No idea if this thread has been started before or whether it's in the right section, but I've been seeing some blogs lately about how women are depicted in games and other forms of entertainment and wanted to know what everybody here thinks.

Ok, so I'm not a feminist. I don't root for a woman in American Idol or an Olympic sport just because she's a woman and I know that there are just some jobs that men can do better than women (and there are some jobs that women can do better than men). I don't throw the word sexist around or anything like that. (Not saying all feminists are like this or anything ) It's just not me. However, I've always had a problem with the way women and teenage girls are depicted in the entertainment industry. How they are made to wear revealing clothing and move in...revealing ways...not just in games, but movies, tv shows, the way they are described in music, books too even. While I don't think it's sexist (because sexist means you hate/favor/abuse someone because of their gender whether it's a man being sexist toward a woman or the other way around), I do think it's, what's the word, exploitation? (One-sided as well)

What do you think? Isn't it getting out of hand? Is it sexist or exploiting to you? Or is it just a form of freedom of expression?

---

The objectification of women purely as sex objects *IS* sexist and has been a problem in video games pretty much forever.

That's not to say that there aren't ANY brilliant female characters out there, or are starting to be included. Elena Fisher from Uncharted or Chell from Portal for starters.

---

The portrayal of women as sex symbols isn't a videogame problem. It's a problem that encompasses all media.


And yes, it is a problem,and it needs fixing.

---

I would agree that women being portrayed as a sex symbol is a problem in all walks of media and should be fixed. But this is the sad truth to day and even though I do not agree with it Sex Sells. In all walks off media Sex Sells and is a major reason I think it is used a lot. Again I do not agree with it just the way I feel it is today.

---

Quote:You see darkness is the heart's true essence

PSN: sportsboy257

I agree that women are expoited too much throughout the entertainment industry expescailly when the Japanese do it. Those games included mainly the Dead or Alive series. Also as I was playing MG3 recently, I thought it was really pointless to have EVE's suit zipped down the whole game. I'm male and I do agree that females need to be just as they are in real life like Elena and Chell that Chole mentioned and even Faith in Mirror's Edge.

---

Currently Playing: Guacamelee (PSVita)/ Injustice: Gods Among Us (iOS)
Last Finished: Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (PS3)/ Platinumed PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (PS3 and PSVita)
Last Bought: Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (PS3)

Currently Watching: Smallville Season 10

(August 06, 2012 05:42:29 AM)Axeken Wrote:  Also as I was playing MG3 recently, I really thought it was pointless to have EVE's suit zipped down the whole game.

Kojima gives me conflicting feelings. On one hand, he has included some VERY great female characters in his games. Then you have the stuff like you just mentioned, combined with the R1 view. >.<

---

(August 06, 2012 01:08:21 PM)Chloe Wrote:  Kojima gives me conflicting feelings. On one hand, he has included some VERY great female characters in his games. Then you have the stuff like you just mentioned, combined with the R1 view. >.<

Yeah... not to mention the fact that one of the biggest noted added features to the Vita version was "You can zoom into her chest just by tapping the screen!! *excitement!*" Sigh..

To the topic, yes it's there, yes it's excessive, and yes it's wrong. However as one has already noted. We as a society (worldwide) have made it known that sex sells. Until that changes, we'll see more and more as companies push the boundaries more and more.

Best thing we can do (those against it) is not buy into it. I try to avoid it as much as possible. It's sadly one of the reasons I've not bought a single God of War title. As much as I'd LOVE to play it. Women are depicted in that game as sex objects. I don't care if they are following 'mythology'. It doesn't have to be there. But hey, that's me.

---

I think this is a great topic. I see the point of the OP is making, there are really just as many bad stereotypes and expectations placed on male video game characters and throughout all media. Examples would be The Rock or Vin Diesel style and insanely violent and emotionally unattached male characters.

The reason why this is not out of hand though is because up until recently, and even still in many places of the world women ARE second class citizens to men. That's the reason there are feminists (which simply is wanting equality for all women-it does not mean MAN HATER). There is absolutely no reason why both male and female interests shouldn't be considered more thoughtfully in media, but it's just not how it works.

When people say sex sells, try and broaden your understanding of that statement to "gender" sells. Sex is purely genital based, and yes some themes in video games are pornographic in nature, but it's really GENDER that needs to be looked at. Gender is the attributes that we assign to male and females. The main problem is that 'men' (certainly not all men, but as an over-arching social trend) also define what are desirable attributes to define the female gender (slim, in need of a protector, incapable, kind, nurturing etc). This is done in service to their own attributes (to be a hero, strong, fierce, tough, provider, have all the answers etc). The reality is men and women both share all human attributes, however a woman who doesn't care about meeting a man's expectations, or a man who doesn't care about a woman's expectations (we learn what these things are shortly after we are born... blue & trucks for boys, pink & dolls for girls...) are often the subject of ridicule (men are called pussies for sharing feelings, women are sluts for expressing sexuality, or dykes for short hair etc).

What am I getting at? Gender sells.

Think of body wash commercials, a woman essentially is displayed using the wash. She is softer, serene, maybe even more youthful, and ultimately more desirable by men-and in some adverts the finale is them being caressed by some manly hunk of muscle. Alternatively a man's body wash commercial either says buy this to be a playboy, or buy this to protect your man hide, and often is sold with rugged looking sloughing tools much like crap you'd find in a tool box. We use what is socially defined as gender to sell products.

In video games the demographics for players has traditionally been more populated by men, so of course I think this is where strict gender generalizing is less tasteful. They haven't really had to care as much, but I think that video games is slowly becoming one of the better portrayals of women and men possessing human attributes more fairly. I think Mass Effect is a great example, especially because the player got to control the emotions of either gender, without being forced into hyper masculinity or weakened femininity.

But honestly, as long as people encourage their baby boys to be rough and tumble, and their baby girls to play with dolls and makeup and deny them experiences that have been traditionally male or female I see no reason to aspire to change how things are done. It really does have to change from the bottom up.

---