A Woman's Place...is at PR Events

I know this and YOU know this, but it seems the event organizers and even most of the attendees at these things still need a while to catch on. I frequently go to events promoting new game titles and my experience is always the same.

I show up, I'm greeted at the door by the PR reps who nine times out of ten are women--and that's the last time I see anyone of the female persuasion. Ok maybe I'm exaggerating but only a little. The recent Resident Evil 5 event was pretty cool but there were probably only two female game journalists aside from yours truly. Like me, they stuck to themselves, quietly checking the game out while the boys clumped together like Kraft mac 'n cheese.

I sidled up to one or two fellow journalists, commenting on or asking questions about their experience of the game but got mostly monosyllabic answers. Finally I spent the evening talking to a --you guessed it -- female Capcom rep.

Now I'm not saying my male counterparts in game journalism are intending to be jerks, but boys I gotta tell you, you're just not all that welcoming.

At an event at EA a few months ago I once again attempted to crash the male bonding by sitting at a table half full of male reviewers to eat lunch. The ensuing silence was comical. I tried to chat up a couple of my lunch companions without much success and the minute they finished their lukewarm mexican food, they were up and off.

Ah well...even though the gender gap in games is narrowing, it's still at a glacial pace. I have two different events to attend this month--I think before I go I'll invest in a fake moustache.