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KatieHaynes
UWRT1102
Grant
04/08/2015
VideoGamesandTheirAversiontoWomen
Arevideogamesandtheircommunitiessexistanddoesitmatter?IrememberwhenI
firststartedplayinggames,IwouldsitaloneinaroomwithmybrothersXbox,N64,or
GameCubeandplay,unawareofanewculturedevelopingoutside.Thisculturewasntknown
tomeuntilIfirstencounteredXboxLiveandbeganinteractingwithothergamers.WhenIfirst
gotaheadset,Iwasexcitedtointeractwithpeopleonline,fellowgamerswhosharedthe
sameinterestsandpassionsthatIdid,peoplelikemybrothersandtheirfriends.However,
thingsfellapartwhenthesepeople,whoIhadassumedwouldbelikeme,foundoutIwasa
girl.AnythingthatItriedtocontributetoaconversationinvolvinggameswasnegated
becauseofmygender,andifImessedupordidpoorlyitwasblamedonmebeingawoman
thisisparticularlyjarringsincepriortothemdiscoveringmygender,mythoughtsandopinions
seemedtocountasmuchasanyoneelses.
WhenIwearashirtwithavideogamereferenceonitIamtreatedoneoftwoways:
eitherIamgivenreverenceasthefemalegamertobeplacedonapedestalandogled,orI
amsubjectedtoabarrageofquestionstomakecertainthatIknoweverythingaboutsaid
game,especiallyobscurities.ItsasifIhavetoprovemyselfbeforethehighcourtofgaming
beforeIamevenallowedtospeak.EvenwhenplayinggamesIamtreatedtotheimagesof
womenlikeLaraCroftwithimpossiblyskinnywaistsandbreastslargerthanherheadorany
numberofwarriorwomencladinbikiniswhiletheirmalecounterpartsarewearingactual
armor.Imagessuchasthese,whichfeatureheavilyinvideogames,areimportanttheylead

toboysoversexualizingwomen,andtheyleadgirlstoneverseethemselvesinamain
characterunlessshefitswithsocietysidealofwhatshot.
Therearemanydifferentopinionsonwhetherornotvideogamesaresexistand
whetherornotitsbadiftheyare.Gamecreatorsanddevelopersvaryontheirresponsesto
accusationsofsexismandlackoffemalerepresentation.Althoughsomedevelopersclaim
theyrepresentwomenwell,theydonotoftenseemtoshowanyproof.Forexample,Jonathan
Cooper,ananimatorforpopulargamedeveloper
Bioware
,announcedoverTwitterthatthe
maincharacteroftheirbeloved
MassEffect
serieswasoriginallyafemale.Althoughthegame
featuresamaincharacterwhocanbemaleorfemalebasedonplayerchoice,itisprimarily
marketedwithamaleCommanderShepardasthedefault.Coopersannouncementwasmet
withapprovalanddisapproval.Mostplayersrespondedwithsomevariationoforiginallya
female?Shestillis.Afewraisedapertinentquestion:whythechangeawayfromthedefault
maincharacterasfemale?ThisisessentiallyadmittingtheypreferredamaleShepardtoa
femaleone(Cooper).
Bioware
sotherpopulargameseries,
DragonAge
,hasasimilarproblem.
DragonAge
CreativeDirectorMikeLaidlawtweetedinresponsetoafanthatPeopleintheDragonAge
worldgenerallydontmindwomeninpositionsofpower(Laidlaw).Thisisastrangeclaimto
make,however,becausethegameitselfsuggestsotherwise.Ifthemaincharacterisafemale
inthefirstofthefranchise,
DragonAge:Origins
,sheismetwithnumerousnegativeor
surprisedresponsesthatsheisamemberofanorganizationintheseriescalledtheGray
Wardens.Additionally,thepeoplewhoareactuallyinpositionsofpowerwithinthegameare
primarilymale.Thefollowinglistshowsthepeoplewithinthegamethatholdpositionsof
powerandtheirdeclaredgender:KnightCaptainCullen,maleFirstEnchanterIrving,male
Duncan,LeaderoftheGrayWardens,maleKingCailan,maleKingBhelenorHarrowmont

(dependingonplayerschoices),bothmaleJustiniaV,ReveredMother,femaleKeeper
Zathrian,maleWitherfang,female.Therearenumerousothers,buttheinpreviouslistare
theleaderstheplayerinteractswithduringthemainquests.Thereareonlytwofemales.One
worksfortheChantry,thechurchwithinthe
DragonAge
worldthatisprimarilycomprisedof
females,andtheotheristheleaderofawerewolfclanandforestspiritwhowearsnothing
excepttreebranches(Bioware,
DragonAge:Origins
).Thiswouldnotbeespeciallyegregious
ifthedevelopershaddirectlycomeoutandsaidthattheworldof
DragonAge
was,similarto
ourown,moredifficultforwomen.Giventhatthereisnotanequalamountofwomenandmen
inpower,infactitdoesnotevenapproachequality,theirclaimtotheoppositejustsoundslike
hollowattemptstoappeasetheirfanswhowereconcernedabouttheirportrayalofwomen.
Itsnotjust
Bioware
thatcreatesgameswithquestionabletreatmenttowardwomen.
The
GrandTheftAuto
series,affectionatelycalled
GTA
,madebyRockstarGamesisknown
foritsviolencetowardwomen.Alloftheprostitutes,and,yes,prostitutesfeatureprominently
inGTA,arefemale.Therearenumerousdepictionsofwomen,specificallysaidprostitutes,
beingbrutallymurderedbytheplayer.Forfun.Now,thatsnotnecessarilythegamesfault,
excludingthefactthattheprostitutesareexclusivelyfemale.AccordingtoCarolynPetit,a
gamereviewerforawebsitecalled
GameSpot
,GTAVhaslittleroomforwomenexceptto
portraythemasstrippers,prostitutes,longsufferingwives,humorlessgirlfriendsandgoofy,
newagefeministsweremeanttolaughat(Petit).Shediscussesinherreviewhowitsa
beautifullydesignedgamewithauniquegamestyle,butthatthebeautyofcruisinginthe
sunkissedLosSantoshillswhilelisteningtoHigherLovebySteveWinwoodturnssour
reallyquickwhenavoicecomesontheradiothattalksaboutusingawomanasaurinal
(Petit).AnotherfanofGTAV,ErikKain,wroteanarticlefor
Forbes
inresponsetoAustralias
Targetremovingthegamefromitsshelvesduetoviolenceagainstprostitutesandwomen.

HeclaimstheGTAfranchiseisviolent,butitsinnowayspecificallyviolentagainstwomen
(Kain).HedoesbelievethattheGTAgamesshouldincludemorefemalemaincharacters,but
somehowstillbelievesGTAisntviolentspecificallytowardwomen,despitethegames
unnecessarystrainofmisogynisticnastinessrunningthroughit(Petit).
Anotherproblematicfranchiseis
AssassinsCreed
developedby
Ubisoft
.They
announcedmidproductionthattheirnextgame,
AssassinsCreedUnity,
wouldntinclude
femalemaincharactersbecause,accordingtotheirtechnicaldirector[women]wouldhave
doubledthework(qtd.inMilian,35).Apparently
Ubisoft
canrendercomplexbattlescenes
thatincluderampagingelephants,intricatehelicopterassaults,shiptoshipcombatonthe
highseas,andlethalassassinationsfromthetopsofcathedrals,buttheydrawthelineatthe
femalebust.Theyalsoincludenumerousscenesintheirgames,specificallythe
Assassins
Creed
games,thathavelargebustedwomenmurderedinvarious,gruesomeways,including
havingtheirthroatslitorbeingmurderedatthedinnertable.So,inreality,theycanrender
womenwhoserveasobjects,obstacles,andtargetsbutnotasmaincharacters.Jonathan
Cooper,adesignerwhopreviouslyworkedfor
Ubisoft
andon
AssassinsCreed
games,calls
bullsat
Ubisoft
,accordingtoMarkMilianinhisarticleVideoGamesCantAffordto
IgnoreWomen(qtd.inMilian,35).Thisisthegamewhereonedeveloperusedtwoyearsto
createabeautiful,realisticallydetailedNotreDameforthegame(Makedonski).Thistwoyear
cathedralproject,evidently,isnowherenearastimeconsumingascreatinganengaging
femalemaincharacter.Butdontworry,Milianalsoquotes
Ubisoft
sSpokeswoman:We
recognizethevalidconcernarounddiversityinvideogamenarratives(qtd.inMilian,35).
ThisstatementisgenericenoughtohavecomefromanystandardPRplaybookitisutterly
devoidofcontentorconcern.Essentially,theyareawarethattheyareproblematic,but
haventsaidhowtheylladdressitoriftheyevenwill.

Thisisnottosuggestthattherearenofemaleprotagonists.Thereare,however,a
lackoffemaleprotagonists,andthegamesthatdoofferafemaleprotagonistvirtuallyalways
oversexualizeher.ThinkofthewellknownLaraCroftfrom
TombRaider
.Sheiscertainly
capableandhasfightingskillsonparwiththoseofmaleprotagonists.However,sheis
typicallyshowninherverytightgreentanktopwithherhugebreasts,which,intheolder
games,actuallyhadtheirownphysicsenginedevelopedtogivethemamorenoticeably
realisticbounce,herstomachpeekingoutandshortshortswiththighholsters.Directorand
writerof
GameOver:Gender,Race&ViolenceinVideoGames
NinaHuntemannbelieves
thatvideogamesaremorethanjustfictionthroughplayingthegamefansarenotjust
mindlesslyentertainingthemselves,butalsosubmergingthemselvespsychologicallyand
emotionallyasthatcharacter.Huntemanngoesontoaskquestionsinvolvingthe
contradictioninfemalecharacterssuchastheaforementionedLaraCroft.Croftisover
sexualized,butatleastshesnolongerthedamselindistresstypicallyshowninvideogames
astepforwardforthedepictionoffemalecharactersbutsomehowstilldirectedbymale
fantasy(Huntemann).
DragonAge
hasanarmorsystemandwhenamaleisequippedwitharmoritis
sensibleandcoversmostofhisskin.Whenawomanequipsthesamesetofarmor,itshows
herstomachandislowcut,whichisnotonlyunnecessarybutgrosslyimpracticalinagame
thatinvolvesmedievalstylehandtohandfighting(Bioware,
DragonAge
).The
MassEffect
seriesissimilarlyguiltyofoversexualization,althoughthearmorformenandwomentendto
beequallypractical.However,Shepard,themaincharacterin
MassEffect
,changesover
time.ThemaleShepardstaysbasicallythesame,butthefemaleShepardsboobs
progressivelygetperkier.Ashley,asoldierwhofightsalongsideShepard,hasasimilar
change.Herarmorwasoriginallypracticalandherhairpulledbackinatightponytailforthe

firsttwogames.Inthefinalinstallmentoftheseries,herhairisdownandherfacechangedso
muchsothatshesnearlyunrecognizable.Thereisashiftfrombeingaprofessionalsoldier
wholooksthepartasmuchashermalecomradesdotoapieceofeyecandythatprovides
somethingformalegamerstosalivateoverwhilemowingdownenemies(Bioware,
Mass
Effect).
Whilevideogamecreatorsareveryobviouslyresponsibleforthelackofplayable
femalecharacters,themalefanstendtocontributeandenablethemforit.The
FinalFantasy
creators,
SquareEnix
,recentlyannouncedtheirnewcharacter,Wal,andfanswerestartledto
discoverthathisoutfitwasverysimilartomostfemalecharactersinthefranchise.Hewears
verytightclothingwithrandomholescutoutfornorealreasonbeyonddecorationandskin
exposure.Malefanswereuncomfortableand,frankly,outrageddespitethefactthatfemale
charactershavethesamekindofoutfits
allthetime
thehypocrisyisapparentlylostonthem.
Ablogaptlytitled
BikiniArmorBattleDamage
focusesontheinaccuraciesorrisksof
wearingthetypicalarmorgiventowomeninvideogames,i.e.aglorifiedbikini.Theauthor
compiledalistofcommentsmadeinresponseto
SquareEnixs
announcementofWal:
AbsolutelyDisgusting,Putonsomeclothes,Thefishewearing?andSEisbecoming
theromancenovelsofgaming.Onefanfinallyaskedisthiswhatgirlsfeelwhentheysee
gameswithgirlswearingskimpyarmor(WTFishewearing?).Thedifference,however,is
thatwithinthe
FinalFantasy
seriestherearefemaleswithevenlessclothing,includingsuper
shortskirts,whoaresupposedtobebattleready.Theiroutfitsareconsideredacceptableby
themajorityofthecommunityandonlyeverpraisedfortheirphysicalappearancewhen
announced,despitetheirfemalesexuality.Onewouldstruggletocomeupwithamoreglaring
exampleofinequalityinthetreatmentofgenderthanthis.

Except,thisisfurtherproofthatgamecompaniescatertotheirmalefansovertheir
femaleaudience.
SquareEnix
recentlyannouncedthattheychangedWalsoutfitduetofans
outcries.Theyaddedasleekblackliningunderneathwhichmadehisoutfitnomorepractical
forthebattlefield,butdidcovermoreskin(Tach).Essentially,ifitsamalecharacterwith
exposedskinandthefansareannoyingenough,
SquareEnix
willchangehimforthem.
Exposedskinonawoman?Dontbotherbringingheruptheirwomenwereapparently
designedtobesexy.
Iamnotclaimingthatfemalesexualityisastrictlyoff
limitssubject.Isabelafrom
DragonAge2
isaverysexualcharacterwhoiswelldesignedanddefinitelyafavoriteof
manyfans,myselfincluded.Theproblemhereisthatsexualityistheprimarycharactertraitof
nearlyeverywomaninthevastmajorityofvideogamesanditmostassuredlyshouldnotbe.
Itisinexcusablefornearlyeveryfemalecharactertowearscantilycladclothingandnotbe
questionedbutassoonasonemalecharacterhasasimilaroutfit,fansareuproarious.To
reiterate,itsnotthatfemalecharactersshouldhavesuppressedsexuality,butthatthey
shouldbemorethanwalkingsexorgans.Thisisnottoomuchtoaskfor.
Allofthismisogynyandinsultinglysexualattitudestowardwomeningamesismade
allthemoreludicrouswhenonelooksattheoutstandingvideogamesthatfeaturefemale
protagonistsormaincharacterswhowerewellwritten
and
notoversexualized.
Valve
isa
videogamecompanywitharguablyoneofthemostloyalfanbases.Alloftheircharacters,
includingtheirwomen,arewellwrittenandwelldesigned.Theyrenotoversexualizedand
theyhavepersonalitiesasindepthasthemalecharacters.Valvesnewestgame,
Portal2
,
evenfeaturesafemalemaincharacter,yetsomehowthegameisstillloved.Themain
character,Chell,wearsanormaltanktopwithaworkjumpsuitandherhairpulledback.The
Portal
seriesinparticularoffersagreatcounterexampletothecommonmaleremarkthat

videogamesfeaturemalecharactersbecausemostgamersaremalewhichisitselfnotan
accuratestatementasfortyeightpercentofgamersarefemale(Milian).The
Portal
games
weredizzyinglysuccessfulintermsofbothsalesandreviews.Thereisnoreasonvideo
gamescannot,attheveryleast,includefemalemaincharacterswhilestillmaintainingtheir
malefollowingandpotentiallygainingamorediversefanbase.
Makenomistake,Ilovevideogames.Illneverstopplayingthemeveniftheynever
developtruegenderequality.Ilovethembecausetheyresuchrichanduniquelyinteractive
waystotellstories.ItreallyoughttogowithoutsayingthatIshouldnothavetochoose
betweenplayingagamewithanoversexualizedfemalecharacteroressentiallynotplayingat
all.Thecommunityisdefinitelyatfault,butIamlookingatthedevelopers.Intheend,itisthe
developerswhohavethepowertoproduceagamebrilliantlydesignedwithapowerfulfemale
maincharacterwithsensibleclothesandstillhavetonsoffansandevengainnewonesinthe
process.Ifadeveloperisincapableofdoingso,itisduetothelazinessofthedevelopersor
theirlackofskill.Valvemanageditperfectly.Despitemycriticism,Ireallydolovevideo
games.However,Ibelieveifyoutrulylovesomething,youarealmostrequiredtoquestionit
andchallengeittokeepitconstantlyimprovingandgrowingintosomethingmore,andeach
timeitchanges,itcomesoutjustalittlebitbetter.

WorksCited
Bioware.
DragonAge:Origins
.ElectronicArtsInc.,03Nov.2009.VideoGame.
Bioware.
MassEffect
.ElectronicsArtsInc.,20Nov.2007.VideoGame.
Cooper,Jonathan(GameAnim).Tenyearsagothismonth,myveryfirstanimtestofMass
Effect.Yup,CommanderShepardwasoriginallyawoman:9Jan.2015,8:45a.m.
Tweet.
Huntemann,Nina.
GameOver:Gender,Race&ViolenceinVideoGames.
Northhampton,
MA:MediaEducationFoundation,2000.VHS.08Mar.2016.
Kain,Erik.TargetBansGrandTheftAutoVSalesInAustralia.Forbes.Forbes.comLLC.,
03Dec.2014.Web.29Mar.2015.
Laidlaw,Mike(Mike_Laidlaw).@TemplarCodePeopleintheDragonAgeworldgenerally
dontmindwomeninpositionsofpower,soIdontseewhythatwouldbeanissue.16
Apr.2014,2:04p.m.Tweet.
Makedonski,Brett.TimeWellSpent.Destructoid.6Oct.2014.Web.31Mar.2015.
Milian,Mark.VideoGamesCantAffordtoIgnoreWomen.BloombergBusiness.Bloomberg
L.P.,7Aug.2014.Web.2Feb.2015.
Petit,Carolyn.CityofAngelsandDemons.GameSpot.CBSInteractiveInc.,16Sept.2013.
Web.29Mar.2015.
Tach,Dave.MobiusFinalFantasywasalittletoosexy,watchtheredesignedmobileRPG.
Polygon.VoxMediaINC.,06Apr.2015.Web.07Apr.2015.


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WTFishewearing?Ewwwwthatdesign!
BikiniArmorBattleDamage.
BikiniArmorBattle
Damage.02Jan.2015.Web.29Mar.2015.