Postal Nation:
Meet The Bitches With Attitude!

The development of multi-player POSTAL2 eventually led to the formation of the Postal League, where teams of the best and brightest players could test their skills in an international arena to determine the team that best deserves the designation "Postal."

But it was the Postal League that led to the formation of the phenomenon known as the Bitches With Attitudes, an all-female Postal League squad that quickly captured the imagination of the entire gaming sub-culture.

Whereas female gamers comprised less than 5% of players throughout the 80s and well into the 90s, it was the online gaming revolution that seemed to add the social dynamic for which potential distaff gamers had been waiting. Now, with game players nearing the 50-50 male-female demographic breakdown, the ladies of electronic gaming are no longer merely shapely, animated pixels – they are a flesh-and-blood component of the audience who have no plans to go away.

And while, in some cases, the presence of women in online gaming has proven to be a civilizing element, we'd like to introduce you to a PMS-ed out posse who are proving to be as bad ass – if not more so – than their male counterparts who once sneered and sniped at them during online play in an attempt to maintain the testosterone dominant format.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you… The Bitches With Attitude (BWA)!

--The Gimp

Tara 's Theme:

Tara Lynn Jarvis (soon to be Tara Lynn Ritchie – that's right, guys, she's getting a divorce!) is a foxy 32 year old native of Antioch , IL who was born on Friday the 13 th , in October no less. Clearly born with a Goth streak in her DNA. No kids, but she fawns over fauna, as Tara is an animal lover with the dream job of managing of an Animal Hospital . "I rolled my compassion for pets and my compassion for their well being into my career," she attests. I love my job." A self-described "very independent woman" with a dominant personality that, she admits, comes kind of close to making her a control freak. REAL close. "I must be in control," she states. "ALWAYS. This is very hard for people to accept. I am not some sweet submissive female. I prefer to be the one who goes out and makes the money and comes home to my man who has cleaned house cooked me dinner and later runs my bath and washes my hair for me."

Boy, have I ever got the Gimp for her!

"Okay," she agrees, "so yeah maybe a gimp is what I need. I prefer to call them my step 'n fetch bitches. I have a great sense of humor but also one HELL of a temper.  POSTAL2 is a great anger management program in my mind. And at other times, it's just great fun. I can sit and watch the MP games and it is piss funny. Better than some comedy shows I have seen."

GIMP: How were the members of BWA formed -- and who came up with the now-famous name?

TARA: Silky (see below) is the one who started BWA. She was originally in the SA clan. She discussed it with a friend, but he thought the name she came up with was not fitting. She originally wanted to call it LWA – Ladies With Attitude. So he suggested Bitches instead and here we are.

GIMP: How did you find yourself part of the group, Tara ?

TARA: I was very skeptical at joining BWA [at first] because, well, I am a 32 year old woman and online gaming seemed out of sorts for me. I was playing only a short time – maybe three months – when Silk asked me to join a clan with her and Gina . It was just for fun and, well, that's all I was looking for – some fun and some anger management.

GIMP: What do you see as the primary attributes of a BWA member?

TARA: The essence of a BWA member? Well, fearlessness and a fondness for dominance comes to mind. You have to be a fearless, dominant bitch to play POSTAL2 with these guys. They can sure be intimidating.

GIMP: Yeah – especially when they're over a thousand miles away playing under the name "BonegrinderBadass1". But clearly, you've overcome their mind games. Now let's step back a little more and discuss your personal history with POSTAL2. How'd that happen?

TARA: I started playing POSTAL2 after I left my husband. I needed something to keep my mind off my marital problems and was presently playing only AOL POGO – which is quite embarrassing to admit since they're basically card games like poker, gin, blackjack, some slot machines and that kind of stuff. But it did the trick, ya know? I concentrated on that instead of my life. Then I met a guy who was into PC and online gaming big time. He had all kinds of games – I tried Chaser, Battlefield 1942, a Command and Conquer game, Leisure Suit Larry and You Don't Know Jack. Anyway, this guy downloaded the Postal 2 demo, I saw him playing it and said to myself: "Hmmmm, now that one looks fun." So I played the single player version for a while. I really got into it. I would sit and play for hours just killing and killing. I played the demo for about 2 months when I decided to order the full version. The decision to order the full version came when I found myself up all night for 8 hours playing the single player version killing everyone, cops included, stealing drugs and money and kicking their bodies into different parts of town. Then I'd set them on fire and watched them burn.

At this point I still had no idea that there was an online version of the game, so I didn't realize ya could play with other people. When the game arrived I went straight to the single player mode and played the whole day. But when I started looking at different areas of the game, I found the MP version. WOW, was I surprised. So I tried it and LOVED IT.

However, I sucked ass at it. I couldn't kill anyone for shit. I was getting killed like 100 times in a game. I was on a funky work and sleep schedule so I was playing at the same time as the Euro players, so I started playing in those servers. And let me tell ya, playing as a chick was no fun to start with. Those boys showed no mercy.  Well I was just about to say fuck it and go back to killing on the single player version when a Postal Player named Daywalker rescued me. He convinced the other players to take it easy on me and sort of became my Postal bodyguard and trainer. He took the time to explain the game and teach me how to play the online version. Now you have to realize that I am not an easy person to teach something to. He spent a lot of time and had a lot of patience with me. He has gotten me where I am today. I like to think I am a decent player for a bitch. LOL.

But I do not consider myself a hard core gamer, only a hardcore Postal bitch. One night I was playing the single player version and, well, I live in an apartment building and I had my windows open. I was real into it and I would talk to the game as I was playing. Yell, swear, whatever and I didn't realize exactly what I was doing until my then-boyfriend says to me: " Tara , shhhhh! I'm sure everyone can hear you." I had been the entire time I was playing: "God Dammit… I didn't come here to fight – I just want your fucking drugs and your money… don't make me kill you, motherfucker!!!"  See? Great Anger Management Stress Relief tool, eh?

GIMP: Is this all just a lark, or do you see BWA as a permanent part of the POSTAL scene?

TARA: I do see BWA being very prominent and dominant for that matter on the Postal landscape, hell yes. I have worked real hard at the web site and at spreading the word about the female clan. And I'm not about to give up. The female members we have seem to love POSTAL very much and a few of them have been playing for quite sometime. I hope as the word gets out maybe male members will tell their wives, girlfriends, sisters, friends and all the females they know about POSTAL. Maybe someday we can have more members than the guy clans. Look out boys, the Chicks are taking over! I gotta tell you, tho, for the most part the guys on Postal have been great with the exception of a few assholes. I really appreciate the fact that the Postal Nation accepts us females as part of the group. And as for those assholes that don't, well FUCK YOU!! We are here... we are females... we are bitches... and we are STAYING!!!

GIMP: You're giving me chills, Tara ! Okay, now for the Bonus Question: If you could get Vince Desi to do anything you wanted, what would be your command?

TARA: I would make Vince fly me to Vegas for a weekend and be my Step 'N Fetch Bitch. Have him under my total control; make him my slave or my gimp as you may prefer to call it.

GIMP: Now THAT was a BITCHIN' interview. But remember, the BWA are a GROUP, so let's move along to the founding female herself, dj Silky!

© J. Scott Campbell

Silky's Saga

Silky – also known as Naomi Howes – is a 21 year old lass from the "south border of London ." She's been playing POSTAL2 since approximately the beginning of 2003 and is, to answer the famous musical question posed by Jimi Hendrix , is indeed "Experienced."

Silky is also a dedicated Counter Strike fan, but if forced to choose, "POSTAL2 would win hands down. I could never desert that game now. How could I? I have made many, many friends through POSTAL and have gotten a great response from everyone, including everyone at Running With Scissors!"

GIMP: Tara tells us that you were basically the genesis of BWA.

SILKY: I was in a clan called SA and after some problems I had a long chat with a friend and told him that I fancied starting an all-girl clan and would call it Ladies With Attitude (LWA), but he said no it had to be BWA. I said yes, it was the perfect name but then I had a bad feeling because I didn't really know any other girls apart from Gina that played. So I started leaving posts in the forum and by word-of-mouth got a good response. Within about two weeks I had four members and that was great.

I've gotten nothing but positive feedback from all the clans, encouraging us to make a go of it and look where we are now! Okay, not all of our members were expert gamers, but that was because they were new to the game and over the last few months they have all grown with the game. All we can do is our best! :D

GIMP: What do you believe is the essence of a BWA member?

SILKY: The essence is definitely us girlys. We are bringing something fresh to POSTAL and proving that men don't own at everything. :P

GIMP: How did you discover POSTAL2?

SILKY: My boyfriend played the demo and then, after he got good at the full game, he trained me up (he was also in SA but sadly he couldn't join us because of certain reasons that you may all guess at. We could change his name from John to Joanna and no one would ever know.

GIMP: Do you consider yourself a hardcore gamer?

SILKY: Oh of course! Definitely. I have hundreds and hundreds of PC games and sims to kick ass on.

GIMP: Got any good stories from LAN events/MP competition?

SILKY: Never been to a lan party before; never really [figured out] how I would get about to go to one. Maybe one day, but hey, I have three great gaming PCs at my house, so I'll make my own lan party.

And I have seen some very good MP matches over the last year or so when I was too stoned or otherwise incapable of playing. LOL

GIMP: I hear that. When you live in a pit wearing a dog collar attached to a chain, I'd be doing the ganga thing all day – if only Vince wouldn't lock the mouth zipper on my leather head mask! Ah, well, the Bitches With Attitude have certainly been embraced by the POSTAL crew (if only in our dreams). Do you see the Bitches continuing to be a prominent force on the POSTAL landscape?

SILKY: As well as my circumstances at home have not changed and even tho I can be really busy sometimes, I always make time for my games and as long as I own a PC and have the internet, POSTAL will always been installed on my computer

GIMP: And we wrap it up with the Bonus Question, Silky! If you could make Vince Desi do anything you wanted (which, let's face it, you pretty much already can), what would it be?

SILKY: Cause I'm broke most of the time, I have always wanted to fly back over to the USA just to come to one of your Postal parties! I have seen the photos of events where you have been before and to meet u all would be fucking ace!

Julia's Journey

Julia Allison is a 27 year old resident of Portland, Oregon, who loves quoting Anais Nin ("And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.")

Her dad taught her h ow to handle a weapon at an early age and she proved herself a natural. She hopes to attend law school but the question of tuition keeps getting in the way. She is, she admits without a trace of false modesty, "a beer connoisseur" and lives with "an amazing man who is strong enough to stay with me." Her favorite movie of all time is "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas " ( Terry Gilliam turns out the only true Gonzo movie ever made) and the "best book evah" is " Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". And I'd take a wild guess that Johnny Depp might be her favorite actor.

Philosophically: " I believe in feminism and letting men pay for my drinks and everyone should be treated equal. I used to be wild and crazy, now I am just crazy. I believe in being engaged but not getting married. I think Bill Clinton is one of the sexist men to ever live. I can drink more than you. I can drink more than you and not vomit. I think Coors Light is the beer of the gods. I like to dance, preferably to bad 90s gangster rap. I wear too much black eyeliner. I believe cleavage is a staple of my wardrobe. I enjoy a good argument, especially when I am right, which is always. I am loud, obnoxious and raunchy. I swear like a pirate and swagger like one, too. I believe strippers can work their way through college. I am a porch monkey. I hate people that don't vote but bitch about our present state of affairs. I love with my whole heart and hate you with the same conviction. I will always tell you the truth, even if it hurts."

Wow, what a firecracker!

GIMP: Why did you join BWA ?

JULIE: Because playing in a clan with some kick ass bitches makes Postal just that much better

GIMP: What do you believe makes up the essence of a BWA member?

JULIE: Well, first, you have to be one cool ass bitch... One who takes no shit and can fling pooh like the rest of those Postal-playing monkeys. An unwillingness to take shit from those boys who think that girls shouldn't play video games would also help. And.... a big ol attitude.

GIMP: How did you first find yourself playing POSTAL2?

JULIE: HAHA... My husband is a big time computer geek. I figured if I couldn't beat him then I might as well join him. I tried playing Enemy Territory with him, but I kept getting banned because I suck (goddamn friendly fire). There was not a chance that Diablo 2 or WOW would ever entertain me... (I do enjoy seeing the light of day), and I just kept looking. I tried GTA , but I suck at driving games, with the exception of Mario Kart . One day, I came across a demo of P2; I beat it at every level. I couldn't believe there was a game that was not only playable but realistic. I loved the open game play and the story was fucking downright hysterical. I was hooked, but the demo wouldn't let me do any multiplayer game play. I will save the story of me trying to locate P2 at various "software" stores, but it proved to be quit the task to find. Jeremy , my husband, completely stoked that he turned me into a computer game player found the Postal website and got me up and running... No pun intended.

GIMP: Do you consider yourself a hardcore gamer?

JULIE: I only play Postal. I literally play so much, my garden has started to get overgrown with weeds and trash is piling up outside. I just couldn't stop playing I was absolutely hooked. My favorite way to spend my Tuesday night is playing with my bitches, drinking a Coors light and rolling up a phattie…

GIMP: I love you Bitches sooooo much…

JULIE: Jeremy and I had to strike a deal that I would only play two hours a day and would stop playing when he got home from work... Although, I do enjoy playing Unreal Tournament on the occasion. But, I do see how people could become hardcore gamers.

GIMP: Got any good stories from LAN events/MP competition?

JULIE: ROFL! Please, if you ever find me at a LAN party; slap the shit out of me. I still am in the closet a bit about the fact I play an online video game. Although, once, when I was still working my way through college as a dancer I worked as a Hostess at a LAN party where there were over 100 boys. I heart geeks. Jeremy also has LAN parties occasionally at our home, but I leave and go dancing when that happens.

GIMP: Well, the Bitches With Attitudes have certainly become popular among the Postal posse. Do you see the Bitches continuing to be major force on the POSTAL landscape?

JULIE: HELLZ YAH ... we just need more time. Three years from now, watch the fuck out.

GIMP: Bonus question time~ If you could make Vince Desi do anything you wanted, what would it be?

JULIE: P3 would be about a Postal Bitch who is seriously menstrual and just won't take shit from her old man anymore. OHHHH and... Vince, he would hook me up with some sweet UFC tickets!!!!! And if Vince wanted to pay my way through law school that would be good.

GIMP: You're a UFC fan, too? Jesus H. Geronimo Christmas! She plays games, drinks Coors, smokes boo AND digs UFC? Okay, Julie , so you've got a husband – but do you have Gimp? Hmmmmm?

An Affair with Claire

Claire Tamlyn is a 22 year old mum from Wales who loves looking after her baby. She also loves playing POSTAL2, which she's been doing for about seven months now. Approximately five months back, she joined the BWA and "I'm enjoying it very much."

Claire recalls the name BWA as a co-creation of Silky and Crazy Chic. Claire joined the BWA because "the members are friendly, it's great fun and it's the first official girl clan" in the Postal League. "I began playing POSTAL2 when my partner got me playing the game, which I enjoy very much. I wouldn't consider myself a hardcore gamer because the
only online game I play is POSTAL2."

A fountain of optimism, the young mother believes that "we bitches will be a great and
successful clan and rule on POSTAL2!"

*

And there you have it, a chat with Bitches who give POSTAL2 its feminine Attitude. For additional information on the group, check out their site.

--The Gimp

And that's all for this month. Remember, it's even more fun if you participate! So send us something cool, dammit!