«WHO’S THE GIRL NOW?»: THE #GAMERGRRRL TOGETHERNESS ON TIKTOK

Abstract

Despite research highlighting the prevalence of sexism towards women in the video game industry, the resistance discourse of newer generations of gamer girls has been largely overlooked. This study focuses on the TikTok posts of gamer girls, who purposefully assume various gamer girl personas to challenge prevailing stereotypes within gaming communities. Embracing the principles of the Riot Grrrl manifesto, the research involves an examination of 161 TikTok videos featuring the #GamerGirl hashtag. The analysis explores how these gamer girls use the platform to construct an affective discourse, shedding light on the sexism and harassment they experience in gaming culture. Through their creative and ironic performances, these young girls effectively subvert traditional norms, posing a direct challenge to the male-dominated narrative pervasive in the gaming industry. This dynamic fosters a «gamer Grrrl» togetherness sensibility on TikTok, wherein these individuals employ ludic caricaturization to diminish the significance of their gender in their interactions with other gamers.