Button Mash: Gender and Gaming at MIT

Hillary Kolos, Mia Consalvo, and Lynda Williams

Button mashing is one of many stereotypes about women who game that this session will question. This event will explore issues around gender and gaming, as well as be an opportunity for female MIT students who play digital games to come together to talk and play. The day will kick off with a panel discussion with Mia Consalvo, visiting associate professor in CMS, and other female game researchers and/or game industry professionals. Following the panel, there will be time to play and discuss games that are interesting in terms of how they portray gender (i.e., Tomb Raider, Mirror’s Edge, Fat Princess). After a dinner break (pizza will be served!), we will invite all participants to join in on a roundtable discussion of what it’s like to be a woman that games at MIT.