It depends on the game. Try that in non-competitive games, and it will be this way. Try that in a competitive team game, and abuse at volume heaven has not know will rain upon you.

This is because in those games, you have to be a sweat with 30.000 hours and very good at the game to have any success and women (and french people) are perceived as less skilled.

It often comes to mind the League of Legends professional female gaming team. Another professional team (male) banned support characters (women often do play support in league of legends) and dragged on the game on purpose to kill them over and over, and they didn't win a single game in a season or something.

So, in a competitive team game, you want others in your team to be as good as you or better. If they are worse, they are 'that arsehole that is making me lose'. If they are better, it isn't as much of a problem, except if it is a woman. Because if a woman (or a french) is better than you at the game, you'll be the butt of every joke.

This also has to do with the competitive nature of male society. While female society is built on social networks and cooperation (mostly) male society is a constant competition. Because the male that isn't at the top of the hierarchy is seen as a loser. Being lower than a female in the hierarchy is seen as being a super loser.

Of course, I do not justify abuse being thrown at anyone because of their gender/sex/religion/politics. (notice how I excluded the french, it was because of this one Aldiasin french dude in League that played critical strike veigar in my promo).

This is not a justification post, please do not understand it as such. This is an analysis post. Please answer to me if you have anything relevant to add, because I too would like to understand it better. Thank you.