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Objectification & Slut Shaming: Where Do You Draw The Line?

Why is everyone obsessed with objects? Is this a view of feminist theory? Because no matter what a person does or wears, they DO NOT qualify for the principal definition of object:
: a thing that you can see and touch and that is not alive

"Objectification" as a term is a firework meant to shock and incite people only. All it does is cloud a very important discussion.
 
Why is everyone obsessed with objects? Is this a view of feminist theory? Because no matter what a person does or wears, they DO NOT qualify for the principal definition of object:

"Objectification" as a term is a firework meant to shock and incite people only. All it does is cloud a very important discussion.

Its a social philosophy theory.
The more you consider people as a commodity the easier it is to dehumanise them and treat them without basic human respect.
 
Omg this thread

Everyone posting in this thread needs to stop RIGHT NOW and READ THIS ARTICLE. (Gaf thread on this here.)

There's not even any point to continuing this conversation when so many posters are poisoning the discussion with false premises and other assorted bullshit. I'm not going to keep addressing the same exact arguments ad nauseum when other posters are engaging in bad faith. It's literally pointless.

If you can't wrap your head around the idea of social equality, we are not going to get anywhere. Frankly, I'm sick and tired of trying. If you're completely unwilling to educate yourself, I will have no part in that.
 
Why is everyone obsessed with objects? Is this a view of feminist theory? Because no matter what a person does or wears, they DO NOT qualify for the principal definition of object:

"Objectification" as a term is a firework meant to shock and incite people only. All it does is cloud a very important discussion.

You ever hear of word pair subject/object?
 
Why is everyone obsessed with objects? Is this a view of feminist theory? Because no matter what a person does or wears, they DO NOT qualify for the principal definition of object:

"Objectification" as a term is a firework meant to shock and incite people only. All it does is cloud a very important discussion.

Objectification is a term that refers to treating (or thinking of) a person like an object, instead of a self aware individual. It happens... and it definitely happens in games. Women in games are too often just treated like a collectable or prize. The most egregious examples that come to mind being The Witcher which treats them like baseball cards, or Spelunky where they're a pickup (although, yes, Spelunky does let you change them into hunky men).

Personally I find objectification incredibly tiresome. What people seem to completely miss is that you can still have sexy women in games. You can still have a story about a dude trying to bang a hot girl, or whatever... without objectifying. There's nothing about a well characterized female role that precludes them being sexy or attractive..
 
SmokyDave with with a moderately smart argument. Now i've seen it all.
Wait, what?

I'm not even sure I've noticed me putting forward such a thing in this thread. I was just giving my preference. Hyper-sexualised cartoon-proportioned scantily-clad chicks all day long for me.
 
The most egregious examples that come to mind being The Witcher which treats them like baseball cards, or Spelunky where they're a pickup (although, yes, Spelunky does let you change them into hunky men).

Sleeping Dogs has the most egregiously bizarre take on this I have ever seen; there's a "romance" string of submissions that unlocks you an object finder powerup for sucessfully fucking the woman you tricked into having sex with you.
Then there is no mention of her ever again.

This happens with multiple different women.
 
How exactly does one objective and/or slutshame in regards to videogames? They're not real.

There are lots of works of fiction that contain themes, messages, or agendas (sometimes subtlely, sometimes overtly) that are problematic. A mode such as Duke Nukem's Capture the Babe, while maybe not meaning to, says something about the way women are viewed at the very least within the Duke universe. Now taken singly, some might not have an issue, in fact there are alot of things I personally enjoy that have been called out as or I have personally recognized as problematic. However, in aggregate a pattern starts to form especially if creators and consumers stagnate. The lowest common denominator is catered to and becomes the standard rather than being challenged at a significant level.
 
Attacking the problem by trying to get game developers to stop making games with female characters in metal bikinis isn't going to work. Art is always going to be what it is, its creation will always be at the discretion of the artist, and people who want it will always buy it.

Video games that sexualize and objectify will stop being made when people stop consuming them, not when we yell at enough artists. So social commentary is great. And education about what constitutes sexual objectification may help. But I can't help thinking that trying to get artists to stop creating art we don't like is nothing but a born to lose plan.
 
This thread:

tumblr_ncengn5wqR1rsqvqdo4_500.png


Attacking the problem by trying to get game developers to stop making games with female characters in metal bikinis isn't going to work. Art is always going to be what it is, its creation will always be at the discretion of the artist, and people who want it will always buy it.

Video games that sexualize and objectify will stop being made when people stop consuming them, not when we yell at enough artists. So social commentary is great. And education about what constitutes sexual objectification may help. But I can't help thinking that trying to get artists to stop creating art we don't like is nothing but a born to lose plan.

Okay this is getting beyond ridiculous.

Do people even read the thread they post in?
 
Attacking the problem by trying to get game developers to stop making games with female characters in metal bikinis isn't going to work. Art is always going to be what it is, its creation will always be at the discretion of the artist, and people who want it will always buy it.

Video games that sexualize and objectify will stop being made when people stop consuming them, not when we yell at enough artists. So social commentary is great. And education about what constitutes sexual objectification may help. But I can't help thinking that trying to get artists to stop creating art we don't like is nothing but a born to lose plan.
No one is trying to do this.
 
Attacking the problem by trying to get game developers to stop making games with female characters in metal bikinis isn't going to work. Art is always going to be what it is, its creation will always be at the discretion of the artist, and people who want it will always buy it.

Video games that sexualize and objectify will stop being made when people stop consuming them, not when we yell at enough artists. So social commentary is great. And education about what constitutes sexual objectification may help. But I can't help thinking that trying to get artists to stop creating art we don't like is nothing but a born to lose plan.

The best way to convey what I dislike about a piece of art is to openly say what I dislike about it. I regularly buy something which overall I feel is worth my money but which has things I don't like about it. The Witcher for example is a great game, and the whole woo women to get their trading card part is something you can completely ignore.

I don't look at that stuff any differently to technical choices I don't like. Issues can be big without putting things firmly in the 'don't buy' camp. I still enjoy games at 30 fps, even if I don't enjoy them as much. Many of them are still worth my time.

If I just buy or don't buy, how do the creators know how I feel? Not buying something doesn't send any kind of clear message by itself.
 
There are lots of works of fiction that contain themes, messages, or agendas (sometimes subtlely, sometimes overtly) that are problematic. A mode such as Duke Nukem's Capture the Babe, while maybe not meaning to, says something about the way women are viewed at the very least within the Duke universe. Now taken singly, some might not have an issue, in fact there are alot of things I personally enjoy that have been called out as or I have personally recognized as problematic. However, in aggregate a pattern starts to form especially if creators and consumers stagnate. The lowest common denominator is catered to and becomes the standard rather than being challenged at a significant level.

I still maintain "negative messages" in games are incredibly impotent and inconsequential when faced with the vastly more potent source of personal development that is parents, family, friends, and life experiences. That goes for all forms of entertainment.

If you're genuinely swayed by a piece of entertainment on any topic, attitude, or personal opinion, then there's a very good chance you are, to put it bluntly, a dingus. This is why I'm baffled when places like Polygon cry out at the "dangerous" messages put forth by immature games, as if a normal, well-adjusted individual isn't going to snort and guffaw and go about their life as usual. It makes me wonder if folks like Gies actually spend much time in the real damn world, as opposed to Twitter wars and the like. He can cry out and lambast a game like Bayonetta 2 for all the harmful messages it supposedly presents to kids, but I'll wager said harmful messages are being soundly stomped by whatever mum and dad is teaching them.
 
Attacking the problem by trying to get game developers to stop making games with female characters in metal bikinis isn't going to work. Art is always going to be what it is, its creation will always be at the discretion of the artist, and people who want it will always buy it.

Video games that sexualize and objectify will stop being made when people stop consuming them, not when we yell at enough artists. So social commentary is great. And education about what constitutes sexual objectification may help. But I can't help thinking that trying to get artists to stop creating art we don't like is nothing but a born to lose plan.

I agree that no one should be attacking developers. But there's a distinct difference between an attack and a critique. Critique is what I see often get misinterpreted as an attack or censorship from people and critique is also what I see most often rather than these attacks where people pulling for the heads of creators on a platter just for making a character wear a metal bikini. Critique isn't about anger it's about disappointment. Disappointment that alot of the times when a problematic element is included in a video game, it's often not about creativity or artistic vision but because it's what's expected.
 
I agree that no one should be attacking developers. But there's a distinct difference between an attack and a critique. Critique is what I see often get misinterpreted as an attack or censorship from people and critique is also what I see most often rather than these attacks where people pulling for the heads of creators on a platter just for making a character wear a metal bikini. Critique isn't about anger it's about disappointment. Disappointment that alot of the times when a problematic element is included in a video game, it's often not about creativity or artistic vision but because it's what's expected.

Adding onto this, a common theme among developers who said they were influenced by Tropes vs. Women is that they didn't even realize the sexist implications behind some of the things they were putting into their games, and gladly made changes when this was brought to their attention.

Criticizing an artist's work isn't just about trying to force your ideas onto them, as it can often help them convey their own ideas more clearly.
 
Yea, if someone were planning to win people over, that image wouldn't be doing your cause a lot of good. It just ammunition for the choir.

In every thread like this, very few people end up seeing the error in their "logic" and remain staunchly against gender/race equality in gaming. Might as well post a hilariously true image.
 
Amazingly, a LOT of developers never even think about this question; they just stick their female characters in bizarre metal bikinis, give them boob plate, cleavage windows, etc., etc. purely for the sake of male (and homosexual female) eye candy without even giving it a second a thought. There are so many uncomfortable, impractical, or downright stupid outfits made explicitly for sex appeal out there that it's mind-boggling.
As a homosexual female, I have never met homosexual females who enjoys fanservice/objectified female characters. Not saying those don't exist, though.

Anyways, I don't see how game developers objectifying female characters can be seen as "empowerment". It is not. Fictional characters can't empower themselves. Eye candy/fanservice in games (and animes, mangas, etc) is objectification and nothing else and I think it needs to stop. In 99% of the cases, objectification of female (AND male) characters only serve to drag down the quality of a game (or anime, etc). Plus, I can't speak for every female who plays video games out there, but objectification can and in most of the time, will put me off of a game, as good as the game might be.
 
In every thread like this, very few people end up seeing the error in their "logic" and remain staunchly against gender/race equality in gaming. Might as well post a hilariously true image.

So squatting in the mud and being a smug piece of shit about having a handle on the situation, laughing at the nitwits that are being obstructionist, and implying that they're the only ones who would have any issue with how media criticism is usually handled, is actually protocol? And here I thought it was just people venting. It explains so much about how people on the right side of history always seem to have the time to pat each other on the back - in retrospect, I should have noticed it sooner.
 
I'm all in favour of objectification and hyper-sexualisation in video games. I can't think of any game that wouldn't be better if the main character was a woman with porn star proportions, very few clothes, and heels so high that they need little lights on the top to warn passing planes.

If I'm going to spend a lot of time looking at a human, my preference will always be for an attractive woman.

I can get behind this logic. A male option needs to exist though as well, if I'm feeling randy.
 
I'm all in favour of objectification and hyper-sexualisation in video games. I can't think of any game that wouldn't be better if the main character was a woman with porn star proportions, very few clothes, and heels so high that they need little lights on the top to warn passing planes.

If I'm going to spend a lot of time looking at a human, my preference will always be for an attractive woman.
Creepy.
 
Image from Tumblr. Posted in multiple threads. Uses quote marks despite not quoting anyone.

Ugh.

Yea, if someone were planning to win people over, that image wouldn't be doing your cause a lot of good. It just ammunition for the choir.

You two should recognize how useless this topic becomes because the same illogical and disproven arguments are trotted out again and again despite literally having posts in this very thread debunking those very same ignorant and misguided arguments. It's super frustrating that people stick to their ingrained beliefs instead of simply listening to what is being said.

Also smokydave, it's intellectually dishonest to dismiss something because it comes from some user-generated website like tumblr.
 
I come back and I still see people using the "censorship" bullshit and "if you criticize something sexual, you're a prude" and "I am not a sexist for playing sexist video games"

It's super tiring.

I can't believe we have a gaming thread with slut shaming in the title.
 
Have any of you folks who care that much about what your video game characters are wearing and how air headed they are ever watched very many films?

I love horror movies, and they're just filled with all kinds of goofiness on the parts of the characters, and you can almost be certain there's a misplaced sex scene or naked boob tossed in for fun... Yes, for fun!

No one is taking them seriously and I think that's okay..
Now when a film comes along that's written well and has strong, interesting characters, I applaud it for that, but I still enjoy the raunchy stuff too. People like sex.. I think it's okay to indulge in that on occasion.. I mean they're fictional characters for crying out loud. It's fantasy, so it's not a big deal how many people Nathan Drake kills or how sexy a character looks as she's running from a deranged madman.

I'm going to go out on a limb here, but the way some of you speak, it's as though you feel obligated to avoid sex and other matters that may have been drilled into you from one too many Sunday morning homilies. I don't want to be too objectionable here, but have you never fantasized during masturbation or intercourse? Surely that would be objectifying another person against their will perhaps.. But it's fantasy.. It's fiction and it's okay because you aren't actually causing harm or forcing anyone to do anything.

If you're trying to increase the amount of strong, conservative, self reliant women (or men) in games, the best you can do would be to get involved. Write the story you want to read. Get involved in making the game you want to play.. The next best thing you could do would be to openly praise and recommend a game that impresses you.

What you can't do is just stand at the sidelines harassing or shouting your criticisms because you believe such and such is morally corrupt. I mean, you can, but you look like fools doing it.
 
I can get behind this logic. A male option needs to exist though as well, if I'm feeling randy.
Totally agree. Budgie smugglers for all!

The word you're looking for is 'honest'.

I'd love to know what sort of assumptions you've made about my attitudes toward real life women though.

Also smokydave, it's intellectually dishonest to dismiss something because it comes from some user-generated website like tumblr.
Let's just say I found your post far more clichéd than any boob armour. The Tumblr URL was just the icing on the predictable cake.
 
The problem is not sexuality (and if you've been told it is, you're listening to the wrong people). The problem is fairness and equality. That's it.

Right now 90% of female characters are sexualized in some (usually dumb and impractical) way, compared to some 10% of male characters. The imbalance is massive.
It's not about whether or not it affects us. It's about whether or not it's fair or equitable to the marginalized genders.

Thats how I feel about this and many things. Its not the topic, its frequency.

There is nothing wrong with Business Casual.

a5XFF.jpg
 
You two should recognize how useless this topic becomes because the same illogical and disproven arguments are trotted out again and again despite literally having posts in this very thread debunking those very same ignorant and misguided arguments. It's super frustrating that people stick to their ingrained beliefs instead of simply listening to what is being said.

Also smokydave, it's intellectually dishonest to dismiss something because it comes from some user-generated website like tumblr.

Yea, but you're debunking things with what is ultimately backing up your opinion. Other people have different opinions and morals to you. I don't think it's so much people aren't listening, it's that they disagree.
 
I still maintain "negative messages" in games are incredibly impotent and inconsequential when faced with the vastly more potent source of personal development that is parents, family, friends, and life experiences. That goes for all forms of entertainment.

If you're genuinely swayed by a piece of entertainment on any topic, attitude, or personal opinion, then there's a very good chance you are, to put it bluntly, a dingus. This is why I'm baffled when places like Polygon cry out at the "dangerous" messages put forth by immature games, as if a normal, well-adjusted individual isn't going to snort and guffaw and go about their life as usual. It makes me wonder if folks like Gies actually spend much time in the real damn world, as opposed to Twitter wars and the like. He can cry out and lambast a game like Bayonetta 2 for all the harmful messages it supposedly presents to kids, but I'll wager said harmful messages are being soundly stomped by whatever mum and dad is teaching them.

While I agree that a representation of a woman in a form of media are a lot less powerful than actual experiences with someone's own mother/parents, I still maintain that it has an effect as a reinforcement or challenge. A young man who plays Bayonetta is more than likely not going to turn into The Cincinnati Molester overnight, if that young man already has prevailing views from his own life that women are little more than eye candy, then he is not going to be challenged at all. Similarly, if you have a young woman who has been told all her life that she's worthless and seeks an escape, something like watching Ripley take an Powerloader to the Xenomorph Queen's face can be an insanely powerful influencer on her views of women or even her own self worth. People don't turn their brains off when they watch entertainment. We've all taken bits and pieces of what we've watched, played, listened to or read with us. This isn't a 1:1 type scenario where X media turns us instantly into a sinner or a saint, but I believe that media can have influence, either grand or minuscule, on people's perspectives and how they see the world.
 
I'm going to go out on a limb here, but the way some of you speak, it's as though you feel obligated to avoid sex and other matters that may have been drilled into you from one too many Sunday morning homilies. I don't want to be too objectionable here, but have you never fantasized during masturbation or intercourse? Surely that would be objectifying another person against their will perhaps.. But it's fantasy.. It's fiction and it's okay because you aren't actually causing harm or forcing anyone to do anything.

You're going to go out on a limb and be completely wrong. If you think it's about being a prude, you're either shockingly dense or willfully obtuse.

If you're trying to increase the amount of strong, conservative, self reliant women (or men) in games, the best you can do would be to get involved. Write the story you want to read. Get involved in making the game you want to play.. The next best thing you could do would be to openly praise and recommend a game that impresses you.

What you can't do is just stand at the sidelines harassing or shouting your criticisms because you believe such and such is morally corrupt. I mean, you can, but you look like fools doing it.

Tropes vs. Women worked without Anita Sarkeesian going into game development herself. Dozens of game developers at major studios have talked about how it's influenced them.

You are wrong.
 
It's actually pretty normal and nothing to be ashamed of

I too wish that entertainment media would depict every woman as sexually as possible. Having Thelma & Louise, Ellen Ripley or Sarah Connor have curvy figures with little to no clothing would make those films much better. Anna Karenina would be even better if we got a description of her as having big round breasts and a nice bum!

It's fine to want sexy characters, but again it's weird to have it universally.
 
I too wish that entertainment media would depict every woman as sexually as possible. Having Thelma & Louise, Ellen Ripley or Sarah Connor have curvy figures with little to no clothing would make those films much better. Anna Karenina would be even better if we got a description of her as having big round breasts and a nice bum!

It's fine to want sexy characters, but again it's weird to have it universally.
Why have you made the leap over to other forms of media?
 

Really? What if I judged your stance on women from your neogaf avatar?

Do people really see Elvira as anything but fun? Does it have to be political? Does my art need to be censored and do I need to think twice if I want to play as a sexy female character?

Censorship and political correctness scares me so much. Not because I couldn't do without metal bikini's, but because I want everyone to be free to play/watch/design/create what they want.. It could be judged either way, but never banned or shamed.

I too wish that entertainment media would depict every woman as sexually as possible. Having Thelma & Louise, Ellen Ripley or Sarah Connor have curvy figures with little to no clothing would make those films much better. Anna Karenina would be even better if we got a description of her as having big round breasts and a nice bum!

It's fine to want sexy characters, but again it's weird to have it universally.

Sexy does not always mean curvy. Most of your examples can easily be interpreted in a sexual/sexy way.
 
Let's just say I found your post far more clichéd than any boob armour. The Tumblr URL was just the icing on the predictable cake.

Pointing out logical contradictions shouldn't be a cliché.

Yea, but you're debunking things with what is ultimately backing up your opinion. Other people have different opinions and morals to you. I don't think it's so much people aren't listening, it's that they disagree.

Yeah of course I'm debunking things with something that points out the contradiction between two statements made by people in this thread. Pointing out how nonsensical people are being is not a matter of different opinions and morals - it's pointing out the ridiculousness of the arguments being made.
 
I too wish that entertainment media would depict every woman as sexually as possible. Having Thelma & Louise, Ellen Ripley or Sarah Connor have curvy figures with little to no clothing would make those films much better. Anna Karenina would be even better if we got a description of her as having big round breasts and a nice bum!

It's fine to want sexy characters, but again it's weird to have it universally.

I totally agree and have no issues with the scales tipping in the other direction. But it's a macro issue and too often it's brought up as a micro issue in ways that don't feel appropriate. Aggressive sexualization in something like Halo or Dragon Age or whatever would be as inappropriate as the instances you describe above because they're games that are not stylized in a way to justify pronounced sexualization. Games like Dragon's Crown and goofy Suda games are incredibly stylized and disproportionate sexuality actually fits in. Those games are not contributing to the problem. They're niche. They're outliers. Giving Cortana a "GREAT ASS!" is hilariously juvenile and perfectly represents the larger ills of the industry.
 
Why have you made the leap over to other forms of media?

So your statement only applies to video games? Then change the examples to April Ryan in TLJ, women in Walking Dead, Heather in Silent Hill 3, the main character in Cat Lady, female character armor in Dark Souls, etc.

It's about context and proportionality. Having the opinion that sexualization is always desireable in all video games should be obvious that it doesn't make sense in all games. Unless you were joking?
 
So your statement only applies to video games? Then change the examples to April Ryan in TLJ, women in Walking Dead, Heather in Silent Hill 3, the main character in Cat Lady, female character armor in Dark Souls, etc.

It's about context and proportionality. Having the opinion that sexualization is always desireable in all video games should be obvious that it doesn't make sense in all games. Unless you were joking?

Variety is the spice of life. The nurses in silent hill, the giant lady in dark souls,... They all embody part of the vision of the respective creators.
 
I can't believe we have a gaming thread with slut shaming in the title.

It's not a very good thread title


Have any of you folks who care that much about what your video game characters are wearing and how air headed they are ever watched very many films?

I love horror movies, and they're just filled with all kinds of goofiness on the parts of the characters, and you can almost be certain there's a misplaced sex scene or naked boob tossed in for fun... Yes, for fun!

The nice thing about film is that the medium is mature and spread pretty evenly; many different kinds of films get made for many different people.

Videogames, on the other hand....well, it can feel like they're only making the campy horror movies. The variety, the options, and the creative voices are simply not there.


I'm going to go out on a limb here, but the way some of you speak, it's as though you feel obligated to avoid sex and other matters that may have been drilled into you from one too many Sunday morning homilies. I don't want to be too objectionable here, but have you never fantasized during masturbation or intercourse? Surely that would be objectifying another person against their will perhaps.. But it's fantasy.. It's fiction and it's okay because you aren't actually causing harm or forcing anyone to do anything.

More baseless "Puritan" accusations.

If you're trying to increase the amount of strong, conservative, self reliant women (or men) in games, the best you can do would be to get involved. Write the story you want to read. Get involved in making the game you want to play.. The next best thing you could do would be to openly praise and recommend a game that impresses you.

Who said that "conservative" had to be a part of it? You're coloring the other side unfairly.

But anyway, check out the hostilities re: #gamergate that indie game devs face for making stuff that isn't status quo.

What you can't do is just stand at the sidelines harassing or shouting your criticisms because you believe such and such is morally corrupt.

This is not what people are doing.
 
So your statement only applies to video games? Then change the examples to April Ryan in TLJ, women in Walking Dead, Heather in Silent Hill 3, the main character in Cat Lady, female character armor in Dark Souls, etc.

It's about context and proportionality. Having the opinion that sexualization is always desireable in all video games should be obvious that it doesn't make sense in all games. Unless you were joking?
My statement only applied to games, yes.

I wasn't joking, no. I'm quite happy for creators to make as many characters in the mold of those you have described as they like. I will play an enjoy those games. Given a character creator, I will always create a hot chick dressed like a hooker. Given a choice, I would prefer the hordes of faceless 'characters' that make up most videogames to be sexualised attractive women with the kind of breasts that only an enthusiastic digital hand could sculpt.

I am probably likelier to buy a game if the main character is a hyper-sexualised woman.
 
But smokydave, wouldn't you feel it weird to have a hypersexualized character in a game dealing with the theme of the transatlantic slave trade (freedom cry) or letting people through the border to an oppressive state (papers please), for example? It's fine if you feel that way, I just personally think such a thing would clash severely with the execution of such a type of theme.

Dave I am outraged

Please dont do this. No one is outraged.
 
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