Whether it is gun shooting, galaxy saving, zombie killing or puzzle solving – in the world of video gaming, the player is capable of doing all these things and more.

Video games supply boundless opportunities to experience a new interactive form of literature on multiple platforms that cater to every genre.

Depending on the game, there are countless stories and characters to meet from playing as a member of an alien race, to being a modern day soldier on the battlefield, to becoming a space soldier  responsible for the fate of the entire galaxy. Yet, video games feature one awfully consistent constant: all the protagonists are male.

But video gaming is a hobby for men and teen boys isn’t it? They’re the target demographic and make up the majority of gamers, right? Wrong.

A 2014 study showed that adult women actually make up 52 percent of the gaming audience in the entire industry and I am happy to call myself part of that demographic. In fact, my first ever memory was when I was four years old, setting up and playing my family Nintendo 64 with my dad and brother.

From then till now, I’ve owned over 12 consoles, played well over one hundred video game titles and have been an avid fan of all my favorite game series.

Yet, through all these years, my video games have been woefully lacking in representation of me – a woman. The sexism that permeates video games is still incredibly virulent despite the statistics which show women are playing and have been playing since the creation of the industry itself.

I think the problem is that the gaming industry willingly and purposely turns a blind eye to its exclusion of an entire half of their demographic because of outdated, sexist views.

It follows in the oppressive footsteps of so many other male-centric forms of media by making the mistake that men should be target audience. Women make up more than one-half of the entire world’s population yet are underrepresented in numbers and in quality in every form of media representation.

Even when women are in video games, they are often reduces down to a sex object in a skimpy outfit who serves as eye candy for male gamers. Of course, amazing female characters can and do exist among ensembles of male characters but repetitively having a token girl in a skimpy outfit is not representation.

This objectification of women by male game designers and companies is not just a fantasy aspect of a game that should be accepted but rather a reflection of the emphasis on catering to the male gaze in all things media.

Despite the odds, female gamers have always persevered. Over 63 percent of women who play report facing harassment. Some women don’t reveal their gender in games just to save themselves from this.

Gaming companies and male gamers around the world need to open their eyes and show respect and understanding to all who play video games.

A gamer is simply someone who enjoys playing games, no matter their gender, age, race or skill. Video games are a modern form of storytelling that are on an interactive level no other form of media has reached, which is why I believe anyone should be able to play them without fear.

Video games need to provide greater diversity and male video game players of the world need to accept that they are not the only audience who deserves representation.