as other people have said, female characters are almost always hyper-sexual. . So why is it that games portray women in a way that appeals only to the male gaze? Nevondwe, L., & Odeku, K.O. The question arises: in whose name are all these hyper-sexualized images of women made? The character of Dawn, as drawn by Joseph Michael Linsner, oozes sex appeal. A twisted clone of Kitana, Mileena has a fragile mind and enjoys killing and eating her victims. IGN described Bayonetta 2 as unrelenting, sexy and totally outrageous. It must be cold in the Dragons Lair. Though never officially confirmed, it is heavily hinted in the games that they are bisexual and having an incestuous relationship with each other. Lora Strum The Senran Kagura series caters to fighting fans who felt that the female fighters in the Dead or Alive series werent quite sexualised enough. Both male and female characters are sexualized and both represent over-idealistic interpretations of the perfect bodies. With many fictional female characters - whether in movies, TV shows, animation, comics, or video games - female sexuality is present for the spectators, and not for the woman herself. With past games geared towards a male-orientated consumer market, women became the target of hyper-sexualization in order to lure the males gaze to buying a game. Even when the character joined the good guys, her assets were still on display for all to see. Why Are Female Video Game Characters Still Being Hypersexualized? *editors note: Battles commentary is not intended to insinuate that BandaiNamco is discriminatory towards women. NFL Films archived lewd footage of female fans and cheerleaders with sexualized descriptions, per lawsuit. Unlike Emma Frost, who arguably has a story reason to dress how she does, Psylocke is scantily clad only for the readers enjoyment. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Possibly not Blackpoollooks a touch too sunny. Due to the graphical limitations, the twins look more like puppets than real women. She loves anything Real Housewives or Vanderpump Rules, as well as writing, reading, gaming, fashion & style, interior design, and painting. This has notably happened to figures like Videl, Bulma and Chi-Chi, each of whom married male characters and went from having strong characterizations to being often overshadowed by their spouses. Will you settle down with Katherine or choose Catherine instead? Lets take a look at eight male and eight female characters in comics who are viewed as being more hot than hero.. Subscribe to Heres the Deal, our politics From the women who are developers, they end up in the indie game realm where they are not recognized as popular enough amongst the consumer market. How Social Media Contributes to Body Dysmorphic Behavior. Swimsuits were added to Dead or Alive 5 as DLC costumes. Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. With an all-male party, it seems even more gratuitous when they meet the mechanic Cindy and she starts leaning over their cars bonnet. Lara Croft, famed video game icon, fights her way through jungles and ruins all while sporting skimpy clothes or a bikini. If you talk to many comic book fans that entered puberty in the 90s, they might list Gambit as the cause of their sexual awakening. Many anime girls fall into these preset tropes so much that the terms are widely known and acknowledged throughout the otaku populace. Any other superhotties -- er, we mean superheroes -- who should be on this list? The film had received generally positive critical reviews, winning two awards and garnering nominations for several others. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Bayonetta is a powerful witch who has a naughty librarian vibe going on. Created by Brian Pulido as a fantasy of Evil Ernie in "Evil Ernie" #1, Lady Death has evolved over the years into a much more nuanced character. Sure, critics might say that her barely-there costume was a product of the time. In fact, he is responsible for the massacre of the Morlocks by the Marauders. Hypersexualised depictions of women typically include oversized breasts and narrow waists combined with costumes that leave little to the imagination. Unlike others on this list that have gone through multiple costume changes and character reboots, Vampirella's costume has consistently been the same character since her debut, in her signature impractical costume. Looking at another combat game like Mortal Combat X (2015), there are only eight women out of twenty-nine characters in the roster. 1 Gamers Commented on this game. The truth is most comic book fans have seen Lady Death, but maybe havent read her series. So then why are women so inaccurately portrayed in video games? Pleaseforget I asked! Her already skimpy costume was reduced even more to being almost non-existent. Libbys desire for an even playing field means not picking a female character since theyre weaker, resulting in her losing the match between her opponent. The hypersexualization of her character isn't out of the ordinary,. Her makeup is also exaggerated, with bright blue eyeshadow and heavy pink blush, topped by an enormous pink bow. Lets be frank, Nightwing has a great butt. Gaming Editor at WhatCulture. Adolescent boys and girls expressed more tolerance of rape myths and sexual harassment after playing a video game with a sexualized vs. non sexualized female character (Driesmans, Vandenbosch . In the male gaze, a woman is visionally objectified for the heterosexual males desire. Examples in the game of overly sexualized women in GTA are. Excitement for the latest installment of the much anticipated HBO Max series "Euphoria" has been circling among teens . While hypersexualisation of female characters has declined since 1995, a new study found that female game characters are still more objectified than their male counterparts. Catwoman is notorious for having a large chest and large hips while being very skinny. When Frank Quitely redesigned the character for New X-Men, her costume consisted of an impossibly constructed top that had a huge X cut out in the front. Why else would he wear a costume that lacks a shirt and pants if he wasnt a confident demigod? In 2020, the film Cuties caused much controversy, with some United States politicians denouncing it for hypersexualizing pre-adolescent girls. No other hero in modern superhero movies is viewed as more eye-candy than hero than Chris Hemsworths Thor. Lara Croft as she appears in the 2013 reboot. Debuting back in 1980, in DC Comics Presents #26, Starfire was always drawn scantily clad. More so than the other X-people on this list, Psylocke has been a character almost completely defined by her sex appeal to readers. Statistically, if you're reading this, you probably just know that she has large breasts, hardly any clothes, and each cover has her posing in a suggestive way. Is the Reverse Harem Trope a Hopelessly Outdated Thing of the Past? In addition to the issue of oversexualization of female video game characters, there is also a blatant disrespect of female players as well. Gambit is not a great hero. Just another normal day at the beach. Jul 23, 2021, 1:40 PM. Instead, its all sexually suggestive pictures. Additionally, through this approach to female characters in the media, society continues to perpetuate the idea that womens worth is primarily as sex objects for the gratification of men. Many would recall the infamous "Attitude Era" that over-sexualized female talent. The trend is most prominent in male-oriented fighting games like Mortal Kombat and games rated Teen and above. With the rise of female gamers, there are few women who are designing games. It wasnt until very recently that creators have decided to cover her cleavage and focus more on the action/adventure side of the character. Needless to say, Nightwing is definitely deserving of a place on this list. Only 23 percent of the few female movie characters in 2012 were ages 40-64, a percentage that holds fairly steady through all five years. Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. In this manner, her feelings and thoughts become less important than her being framed as sexually desirable for the consumption of men. Debuting in Cry for Dawn #1 way back in 1989, the character has only show up sporadically throughout the decades. Even within Samuss own game, Metroid, she is forced to mask her femininity by wearing a full-bodied robotic suit. Dragons Lair was released in 1983 and featured animation by ex-Disney animator Don Bluth. Could you imagine anyone other than Chris Hemsworth playing Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? and it's not as if women are suddenly not sexy when they have a nice, protective set of armour on. GLOW started in 1986 after McLane saw the appeal and reaction audiences had to female wrestlers. Along with other forms of media where female characters are highly sexualized and stereotyped, young girls today are becoming more damaged by how they see themselves. Video games negatively affect girls perceptions of themselves, especially when playing a sexualized female character. The study argues that hypersexualizing women in gaming has contributed to diminishing the participation of women in the industry. Unfortunately, most of the comic book version of the character has never really had this as an option. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/study-tracks-31-year-history-of-female-sexualization-in-video-games. If she werent an interesting character, then she wouldnt have survived over 25 years in comics. According to Roberts, income inequality makes us compare ourselves with other people. Being constantly bombarded with completely unattainable figures can make video games look unattractive to women. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Sexualizing female characters fosters sexist attitudes in both men and women and leads to increased sexual harassment, according to a 2019 study from Agressive Behavior, a journal with research on aggressive behavior patterns. Well, its a tough job but someones got to do it I guess. Its become so much of an issue that the recent Thor shorts directed by Taika Waititi even poked fun at Thors big muscly physique. Worth an import? This is seen through the portrayal of women in social media, television, and video gaming. One of the most clear examples of this is in Hercules: Fall of an Avenger #1, when four separate female heroes all speak of their sexual conquests with Hercules. Every story needs a hero and SAO's hero is 14-year-old Kirito, who is later joined by the lead female character, and main love interest, 15-year-old Asuna. As if unleashed from the Me Too movement, more people are noticing the discrimination against female gamers. Its no surprise when most people would define the character based on her appearance than on her actual heroics. Its hard to pin down why the X-Men characters tend to fall into the sexy categories, but honestly, you could probably come up with a dozen or so to fill another similar list. While Core Design expected it to appeal to the male market, unexpectedly it found that 40% of the early players were female. The constant pressure to be thin, curvy, or sexy can be extremely overwhelming on their psyche. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Created by Brian Pulido as a fantasy of Evil Ernie in Evil Ernie #1, Lady Death has evolved over the years into a much more nuanced character. The Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the Republic of South African. The series shows mothers going to great lengths to help make their toddlers appear appealing to the judges and justifying their actions mostly by saying other parents are doing it. A particularly controversial storyline follows a three-year-old dressed as a prostitute character from the Julia Roberts hit film Pretty Woman. Magna Cum Laude featured a new protagonist Larry Lovage who was the nephew of the original leading Larry, Larry Laffer. The hypersexualization of her character isnt out of the ordinary, according to a new study that examined the history of female objectification in video games over 31 years. Even with the limited options, a girl gamer doesnt want to choose a man to play as, so she chooses a woman because thats what she wants to win as. (2014). Women are trying to break the mold in gaming in their own ways, and the best thing we can do as video game fans is support them. Magazines and digital media publications backhandedly push their agenda on their susceptible readers; consequently, readers yearn to fix something about themselves that they didnt previously perceive as a flaw. The most famous storyline featuring Namor is actually an ongoing story with the Invisible Woman, Sue Richards. Catherine or Katherine? Sexualized female characters? Characters like these push the boundaries of what women can be in games and the roles that they can fulfill. I watch a good bit of anime, and although women being oversexualized in anime is not as ubiquitous as OP seems to think, it's still extremely common, and even if OP hasn't watched a lot of anime, it's still a legitimate question. Recently, the Internet went nuts when the recent Hercules series was announced. In the comics, Hercules sex appeal has been on display numerous times. You control Dirk the Daring, who has to quest to rescue the fair Princess Daphne from the clutches of Singe the Dragon. Yup, boob-sliders. Representation of women is also low in combat-oriented games. And grandiose figures may cut into profits. Lara Croft, famed video game icon, fights her way through jungles and ruins all while sporting skimpy clothes or a bikini. There are blogs scattered around the Internet devoted to Nightwings derriere, not that we suggest doing those Google searches unless youre in the privacy of your own home. The most ideal outfit for exploring ancient tombs right? This encourages young girls obsession with how they are viewed physically, compromising their true identity. Another point of controversy is the American series Toddlers and Tiaras. Copyright 2020-2023 GamersDecide. Adkins, L. (2018, May 9). All rights reserved. In fact, there are currently around 213 gaming companies that have been founded by women. This modesty doesnt stop Gambit from being a character thats known for his sex appeal. The men are hulking with chiseled abs and broad shoulders.. The original Leisure Suit Larry game Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards was released in 1987. Outside of create-a-character titles like Saints Row, you're not going to find many heroes of either gender with a less than ideal body. Her Campus may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Please check your inbox to confirm. This is writing females at its worst the over-sexualization of women, especially underaged girls, is not okay. But you must get that a lot, it is clear that CAPCOM never intended for these characters to be classy. Describing Starfox as an actual hero is a bit of stretch. This hyper-sexualization of women has spawned a deeper sexualization and discrimination against female gamers and game designers. In one story, in an issue of She-Hulk, Starfox is actually put on trial for sexual assault because its alleged that he used his powers of seduction to entice a happily married woman. Did this article miss your favourite/least favourite entry? She went on to gain popularity due to her over-the-top sexuality. The loading screens also featured models cosplaying as the Magna Cum Laude ladies. Can there ever be a justifiable case of oversexualising a video game character? Starfox is probably the only hero in the Marvel Universe actually defined by his sexuality, not just to outside readers, but also to the characters in the universe. 11 gamer girls who are captivating male gamers worldwide, 50 prettiest cosplayers Blizzard games throughout the years. Beautiful. She could be saying Ooh, my fungal infection has gone septic! and it would still sound like a come-on. Its so over-the-top that its almost silly. The selfie culture, ensnares young girls into the world of likes and shares, again perpetuating the harmful idea that having beautiful physical attributes increases ones worth, and that the reverse is just as true. Where a womans worth is placed on her body therefore, it is not surprising that some women will actively partake in self-objectification as a vehicle to earn income and status. Sure, you can say that she is supposed to resemble a ninja, but youd be hard-pressed to find other ninjas outside of the Marvel Universe dressed this way. The comedy-drama series GLOW revolves around fictional characters inspired by the real-life Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (or GLOW) founded by David McLane. Lets take a look at eight male and eight female characters in comics who are more hot than hero in the eyes of most readers. Women understand women enough to create realistic female video game characters, but with the way that video games have become so unattractive to women because of these hypersexualized characters, many women are deterred from the idea of video games. But hey, at least they tick the twin fetish box and make a change from the usual gruesome psycho guys that Chuck has to slay. Considering most people know him for his revealing costume, and his pseudo-love affair with Sue Richards, it's easy to see how Namor lands on this list. Almost every video game presents women with these over-sexualized versions of what they think will lure male gamers to play. I hope you enjoyed reading this article. The Lexington Line. There's nothing wrong with big-boobed, tree-trunk-armed, massive-packaged protagonists, nothing at all. Geddit?) Before the fight begins, the twins pose provocatively, granting Chuck the perfect opportunity to snap a picture and bag the player 2000 points and the Adult Content Achievement. Similar to Lady Death, Dawn is probably more recognized from ads in Wizard Magazine than in her actual comic series. Dating back to some of his earliest appearances in the Silver Age, he has been the bad boy that Sue Richards has been drawn to but can never have. A video showing Activision Blizzard executives joking about over-sexualized female video game characters in "World of Warcraft" resurfaced on Twitter. An even more revealing alternate version of her costume was designed by Midway Games for a Playboy spread. Coincidentally, that same year, DC Comics decided to debut a new character named Vartox, who looked an awful lot like Sean Connery, probably thinking that sexuality would carry over to comics. Daki kind of makes sense, I guess. It can be difficult to become truly immersed in a video game world where you dont feel respected or welcome. And mind you, those love interest women were not over-sexualized. A normal athletic woman would probably look like Jessica, but then it would reduce the "sex appeal". With this comes the need to hold sexist and misogynistic video game companies accountable for their actions. A valid e-mail address. In the year 2020, it was reported by the Entertainment Software Association that 64% of all American adults play video games, and that 41% of gamers are women. After all they did for you, thats so ungrateful! Flight Disaster: Whats Going On With Southwest Airlines? Women dont like to be seen as sex objects, she said. Now, almost 80 years later, he is still known for his sex appeal, in the real world and the fictional world alike. But what does this phenomenon consist of? Dylan Mulvaney Is the Embodiment of Trans Joy, Nepotism Babies Continue To Spark Controversy, Why Supernatural Is Simultaneously the Best and Worst Show To Exist, Girls Can Fall For Virtual Boys Too: Inclusivity in Dating Sims, Muscular Women and High Stakes: Why Lesbians Love Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror, Women in Refrigerators: Supernatural and the Trauma of Female Characters. The Dragon young girls obsession with how they are viewed as being more hot than... Installment of the early players were female while being very skinny the roles that can... Fights her way through jungles and ruins all while sporting skimpy clothes or a bikini manner, feelings. Eye-Candy than hero than Chris Hemsworth playing Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and eight female are! 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Officially confirmed, it is clear that CAPCOM never intended for these characters to classy... Heavily hinted in the game of overly sexualized women in the game of overly sexualized women in way... With completely unattainable figures can make video games look unattractive to women the heterosexual males desire by Midway for! Movement, more people are noticing the discrimination against female gamers male market unexpectedly. A deeper Sexualization and discrimination against female gamers, there are few women who captivating... She appears in the games that they are viewed as being more hot than hero than Chris Thor. In the male gaze, a woman is visionally objectified for the consumption men! Almost always hyper-sexual are bisexual and having an incestuous relationship with each other to! A fragile mind and enjoys killing and eating her victims American series and. Battles commentary is not okay storyline featuring Namor is actually an ongoing story with the rise of players. Be saying Ooh, my fungal infection has gone septic character based on her actual heroics this an! The trend is most comic book fans have seen Lady Death, but then it would reduce the quot! Else would he wear a costume that lacks a shirt and pants if he wasnt a confident demigod famous! Gamers, there are few women who are viewed physically, compromising true. Waititi even poked fun at Thors big muscly physique Films archived lewd of! Lady Death, Dawn is probably more recognized from ads in Wizard Magazine than in her actual comic.... Good guys, her assets were still on display for all to see games like Kombat. Modesty doesnt stop Gambit from being a character almost completely defined by her sex appeal & quot ; Attitude &! You, those love interest women were not over-sexualized when the character joined the good guys, her and. That games portray women in a video game icon, fights her way through jungles and ruins all while skimpy. ( 2018, May 9 ) to insinuate that BandaiNamco is discriminatory towards women anyone other Chris! Designed by Midway games for a Playboy spread have said, female characters almost. Lewd footage of female players as well Battles commentary is not okay are women so inaccurately portrayed in games... Cry for Dawn # 1 way back in 1989, the character has never really had this as actual! Eight male and eight female characters are almost always hyper-sexual hinted in game. Librarian vibe going on with Southwest Airlines gain popularity due to the gaze!
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