Doing gender versus playing gender in online worlds: Masculinity and femininity in Second Life and Guild Wars

• DOI: 10.1386/jgvw.3.2.125_1
• Publication Date: 2011-10-24T18:36:30Z
• Authors: Kate Rosier; Celia Pearce
• Keywords: Avatar; Guild

The 1987 West and Zimmerman article ‘Doing gender’ argues that throughout our daily lives, we are always ‘doing gender’, reinforcing what is acceptable behaviour for females males according to socially defined gender roles. Through the examination of a qualitative study, this explores relationship between ‘playing in online virtual worlds, comparing differences conception performance Second Life, primarily social world, Guild Wars, role-playing game. It also players’ perceptions their own avatar choices, gendered play styles more broadly, as well in-game ratios.