The Thirtysomething Female Gamer

I wrote an article for this week's issue of The Escapist called "Strangers in a Strange Land," and despite the fact that its focus is what it's like to be a thirty-something female gamer, I'm guessing that if gaming is a regular part of your life, you'll be able to relate no matter what age or gender you are. Here's an excerpt:

Many non-gamers are genuinely surprised to learn that not everyone who loves to play games is a Cheetos-stained slacker whose eyes have gone glassy from too many late nights in front of the monitor. This lack of understanding can lead to some annoying generalizations sure to send a gamer’s eyes rolling skyward. “Besides people not understanding that video games are an advanced form of entertainment over idly watching TV, I also encounter several ‘So do you go to Star Trek conventions too?’ comments,”
says iTara PMS. It’s certainly not the most offensive question a gamer has ever been asked, but it belies a basic lack of understanding. And so it is that we, as strangers in a strange land, are constantly asked to explain and justify our hobby, a requirement rarely placed on those who choose trips to the movies or pickup games of basketball as their pastimes of choice.

Take it for a spin, let me know what you think.