Aw! Chicksilog: A Phenomenological Study of Filipino Male Gender-Bending in Massively Multiplayer Role-Playing Online Games (MMORPGs)

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.