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Window to WoW, week seven

Knight in Shining Armor Syndrome: We examine symptoms of false chivalry and sexism in World of Warcraft

Words: Sarah Joynt-Borger, GamesRadar US

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It’s been said that "MMORPG stands for Mostly Men Online Role-Playing as Girls." With so many men masquerading as slim and sexy female warriors, true guild girls - whose real and virtual genders match - are a little harder to come by in WoW. Once your guild hears a blatantly feminine voice on Teamspeak or Ventrilo, it's only a matter of time before Knight in Shining Armor (KISA) syndrome sets in.

KISA syndrome happens whenever a "real girl" is discovered amongst the crowd of transgender toons. Unfortunately, this discovery can spark off an epidemic of false chivalry and bickering boys without the woman in question ever knowing about it. Catching KISA in its early stages is crucial to preventing a widespread outbreak of unwanted text flirts, and disingenuous offers of assistance. The following are key symptoms to watch out for:

Stage One: Escalation of private messages

There's a sudden hush in guild chat when you log on, similar to the eerie quiet that happens when a woman reporter goes into a men's locker room. You'll realize why no one is typing on the guild chat channel once the flurry of whispers from your freshly minted fan base begins. Especially dangerous are those which involve smiley faces, winking smiley faces, or an emote surrounded by two asterisks (i.e. *hug*). Complimentary messages ending with the dreaded heart (as in "I <3 your new shield"), should also be noted as an early sign of KISA syndrome.

If you find yourself receiving whispers with a combination of any of the aforementioned emotes such as "I <3 your new shield ;) *hug*," then the sender has likely advanced to the late stages of KISA syndrome.