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Ethereal
10-23-2014, 09:34 PM
Are Bosoms in Video Games Offending You? (http://erinfitzvo.com/are-bosoms-in-video-games-offending-you/)

You may have seen my blogs on Tumblr about the ridiculousness of Large Breasts making a game “Sexist”. Here they are again for the official release of Dragon’s Crown, where I play the busty red headed Sorceress. Funny how the same issue came up in regards to the busty red headed Parasoul I played in Skullgirls.

Both women are 2 of the strongest female characters I have ever voiced. So give my blogs another read if you like. But don’t bother me with your nonsense about sexism until you understand it’s true definition.

Blog I posted when the uproar began about the Sorceresses Design

IMO. Pendulous breasts NEVER make a game sexist, a female character who is victimized, oppressed by men, or taken advantage of, or abused is sexist. If a woman is strong and powerful and has pendulous breasts well that’s just awesome AND most women in my family… You sayin the females in my family sexist just cuz we jiggle? Get over it!

Blog I posted on Tumblr about the flak Skullgirls got for being ‘Sexist’

I am the Voice actress who plays Parasoul in the game Skullgirls. I consider myself very pro active in my participation in women’s rights. I own the game and I play it regularly. I don’t feel for one second that this game is sexist. Sexism is not defined by skimpy outfits. Sexism is defined by the dictionary as prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex.

This game is not doing any of these things. unless you believe Skullgirls is creating the stereotype that ass kicking women have tremendously pendulous breasts. In that case, every anime series can be accused of the same thing.

Not once do these characters have to use their sexuality to get ahead. They don’t have to say demeaning things lowering their self worth. They don’t even make sexual references in the dialogue. They are not in need of men to handle their business. This is a kick ass fighting game using ALL FEMALE CHARACTERS people!

This means Payed work for female voice actors!!! Which made this VA feel empowered after the session! I got to play a powerful and strong woman in CHARGE! That is what matters to me.

What is sexist is all the first person shooter games that are made with hundreds of male characters and a pittance of female characters. Where the female characters are always the same personality and barely get a story line unless its in regards to enhance some male characters story line. When my male counterpart works 5 weeks on a game while I get 2 days. That’s sexism…. and I am still grateful for my 2 days work. That ain’t gonna change people.

Just my opinion

While she makes some good points about bosoms, I must disagree with her views on what constitutes "sexism" in video games.

Firstly, just because a video game, or any other creative medium, for that matter, depicts a woman being "victimized, oppressed by men, or taken advantage of, or abused", does not mean it is "sexist". In fact, I'm not sure that a mere depiction or conveyance can be sexist in and of itself. In order for it to reach the level of sexism, there needs to be an accompanying message that expressly intends sexism in some way, whether it is through prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination. Put another way, the mere depiction of a woman being oppressed by men does not rise to the level of sexism unless said depiction is accompanied by a message that expressly intends to legitimate or justify said oppression on the basis of the victim's sex.

Secondly, her claim that FPS games are sexist because they contain an overwhelming majority of male characters is similarly imprecise. FPS games contain mostly male characters because this is a reflection of reality, where combat arms, especially special forces, are an exclusively male domain. While the reality of this may meet the definition of sexism, the mere depiction of it does not, unless, as I said previously, there is some accompanying message which expressly intends to legitimate or justify said reality.

So when a semi-reasonable woman in the gaming industry cannot properly identify "sexism" in video games, is it any surprise that the "social justice" crowd who has suddenly and loudly crashed the gaming world during "Gamer Gate" labels almost everything they don't like as "sexist", regardless of its actual status as such?

Thoughts?

Alyosha
10-23-2014, 09:38 PM
I have had this same argument on the Bioware forums--for those people who want to see what political correctness is to the absolute 100th degree check out: forums.bioware.com

eye opener

Anyway, as a female I am perfectly fine having males in combat roles in games around me as long as my character is allowed to be female. I don't get too hung upon "equality" in gaming especially since I usually play games set in a medieval period.

Animal Mother
10-23-2014, 09:42 PM
Gamer Gate was males fighting back. The social justice world crashed it long before that.

Ethereal
10-23-2014, 09:59 PM
I have had this same argument on the Bioware forums--for those people who want to see what political correctness is to the absolute 100th degree check out: forums.bioware.com

eye opener

Anyway, as a female I am perfectly fine having males in combat roles in games around me as long as my character is allowed to be female. I don't get too hung upon "equality" in gaming especially since I usually play games set in a medieval period.

Are you sure you're not just internalizing misogyny?

:smiley:

Ethereal
10-23-2014, 10:02 PM
Gamer Gate was males fighting back. The social justice world crashed it long before that.

It's funny how quickly things can change. I started playing Counter-Strike online when it first came out and I remember girls were actually treated much more favorably than males on most servers. Supply and demand.

Alyosha
10-23-2014, 10:10 PM
Are you sure you're not just internalizing misogyny?

:smiley:


I'm pretty sure. I play a magic user so brute strength is not important. :)

Ethereal
10-23-2014, 10:25 PM
I'm pretty sure. I play a magic user so brute strength is not important. :)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUn0MKTdLm4

Cthulhu
10-23-2014, 11:34 PM
Eh. Not really. Mainly because I don't play the types of games where said bosoms are being flung in my face.

I do think it is a distortion of true beauty though, which does nothing to help a woman's self esteem. It creates artificial expectations in men which cannot be met by real life women.

In short, it's stupid.

Safety
10-24-2014, 04:48 AM
It's funny how quickly things can change. I started playing Counter-Strike online when it first came out and I remember girls were actually treated much more favorably than males on most servers. Supply and demand.

hence,

http://youtu.be/u0_5yDxqcZk

Captain Obvious
10-24-2014, 07:30 AM
I find it odd that anyone would be offended by tits period, in any setting.

The brits are right, we're way, way too hung up on sex as taboo.