Who are you and what do you do in gaming?
My name is Maria Ramos a.k.a. LadyInfamous415. I’m an editor in training, streamer, content creator and podcaster. I’m also the founder and co-host of Grown Women Gaming (GWG) . Most importantly lover of video games.
What does being a woman in gaming mean to you?
Being a woman in gaming means a constant uphill battle due to the misconceptions of women in games. We (women) are constantly getting overlooked and pushed to the side and aren’t really given the opportunity to show the skills that we have. I want to shed a bigger light on that.
What’s your favourite game to play on Xbox and why?
My favorite game on Xbox? Well what’s funny is that most people would assume that it’s Call of Duty, when in all actuality, it’s the Fallout series. Fallout New Vegas to be exact. From the world to the soundtrack, everything is in its place. I love the multiple endings and the replayability and the DLCs.
What challenges have you experienced as a woman who plays games?
The challenges that I experience being a woman in games is the respect factor. Being a content creator takes hard work, dedication, money and discipline. “Oh it’s easier for you because you’re a woman”. No it’s not. It’s actually harder. It seems like people will judge you on being a woman first before being a gamer/content creator.
Are there any positives to being a gamer? If so what are they?
Meeting new people that you don’t get to meet normally. It’s refreshing to have someone else’s perspective on video games other than your own. Learning new skills to make my gaming/streaming experience better is another postive. Learning how to edit, learning how to use OBS etc, opening my boundaries when it comes to what type of games I play, these are other positives. I usually play shooters but the more I play, the more I’m open to new and different genres of games that I never was into at the beginning.
What do you think needs to happen for women to feel more empowered and belong in the gaming industry? Is there anything we can do now to enact change?
I think we can do a number of things. First with education, we should encourage young ladies to get into the fields that coincides with the video game industry. We should have internships for women who are interested in video games but don’t know where to start, and these internships should definitely be paid. I personally think we need more women higher up in the game industry. There should be opportunities for them as well.
Is there anything that you’ve done in gaming that you’d like to share? Have you achieved anything special or done anything in the gaming industry that we should know about?
I was the 2021 PC Gamer’s up and coming streamer to watch, was nominated for best Twitch streamer on the*gameHERs, was a panelist for Latino in Gaming month- Afro Latina roundtable and a tournament champion for Rainbow Six Siege on Xbox.
Where can we connect with you?
Twitter: twitter.com/LadyInfamous415
Grown Women Gaming Twitter: https://twitter.com/GWG_Podcast