Editorial Yet another girls on gaming sexism editorial

[Walks with the Snails]

I don't know, some of those 10 "enlarge your penis" spams I get every day don't sound that healthy.

Some men in weight training also do get cosmetic implants for things their bodies just weren't designed to have, like thick calves. Pretty much as dopey as breast implants, but they're supposedly taking off.

I think in part, some things with the "perfect man" are pretty unattainable, so why bother. Muscles can be worked with, but if you're not tall and don't have a chiseled face, there isn't that much to be done about it. And men generally don't give too much of a damn about their appearance. Some will spend some time every day on it, others (like me) don't worry too much beyond basic hygiene. You can say that's because women are more forgiving, but I think it was Bill Maher who said men just take what's there. We weren't the ones who asked for Gidget or Kate Moss, that's just what was peddled to women by the fashionistas, and we didn't really say much about it one way or the other. I can't say I've met many guys who actively hunt down and only consider skinny girls, though. I'd be a bit worried with a guy who did have a certain fixation on one type of woman. I think most guys have pretty realistic expectations when it comes to women anyway, sure I like big boobies, full lips, and a nice set of hips, but I don't run off with a checklist and say any woman who doesn't meet all the criteria is too hideous to get the time of day. And I'm not really an ugly or desperate guy, either.

Just my personal opinion, I think some of it might just be part of the traditional male-female dynamic. It's easier (at least once you get the guts) to approach those you might want to go out with than to try and look nice to get others to take an interest in you. Some cosmetically challenged women out there might be surprised at who might show some interest in them if they were a little more aggressive. Sure, they'd get shot down a few times, but that's what we've always dealt with and the human race is still here. And I know the few times I've been approached I found the whole thing quite flattering and was willing to give it a try most of the time, even when I wouldn't have necessarily thought to approach the woman in question. It's kind of strange to me that so many women still seem to hew traditional notions when it comes to dating while hating all the rest of the old social notions that tell them where their place is.

 

[Mistress]

However, the female figure is usually huge breasted, with a tiny waist and long legs, which leads to those in pursuit of said perfect form taking unhealthy risks to attain it. Silicon implants are the worst invention ever, they look and feel wrong and are hazardous to boot. Anorexia and Bulimia can't be too pleasant, and having worn heels for a drag party, I can't say they're worth the trouble. Even the seemingly harmless alterations like blonde hair can come back and haunt you later in life when you're left with chemical induced baldness or even worse, some form of cancer.

True..I can't imagine being that way myself...there's something so unreal about the "perfect" images of the female form seen on game boes and in magazines....Plus, when translated into reality, those images usually turn out pretty badly...

Sure I may be exaggerating the point a bit, but the main point is that the stylised male figure is more or less attainable to anyone with enough willpower to do so, while the stylised female figure relies on some fairly unique genetics, or cosmetic alteration.

To me, the male figures are usually less amusing than the female ones. As you say, they are more attainable, and less exaggerated.

Like Mistress I'm never going to object to a quality game merely because it has semi naked women, (at which point it becomes a plus - "Hey this game rules! And it has tits! What more could I ask for!" :twisted: ) but it shouldn't ever be wielded as a marketing weapon, even if it is an effective one.

chuckle

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

On the whole (unfair sweeping generalization alert!) the US seems to be very 'prudish' when it comes to videogames, but doesn't care about violence in them. OTOH, the EU [especially Germany, cf. the various 'blood patches'] is of the opinion that 'violence in videogames = bad', but they aren't really concerned with sexuality in games. Or that's what I've seen so far, anyway.

I'm not sure it has anything to do with being prudish, it has to do with the fact that many people don't like the idea of sexual exploitation of women used to sell games. While there's a degree of this in some games, a lot of them go a little over the top with it.

Likewise, there are people in the United States who don't like games that are about violence for the sake of violence, like Postal 2 for example.

That's her point, basically. The game doesn't call for it, it's just tossed in for marketting purposes.

 

[Spazmo]

I pretty much agree with everyone here, but would like to point out that I adore the term 'marketing weapon'. Seems somehow appropriate, doesn't it?

 

[ecliptic]

On the whole (unfair sweeping generalization alert!) the US seems to be very 'prudish' when it comes to videogames, but doesn't care about violence in them. OTOH, the EU [especially Germany, cf. the various 'blood patches'] is of the opinion that 'violence in videogames = bad', but they aren't really concerned with sexuality in games. Or that's what I've seen so far, anyway.

Damned colonial Puritanical roots.

"Well in scene 54 his arms get ripped off, and DeathBot shits in the sockets while he screams and bleeds to death."
MPAA: "That's a PG-13."

"This part has incidental genitalia for two point four seconds."
MPAA: "You sick, sick pornographer. NC-17."[/quote]

 

[evilmonkey]

the violence vs. sexual debate is fun - and personally I'm more at home with the heavier restrictions on violence then throwing a Mature rating on something due to a nipple - that for one, every damn child growing up in a normal home have sucked on for 6 months or more (and it seems this have in some homes stretched out to years).

--- and I would never buy a game for the good looking stiff standing in the corner, whos purpose is more or less to be on the cover, were little in the way of clothes and say non imporant things to the player, so often seen in many games. In that way even Tomb Raider was a step forward, atleast now she had some character, and was the main character.

no, the sexy NPC without character is a really boring market ploy.

Samus Aran must still be one of the strongest female characters in gaming, and besides for some bonus levels she always seems to carry fullbody armor.