Rant: GameStop

I seem to rant a lot, and maybe that makes me out to be an angry person.
But in reality, the things that annoy me are just the most interesting things to talk about.
So, without further delay, I shall now address yet ANOTHER nuisance in my life.

The scenario goes like this:

I walk into GameStop, either fully knowing what I want, or, (like any normal person) browsing to discover what I want.

The door swings open from the pressure of my hand, and the smell of fresh game hardware greets my eager nose. A smile comes to my face. I love this place.

"Hello, welcome. Can I help you?"
I turn to look at the employee behind the counter, who is gazing at me quizzically.
Here, I make a mistake: "I'll just look around, thanks."
Male gamers seem to interpret this sentence differently then what I intend.
When I say, "I'll Just look around, thanks.", I mean exactly that.
What they seem to hear is: "I need your expert help because I'm a girl, and therefore couldn't possible know anything about gaming, and need you to tell me what I want."

(Now, before I go further, let me state that I'm not saying ALL guys are like this, or ALL GameStop employees act this way. All I know is that this is the general reception I receive.)

I then proceed to walk around the store, looking around and thoroughly enjoying myself.
I LIKE to "window shop" I ENJOY looking at shiny things, even if I'm not going to purchase them.
But my lack of interest in a specific item often leads the employee straight to my side, asking me if he can "help me find something?" To which I reply with the original "No thank you, I'm just looking right now."

I continue to browse, and ONCE AGAIN, I am asked if I need any help. By this time, it's getting a little old. Especially since two other male costumers have entered the store, and were greeted with "Hi! Welcome!" (No, How can I help you?") and have been left ALONE to browse.

At this point, I am kind of interested in a few games, but I'm starting to feel insecure and unwilling to accept the help so readily provided.
This inspires me to reply with "I'm not sure." Mistake #2.
Out comes the artillery. I am then bombarded by suggestions, each one rot with highly watered down gamer dialog and obvious information, like I need to be "baby talked" through the process.
Can't I just shop? Can't I just be left alone to find what I'm looking for? I know what I like, I know what I need, and I know at least half the things GameStop employee is now slinging at me.

And that's just the situation if I DON'T know what I came for.

If I DO, say, need a controller, and tell them so, I am them AGAIN bombarded by needless information that I already know.
Why is this?
Do I have "knows nothing about games" written across my boobs in glowing letters?

I do NOT need handicap-worthy help selecting a product.
I am NOT here to buy something for my boyfriend.
And my business is JUST as valid as any of the boys that come into this shop.

Why am I being barraged?
Why am I being treated like a five year old or a mentally retarded wombat?
Why is it so hard for you to believe that I am GENUINELY interested in these products, and that I KNOW SOMETHING about them?

One time, when I went into my local Gamestop, I was surrounded within a minute of my entry with 2 employees and a random male customer, all watching my every move like a hawk and offering a comment or suggestion every other minute.. I am NOT exaggerating here...

Another time, me and my sister were looking to purchase an Xbox controller because we wanted to play against each other, and I only owned one controller. We were also planning on buying a fun multi-player game. The GameStop employee asked me "What were you playing before?" We had been playing Skyrim the past week, so that's what I told him... There was a long momet of silence, then "Uh, Skyrim isn't a multi-player game." Oh.My.God... Seriously??? I KNOW that! I had already informed him that we were also going to purchase a multi-player game, because I didn't really have any! He didn't ask what we were planning on using the controllers for. He asked me what I was playing. Stupid ass.
After that, as I went down the isle of games, the cover of a Harry Potter Kinect game caught my eye. The look on Harry's face was extremely comical, so I picked it up to show to my sister. The GameStop employee found this a perfect time to insert "That's for Kinect."
Now annoyed, I replied with a cold "Yeah, THANKS, I know." Can you blame me??

Okay, so girls in GameStop are kind of a rarity, and a hard-core gamer girl is about a 1 in 10 statistic, but that does NOT give you the right to make me into an exhibit, or try to lord your masculine position over me.

Real help, I appreciate.
Equality, I appreciate.

Anything else? BUZZ OFF. I have a game to buy.