Her Perfect Game by Shannyn Schroeder

to questions and comments.
    Charlie was right in that nothing would change because of this one panel, but this discussion was an eye-opener for him. He’d known about harassment, had seen it firsthand, but he didn’t really know what it did to the victims until he heard their stories.
    As each woman stood and explained what had happened to her and how she felt, Charlie nodded or grunted her assent. She shifted in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs and arms. When they called for last comments, she shot out of her chair and rushed to the microphone.
    Jonah was stunned. He hadn’t expected Charlie to speak up. He leaned forward and watched her body language as closely as he listened to her words.
    â€œLike the rest of you, I’ve experienced the minor harassment when players realize I’m a woman. From the taunts of ‘girls can’t play’ to being told that I must be an ugly, fat bitch that no real man would want. We’re all used to that. I think most of us ignore it and let it roll off. But we can’t. Dismissing it allows it to continue as something that’s not only acceptable, but expected.”
    She paused and looked over her shoulder at him. He wished he knew what he could do to offer her reassurance.
    She turned back to the mike. “Last night, while playing my favorite game, another character who was angry at me attacked me.” She took a deep breath. “He ripped off my clothes, and he planned to rape me—my character. This game has been my refuge, my safe place to relax and explore, but he took some of that from me last night.”
    Jonah stiffened. He shouldn’t have left her in game alone. He should’ve stayed online to make sure she was okay.
    â€œThe thing is, as a player, I can only do so much to keep myself and my identity safe. It’s up to you”—she pointed at the panelists—“to keep my player safe. Why was this cretin allowed to rip off my clothes? In what universe would that ever be acceptable?”
    Now she turned back, and the look she shot at Jonah was full of accusation.
    â€œThe developers, the security analysts, the businesses who take my hard-earned money should never have allowed that to happen.”
    She walked away from the mike and kept walking until she hit the door. The room was silent. Jonah rose as the moderator began to speak to the panelists. He pushed open the door and looked around for Charlie, but he couldn’t see her. As easy as it should’ve been to spot a blue-green elf walking around with a bow and arrows, it wasn’t. The sea of Klingons and stormtroopers swallowed her up.
    Although she moved quickly, he knew where to find her. No matter how angry or hurt she might be about sharing that story, she wouldn’t miss a chance to be with other Brown-coats. Three years ago, they’d spent a weekend lying in bed watching the entire Firefly series. Jonah considered himself lucky Charlie loved that instead of Buffy the Vampire Slayer . He snagged a schedule to find the Joss Whedon discussion. It didn’t start for at least another twenty minutes, so he went in search of some coffee before tracking down Charlie.
    The long lines for coffee had him getting to the next session with only five minutes to spare. The Whedonites filled the hall, so Charlie should stand out in this crowd. He glanced through the groups, hoping she wasn’t hiding from him, regretting that she’d told him her plans for the afternoon.
    Then he saw her. She didn’t appear to still be angry. Her gait was smooth, and she chatted with a guy dressed in a leather costume covered in metal studs. Jonah had no idea who he was supposed to be. Charlie pulled up short when she noticed him.
    â€œI brought you a coffee. Got a minute?”
    She raised an eyebrow but took the cup. “I refuse to be late for this session, so talk fast.”
    â€œWhat happened in game last night. Was it the first time