When I started working with games journalism site Nightmare Mode, a while back, I had the opportunity to interact with, learn about, and get edited by some fantastic people. It was also some of the most enjoyable time I spent writing in my life.
I’ve seen reports today that, due to the abuse from groups and individuals connected to ‘gamergate’, two of the most excellent writers I’ve known in game journalism (and really in journalism period) now feel they can no longer continue to contribute to the field.
They have been bullied out of working their passion for no more of a reason then they were women who decided to speak up.
There’s a lot I could say about this, but I’m sure others can say it better. Perhaps I’ll address it in more detail after I’ve had some time to process. Right now, I’m going to say this:
It’s f*king awful.
The behavior of the people attacking these women is literally sickening. That there are people who support it as somehow legitimate criticism is even more sickening.
The loss of their future work in the field, their attempts to push our particular subsection of journalism and entertainment forward, hurts us all as journalists, gamers, and people. I couldn’t let it pass without writing something, so this is it.
