TOPIC

In 1979, CompuServe became the first major commercial online service to offer private users access to utilize e-mail, a form of letter sent directly from one computer to another connected via an electronics network, on what is now known as “the internet.” Only one year later, they made it possible to use real-time chat, allowing people the chance to converse through the written word across vast distances instantly using their computers. Within three years, what would become only the first of a multitude of controversies regarding how sex is presented online was created by the curious case of “Joan.”

Using CompuServe’s real time chat interface, Joan became a role model to scores of women who conversed with her in real time through instantaneous communication made possible through the internet. Her story was that of a woman severely injured in an auto accident that had also killed her boyfriend. In spite of this, she was a strong, enthusiastic woman who was using the internet to step out and live her life, connecting with people, and helping anyone who simply needed someone to talk to. Joan’s story of endurance connected with the women who chatted with her, inspiring them to overcome the trials and tribulations in their own lives.

Unfortunately, in 1985 it came out that “Joan” was, in fact, a perfectly healthy fifty something year old man referred to as “Alex.” (Alex’s real identity has never been made publicly known.) Alex was a licensed psychologist who had inadvertently discovered that women would open up to him more freely if they thought he was a woman. However, that initial discovery led him down a path of deception that resulted in his using “Joan” to recommend many of the women “she” chatted with visit Alex in New York. A number of these women did so, and were consequently seduced (Van Gelder, 1985).

In the wake of this deception and abuse, questions were raised about the ethics involving the false communication of gender and sex in the online environment. While some people defended Alex, others felt horribly abused by the actions Alex had taken as Joan. A number of people claimed to have suffered trauma after learning of the deception perpetrated on them. However, just how much damage was done is a matter of quite subjective judgment.

More recently, however, a case has arisen which is far less subjective in assessing the damage that has been done by individuals pretending to be someone they are not. In October 2006, Megan Meier, a thirteen year old girl, committed suicide. Investigation into her death revealed that she had been befriended by a teen boy on the social networking site MySpace. The young man had initially been quite charming and friendly, but then turned on her, berating her with vicious messages, including one that read “the world would be a better place without you.” It was shortly after this message that the girl ended her own life. The young man responsible for the messages that led her to end her life had a secret, however. “He” was revealed to be Lori Drew, the mid 40s mother of a girl whose friendship with the young Megan had soured (Stelter, 2008).

The risks inherent in the false presenting of a person’s identity are well enough known among the online community to have led to a great deal of dark humor on the subject, such as the often repeated saying “there are no girls on the internet.” However, the darker side of an internet populated by people faking their sex has become a modern boogieman, with media campaigns warning parents about the dangers of sexual predators online luring their children to dangerous clandestine meetings. While the specter of this may be exaggerated it certainly exists. As part of its powers to deal with international trafficking of child pornography, 669 such individuals were arrested in a single case investigated by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement, 2008).

Not all of the news regarding those pretending to be the other sex is frightening, however. In a September 2008 article, BizReport.com reported that in the previous twelve months the female online audience among the gaming community grew 27%. Among girls aged 12-17, the growth rate was a whopping 55% (Leggatt, 2008). Yet the largest complaint among “gamer girls” was the poor quality of representation girls received in online gaming. The way in which female characters were so often treated by the creators of the games (as sex objects) tended to be very off-putting to girl gamers. This is often attributed in no small part to the fact that the vast majority of game designers are male, and thus portray women in the games in a manner consistent with male fantasies and misconceptions. Learning how to imitate women convincingly, thus making a more comfortable environment for this rapidly growing demographic could prove a substantial boon to the pocketbooks of the gaming industry as well as providing greater opportunities for the women seeking a quality gaming experience.

This leads us to a question regarding the faking of sex online. Regardless of what the intent is in faking a sex, how does one convincingly portray a sex online? What tactics, what linguistic tricks, and what behaviors can we engage in to create a believable presentation of a gender that we do not actually possess?