Gamer. For most people that conjures up an image of a geeky teenage boy sitting in his room in his parents' house talking on a headset to other geek friends who have no lives. I am here to tell you: That is so 1990! Today gamers are teenagers, men and, yes, women. In fact, women who game are quickly becoming more mainstream. We have slammed open the doors to the gaming world and we are storming the gates. (Or in gamer speak: When you get pwned, there is a good chance it was a woman who pwned you.)

A recent study released by the video game industy's trade group, the ESA (Entertainment Software Association) states that "40% of gamers are women."

Additional findings in the ESA's annual
survey of consumer demographics and usage behaviors indicate that the
average age of game players has risen to 35.

Among the survey's main findings:

• 65 percent of American households play computer and video games;
• 38 percent of American homes have a video game console;
• The average game player is 35 years old;
• One out of four gamers are over age 50;
• Women
  age 18 or older represent a significantly greater portion of the
  game-playing population (33 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (18
  percent); and, (emphasis mine)
• 41 percent of Americans expect to purchase one or more games this year.

But what does it mean to be a gamer? The term can encompass everyone from the person who enjoys playing the casual games that are readily available on the Wii console (games such as Wii Fit and Wii Sports) to the players who enjoy the hardcore, online MMORPG's such as World of Warcraft and Halo and a few who land somewhere in between with games such as Second Life.

Many more websites are popping up that are geared towards women gamers. They showcase not just the women, but the games we are playing. A great example of one such website is WomenGamers.com. Their mission explains why sites like this one are gaining in popularity.

Our mission is fourfold: first, to provide a fun, dynamic online gaming
site that caters to the interests and needs of different types of women
gamers. To achieve the widest possible appeal, all game genres are
reviewed and discussed. Second, the site serves as a platform or the
dissemination of information about games from an informed,
socially-conscious, female-centered perspective. Third, WomenGamers.com
gathers information from visitors about their gaming preferences,
opinions, concerns, and ideas for the future of gaming, and the
industry. Fourth, WomenGamers.Com offers a suite of services that
includes customized consulting services, market research, and support
services to game companies and universities. Its revenues stem mainly
from advertising.

I am a frequent visitor to this site and it is a great place to find out the latest and greatest in gaming.

Another site that I frequent often-- thanks for my every growing love for the MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) World of Warcraft-- is Women of Warcraft. We share everything from game skills to how to tweek your charcter at different levels. In other words, it is a one stop shop for all things WoW--for and by women.

But it is not just group blogs and forums that feature women who have turned to gaming.

While at BlogHer this summer, Michele of Sparks and Butterflies gave me a friendly smack (verbally mostly) saying, "It's all your fault that I am now addicted to WoW!" We share a laugh, started talking game talk and guilds and not one man was in sight. She spoke of being a guild leader, her high level character and which server she plays on. And, yes, we did know what we were talking about. Women gamers, baby.

And of course I cannot leave out another of our BlogHer gamer women, Amy of the blog Tastes Like Crazy. She, too, is among the rising number of gamers who "get it" and are out there pwning the teenage geeks. And she is pregnant and raising a family while doing it! She also writes for Ironic Gamer and Sims Gamer.

The point of all of this? Women are gamers. We are here. We play. And we play to win!

The last Wednesday of every month I will be posting about gaming. New realeases, upcoming trends, the latest consoles and women making gaming news. Let me know what you want to hear about and I will try to cover that, too.

Yes, I am usually the one of the editors for the Mommy & Family beat, but after pointing out to BlogHer the lack of gaming representation on such a huge forum for women such as BlogHer, they graciously allowed me to bring my gaming talk to you once a month. (Can I hear a w00t?)

So, are you are woman gamer? Share. From the casual to the hardcore, I want to hear what you like to play when it comes to games.

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Contributing editor Jennifer Satterwhite (Mommy & Family) writes her personal blog Mommy Needs Coffee and is the Founder and Editor of Mommybloggers.