Really I think this can be summed up as "UR STEALIN' MAI IDENTITY IM NO ONE W/O MY GAMER-TAG!"

I really wanna call this problem 'American' and be done with it. I really do. Alas, it's not posted in spam. So...

[quote]So I'm coffeed up and finally ready to ask the question: How do you separate the people with legit interests from the people you consider 'fakers'[/quote]
Basically the age-old question of "Are you really metal or just a poser?" 

I listen to quite a bit of metal, but I don't identify as a metalhead, just a person who enjoys metal. I play quite a bit of video-games, but I don't neccesarily identify as a gamer. I think it's silly to say "We're the same label because we enjoy the same thing." I don't even like using labels, so posing to me is a genuinely retarded concept because you're giving form to your lack of identity by faking a lack of individuality. People are generally more than just a metalhead, or just a gamer. To identify as a single label is silly.

Generally though, I talk to people to see if we share interests. If someone calls their self metal and listens to nothing but Fallout Boy... Well, I'm going to switch the subject. We're not in the same music. I wouldn't call Fallout boy metal, but hey fuck enjoy whatever you enjoy. Same way, if someone wears a bioshock t-shirt, well let them. I have a t-shirt that says New York and I've never even been in New York. Who gives a fuck? I'm not stealing your New Yorker identity. 

 [quote]and how do you feel about sexism within communities like this one and similar, that cater to geek interests,[/quote]
Retarded. 

[quote] and what has your personal experience of some of this been?[/quote]
Requesting 'fake girl-gamers' and asking girls for gamer credentials or them using their gender as a shield is something that is far past my MMO-time. I find it laughable from an outsider's perspective. 

As far as my experience regarding treatment based on gender goes though... Exploitive to be honest. During the time I played MMO's as a teenager, I was quickly privy to the fact that if you could pull of the girl-act convincing enough (just say your parents don't want you to voice-chat with strangers) all you needed to do to get rich was to butter up with some random high level guys who stole their parents' credit card on a regular basis. Although the hilarious thing was that the higher level you got, people started guessing your gender by how custom/cute your outfit was. The moment I got to point X in my levelling career, a lot more people simply assumed me to be a guy. idk, for me it's been absolutely hilarious. 

I've not been much of a hardcore raider (even as a teenager I told people I'd do whatever the fuck I wanted with my free time tyvm) but the times I did get in (with my non-golddigger, male characters) it's been sorta disturbing though how guys do a total 180 in their attitude (and also become far less competent players) when there's suddenly a girl in voice chat. Some guys act retarded over girls enjoying the same thing they do and it's very annoying, even for a dude, that everyone stops playing the game as they should just because suddenly everyone hears a higher pitched voice. I guess my most negative experience with sexism in that regard is not getting that piece of equipment I wanted because when this chick started talking we got wiped.

On the other hand you try telling someone, as a straight guy, that you enjoy Desperate Housewives and then go a week without uttering the sentence; "No, I'm not gay. Why would you ask that?" (really, try it. It's hard.) 

I'd write more and reply to shit but time cuts me short. So to be continued... Maybe.