"The Reality: If you are a woman in the industry with a critical opinion, you will get a disproportional amount of criticism, hostility, and scrutiny compared to men."

I disagree. The reality is that if anyone has a critical opinion and expresses it online, you will get harassed. As a test, go on Reddit, pretend you are a guy, and post a critical opinion in one of the gaming subreddits.

The problem is that the Internet has given everyone a voice, and a public email address or twitter feed means anyone, with almost no effort, can send you a message, and try to get to you.

"I've personally never heard of a man in the games industry getting rape threats for having an opinion."

I have..and much worse.

"When a woman criticizes me, it goes to a different part of my brain than when a man on my team does. I get defensive really quickly. I’m trying to get better about it." I don’t think his is a unique experience."

Nobody likes criticism..and most peoples reaction is to get defensive..it doesn't matter who is giving it.

"One of the consequences is that men are extremely sensitive to being criticized by women"

Based on what evidence? Your friend saying it? I see no direct evidence in your entire blog post besides hearsay.

"Women in the games industry get special treatment for being women, and your life can be made easier by your looks"

This is a fact in any industry. Women (and men for that matter) that are attractive get treated better (there have been numerous studies on this). To change this would mean changing human nature..which isn't happening any time soon.

"A look at the YouTube comments for her 2010 PAX East panel is stomach-churning. A shocking number of them personally attack the women of Girlfight."

I will give you some advice: ignore Youtube comments. Trolls on the Internet will say anything they can do destroy you and make you break down. It seems to be working.

While we are on the topic, it is getting pretty scary how we are moving toward mob Internet justice. Look at the number of people that were fired, had their careers ruined, or were forced to step down due to mob mentality on the Internet.

The ex-Mozilla CEO is a good example of this.

"I have yet to talk to a man who has had to call a police officer due to a stalker, only to be told nothing can be done until they are physically assaulted. "

Are you kidding? I know plenty of men that had to call the police about a female stalker/ex-girlfriend and were told the EXACT same thing.

"Growing a thicker skin isn't the answer, nor is it a proper response. Listening, and making the industry safer for the existence of visible women is the best, and only, way forward."

Growing a thicker skin is the answer. Have you ever played any Xbox live game online with a headset? What do you hear? Teenage boys calling each other the worst names imaginable. I just turn it off and keep playing.

You are an adult (I presume) trying to change the gaming culture of teenagers and trolls on the Internet (some of which aren't even located in the US). This is futile and will most likely never change unless there are serious restrictions put on the Internet, worldwide.

It sounds like you don't like the gaming culture. I don't like it either, but it has little to do with men being sexist and more to do with trolls and children harassing anyone online because it's easy.

The people that succeed learn to ignore the noise and concentrate on what matters.