only jace-tier people refer to themselves as "gamers".

it's such a generic term; it'd be like if someone said "i'm a movie-goer" or "i'm a music-listener". if that's how you describe yourself you probably don't have much personality. i think the only reason the term exists to the scale it does is because of marketing and le internet memes.

sorry, this is probably OT and unhelpful. i play games and have a dick but i'm in britty ok shape.

 

[Glaive]

i think really only jace-tier people refer to themselves as "gamers".

it's such a generic term; it'd be like if someone said "i'm a movie-goer" or "i'm a music-listener". if that's how you describe yourself you probably don't have much personality. i think the only reason the term exists to the scale it does is because of marketing and le internet memes.

sorry, this is probably OT and unhelpful. i play games and have a dick but i'm in britty ok shape.

I'm in this camp.

I don't think most people would willingly label themselves as a gamer. Even those earning money from video games would probably avoid referring to themselves as such.
Not because of those specific gamer stereotypes that you listed earlier, but because using that sort of uber-fan label like that in any hobby or area of interest comes off as tryhard and obsessive.

Like 93532 said, I'm not going to call myself a movier just because I watch a lot of movies. Most people have broad and varied interests. We aren't obsessively sperging about just one or two things in life....well except our cow friends

Gamer is cringeworthy

 

[hm yeah]

wordfilter gamer to brony

 

[Ouija Board]

I really really have to thank you all for your responses, it is helping to shape what I want to say. I am trying to get the opening paragraph down where I want to mention Gamergate itself but I am having a hard time going back and trying to find an article that explains it in a more neutral manner.

Also, to those that have responded, could you let me know if you want to use your username, a pseudonym or remain anonymous because otherwise I am just going to default to anonymous out of respect.

 

[Dork Of Ages]

I just found an example recently while watching this anime called Steins;Gate: one of the characters is a fat guy who considers himself a super hacker. He also adores 2D grills and is considered a bit of a pervert, but he has some redeeming qualities like being the father of one of the characters that comes from the future.

Just to show that fat neckbeard stereotype doesn't show up only in vidya.

 

[Ouija Board]

Bad news guys, The Editor learned about GG and apparently he is afraid that by me writing about it might somehow attract trolls and harassers. I tried to link him to some pro-GG articles like the Breitbart article but he's still unswayed. He thinks it would be better to write about it later when or if it blows over. I'm a bit upset about it and I have been talking to him trying to convince him that he probably won't get harassed but seeing as the site was trolled recently he's not taking any chances, As such I am not going to link to the website either. It's unfortunate though but I guess I got to do what he says and in a way I understand it. Damn! I was really looking forward to doing this article so I guess I will try to find something else that is male-centric. But I do thank all of you that have helped so far and I will keep what I have researched tucked away so that I can have it when I do the article in the future.

 

[Surtur]

Bad news guys, The Editor learned about GG and apparently he is afraid that by me writing about it might somehow attract trolls and harassers. I tried to link him to some pro-GG articles like the Breitbart article but he's still unswayed. He thinks it would be better to write about it later when or if it blows over. I'm a bit upset about it and I have been talking to him trying to convince him that he probably won't get harassed but seeing as the site was trolled recently he's not taking any chances, As such I am not going to link to the website either. It's unfortunate though but I guess I got to do what he says and in a way I understand it. Damn! I was really looking forward to doing this article so I guess I will try to find something else that is male-centric. But I do thank all of you that have helped so far and I will keep what I have researched tucked away so that I can have it when I do the article in the future.

And with that, I think I shall lock this thread.