Sexism in Video Games

[Bodhesatva]

Gballzack said:
What is your opinion on Sexism in Video Games? Non-existant? Subtle? Acceptable? or Innapropriate? Are there really any games that push the boundaries of these definitions or does everything maintain a fairly consistent equilibrium with pop culture. While we can point to games like Blood Rain and Tomb Raider, their lead females are designed for male viewers as eye candy appealing to a kick ass girl fetish of sorts. To a lesser extent we see this in Perfect Dark but games such as that obviously allow us a less demeaning depiction of a woman as a means to a kick ass end. What of all the fighting games, the most prevalent of which being DOA which had its own spin off game where all the women were in skimpy swimsuits bouncing and jiggling on the court for the viewer. What about games though like GTA tha depict women as hookers, sluts and bullet practice? Why aren't there playable female characters in games like Gears of War or Halo? Are women by nature meant to be objectified? Are girls meant to know their place in games like Animal Crossing and Nintendogs? What other games can you think of to either support deny such an idea.

http://english.ttu.edu/KAIROS/9.1/reviews/reilly/croft.jpg

http://zelda-fans.com/blog/wp-content/images/pre%20rendered%20mai.JPG

http://www.pulpexplosion.com/games/fflogic/ff7-tifa.jpg

In answer to your string of questions, I'm going to say: existant, not even slightly subtle, and inappropriate. Not inappropriate in the "my child shouldn't be playing this!" sorta way, but in the "this is convincing most people that video games are a puerile preoccupation, and it's holding back the main stream acceptance of the entire market" sorta way.