Abstract:
This study entitled "Male Gender-bending in Massively
Multiplayer Online Games (MMORPGs): A Phenomenological Study" is
a phenomenological-constructivist study on the lived experience of male
gender-benders. Using qualitative methods such as participant
observations and in-depth interviews, the study provided a description of
the gender-bending phenomenon that is true to the experiences of genderbenders
themselves. In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive
sample of 10 male gamers. Using a combination of Hycner's (1991) and
Moustaka's (1994) phenomenological method, 8 themes emerged from the
significant statements from the participants, individual textural and
structural descriptions. The study found that the male Filipino "chicksilog"
(gender-bender) considers a lot of factors when deciding to use a female
character, whether they may be based on intentional personal inclinations
or affected by unintentional side-effects of the game design.
