The project deals with the question of video game mechanics impact on how gender diverse people percieve and explore their gender identities and how nation-specific differences change the impact of video games.
To reach the project goal and objectives, the survey and interview data on players' experiences of playing and mechanics related to their gender identities, as well as experts' views on queerness in video games is collected and analysed.
Background
In European societies, questions of inclusivity and diversity are attracting more and more attention of scholars in various areas, including game studies. Nation-specific impact on connections between video games and LGBTQIA+ people need detailed studies, particularly in contemporary geopolitical situation.
In Ukraine, the attitude towards LGBTQIA+ representatives has become less negative in last years, however, social acceptance still needs facilitation. The question of gender identity needs wide coverage as one of the most sensitive to raise the level of visibility of LGBTQIA+ representatives, provide information accessible for a Ukrainian society, study the needs of Ukrainians with various gender identities and create opportunities for their free self-discovery and communication.
Video games are proposed as a means for this not accidentally. Video game communities in Ukraine are insufficiently studied generally. They reflect social stereotypes and create spaces that could reflect the nation-specific differences between the environments. Video games are among means of self-discovery, however, the extent of their impact could be different in various environments.
Goal
The project's goal is to trace the impact of video game mechanics on gender identity self-exploration of LGBTQIA+ people with different national backgrounds and to identify the nation-specific changes in perception of video games.
The objectives of the project are:
- To identify relationship between gender identity perception of players belonging to international and Ukrainian LGBTQIA+ communities;
- To delineate nation-specific changes in perceiving gender identity through interaction with game mechanics;
- To reveal how video games may become a tool of creating a safe space for as self-discovery of Ukrainian LGBTQIA+;
- To create proper theoretical foundations for conducting further queer (game) studies in Ukraine.
Impact
In terms of impact, final project purpose is the creation of game-based online safer space for LGBTQIA+ Ukrainians and establishment of a web resource serving the foundation of further queer (game) studies in Ukraine. Both the online environment and information resource are steps to support and further transform Ukrainian academia and help Ukrainian researchers build inclusive communities.
Funding
Funding source
This project has received funding through the MSCA4Ukraine project, which is funded by the European Union.
