#tamponrun

“At Girls Who Code, I wanted to do something that would focus on the hyper-sexualization of women in video games. I proposed my idea to Sophie Hauser and she wanted to do something with me to address social justice. She made a joke saying, ‘Why not have a game where you throw tampons at people?’ At first, we laughed, but after talking about menstruation and how embarrassed we were about it, we realized that it could be worth exploring. In video games, we see blood all the time, but menstrual blood is stigmatized.” ~Andrea Gonzales

Meet Andrea Gonzales, a high school senior from New York City. As a classically trained pianist, she never thought of computer science as a career path until she saw Atlantis: The Lost Empire. One of the film’s characters, Audrey, was an engineer. Andrea applied for Girls Who Code in her pursuit to follow in Audrey’s footsteps. 

Her final project during the Summer Immersion Program was a game called Tampon Run, which became an overnight hit with it’s mission to de-stigmatize menstruation. In the game, players become a young woman who needs to collect tampons before her opponents do. When the opponents approach the player, she shoots tampons at them in self-defense. 

Read more about Andrea and Tampon Run in our Q&A. 

Q&A with Andrea Gonzales:

Were you always interested in Computer Science?

My parents wanted me to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer. I chose engineer because of a character in Atlantis: The Lost Empire. The character’s name was Audrey and she was really gifted in engineering. I wanted to be that type of person. Audrey was my introduction to STEM. 

What made you apply for Girls Who Code?

I went to an elementary school that focused on classical music - I’m a classically trained pianist - so STEM was never a focus in my school. I had done computer camps that were co-ed before, but I was really interested in the all-female community in the classroom and in the alumni network of Girls Who Code.

When I started the Summer Immersion Program, I was intimidated at first because I was used to being around guys. In my co-ed camps, I was one of 4 girls and that included staff. When I got into Girls Who Code, I was most scared because I had never seen so many girls in one space in my life. They talked about sisterhood and family. Other than having a blood sister, that concept was foreign to me.

The Girls Who Code community has become so valuable to me because I’ve been able to embrace my femininity. I never would have thought of my final project, Tampon Run, if I wasn’t in an all-female environment where I was able to embrace myself as a woman. 

When did you start playing piano?

I started playing piano when I was 5. I applied to a lot of gifted and talented public schools in NYC and wanted to learn an instrument so my conservatory-style elementary school was a good fit. Plus, my sister went there to study violin. 

Is coding related to piano?

The way I think about music theory is similar to how I think about coding. It’s about starting with small things and then making them larger. Learning music is a long, arduous process where you focus on one thing for a month and then end up with a beautiful finished product. It’s a lot of trial and error before you complete the final picture.

What was the inspiration for Tampon Run

The year before Girls Who Code, I had done an English Project where I made a game about The Odyssey. My thesis was that all female characters aside from Penelope and Athena were treated as women with sexual agency. There was an imbalance in how men and women were being portrayed. My game was really successful. In that process, I learned that I liked using games and programming to break down complex messages. 

At Girls Who Code, I wanted to do something that would focus on the hyper-sexualization of women in video games. I proposed my idea to Sophie Hauser and she wanted to do something with me to address social justice. She made a joke saying, “Why not have a game where you throw tampons at people?” 

At first, we laughed, but after talking about menstruation and how embarrassed we were about it, we realized that it could be worth exploring. In video games, we see blood all the time but menstrual blood is stigmatized. The rest is history.

Are you surprised by how Tampon Run took off?

After the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program ended, we decided to clean it up and share it with our friends and family. Our goal was to get featured on a feminist blog like Jezebel, but we got featured in four major media outlets! I never expected that would happen.

Has the success of Tampon Run made you more confident?

Tampon Run has been my life over the past year. I’ve become more well spoken and confident in answering questions publicly. I never thought I’d know so much about the menstrual taboo. I’m also less afraid to do things.

Tell us about a time you overcame failure

I was in the height of Tampon Run and I became withdrawn from my other extracurricular activities. I originally thought Tampon Run would be a 15 minutes of fame thing that would pass after a week. I focused all of my time on the game, which had taken time away from my piano studies. I was part of an intense program that required me to practice constantly and do a final performance in front of a lot of people. I was still working on Tampon Run a couple weeks before my piano jury.

I ended up failing my evaluation in piano. It was horrible not to succeed in something that I had worked on my whole life. That moment made me realize what I can and cannot commit to and the amount of pressure I want to put on myself. My mental health has to be a priority.

What’s next?

I want to study Computer Science in college but I want to add an interdisciplinary study. I’d like to do arts and interactive media because I like seeing the way that people interact with media.

What advice would you give to another girl to inspire her to code?

Don’t be intimidated by it! It’s very clear that girls are not present in the STEM world and that can be scary because you feel like you have no support. However, there is a community that is there to support and help be a network for you. 

epic quest. http://cuek.co/284