Is gaming only for boys? Far from it! According to the JIM Study 2023, over half of the girls aged 12 to 19 surveyed said they gambled several times a week. The following games are particularly popular Minecraft , The Sims , Hay Day and Mario Kart. The gaming scene is dominated by men, and many successful gaming stars such as Gronkh and Elias N97 are male. However, there are more and more female and queer Let’s Players and they are important role models for young gamers.
Let’s Players play video games and share their strategies and tips with their followers. They comment on and rate the game in an entertaining way. They upload the Let’s Play videos to platforms such as YouTube and communicate with their fans via the comments. Some gaming stars stream their gaming sessions on Twitch live and interact directly with their audience. Major gaming influencers use various business models to earn lots of clicks and money.
Jasmin Gnu known as Gnu, is one of the most prominent female Let’s Players in Germany. She became famous a few years ago mainly through her humorous and entertaining videos on YouTube and streams on Twitch. Gnu plays games like The Sims , GTA and Fortnite and her fans love her for her authentic and likeable nature. In addition to her Let’s Plays, she also produces content on various topics such as sexism in the gaming industry and dealing with her eating disorder.
Honeyball whose real name is Isabel Barbara Zimmermann, has been active in the gaming community for more than ten years. Her fans appreciate her self-deprecating comments and her positive attitude. She became known for her Let’s Plays of sandbox and role-playing games such as Minecraft and The Sims. Honeyball is also active as a creative and creates texture packs for Minecraft as a game designer, which are appreciated and further developed by the community.
Antonia Staab alias Reved began her career in 2019 and is known for her diverse content on Twitch and YouTube. It streams a wide range of games from well-known titles to indie games. It shows a mixture of gaming, chatting and creative formats such as quiz shows. In 2023, she launched the Stream Awards, which honor outstanding moments and personalities from the Twitch community. Reved is bisexual.
Even more streamers can be seen in the child-friendly video series “Ansage!” on the children’s TV channel KiKA. There, young gamers challenge well-known streamers such as Sissor, Mowky, Freiraumreh, Kiara and Shorty in gaming challenges.
Many game-loving children and young people not only play games themselves, but also enjoy watching others play them. They can learn more about a game, get tricks for difficult tasks and be entertained by their favorite stars.
It is important that they not only experience the male perspective, but that there are also female and queer Let’s Players. They show different perspectives on gaming and are role models for female and queer young people who want to recognize themselves in the gaming community. They prove that anyone, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, can be successful in gaming.
Female and queer gamers often have a hard time in the male-dominated scene and can become victims of online hate. The presence of female and queer Let’s Players can make a decisive contribution to making the gaming community more diverse, open and representative. They contribute to greater visibility and can support positive social change towards greater acceptance.
No matter who your child’s favorite Let’s Players and streamers are, it’s best to watch Let’s Plays together with your child. This will help you better understand what your child enjoys about Let’s Players and learn more about your child’s gaming hobby.
The gaming world is still heavily male-dominated. Broaden your child’s perspective and draw their attention to a gaming star with a female or queer identity.
Make sure that your child does not watch any Let’s Play videos of games that are not approved for children of a certain age. Keep in touch with your child about the business models of Let’s Players. Help him analyze advertising, product placements and other forms of money-making. Discuss the language of gamers with your child. Make your child aware of communication risks online and explain to them how they can deal with unpleasant situations.
