Mansplaining Women In Games.

In an age sensitive to gender identity, sexuality, equality and all manner of social standings, portrayals of females in gaming seems like an unusually tone deaf outlier to the conformity. Though depictions of women has matured somewhat since Lara Crofts “Great Pyramids Of Giza” extensions, smuggled inside her adamantium lined tank top, there are still obnoxious depictions, leveraged by the masculine personification of how women should be portrayed in games.

Having played a number of Jrpg’s, I’m well acquainted with our distant relations proclivities for provocative depictions of females: Slender. Vulnerable. With a naivety that belies an inherent courage. Exemplary skin complexions, unburdened by blemishes or pores. Soft delicate features that make them more appealing to a male driven audience. Innocent, doe-eyed expressions. Endowed with anatomically questionable chest size, and leaving as much room too the imagination as their tight tank top allows for their heaving cleavage.

Again this is a very broad generalisation, one that employs many variables to make character’s distinctive, yet as physically attractive as possible. But doesn’t accurately reflect every female character. Someone like Elena Fisher from the “Uncharted” franchise is a female representation that defies these conventions in a positive manner. Though still a supporting character, subservient to the reckless volatility of Nathan Drake, she is a strong, independent women, capable of looking after herself, without having to verbally express her attributes at regular intervals. You can observe, through her actions that she is motivated by her own instincts. Though she is still accredited with some of the formalities of female design – the slim waist, feminine features and tank top – She isn’t objectified. She’s not a trophy for Drake to claim, but a women that commands respect.

During Sony’s recent state of play, an event specifically dedicated to “Horizon Forbidden West”, Aloy, the games chief protagonist, navigates her way through a playable segment of the game. The presentation concludes with an vague, yet ominous declaration about a literal and figurative storm approaching. What I didn’t know is just how prophetic that epitaph was! Now we know the Internet has a reputation for publicising the disparaging remarks of a vocal minority, to elicit the collective ire of the many to dispute their belligerent claims and stir-up controversy. But I was utterly flawed one particular critique on social media.

So among the enthusiastic throng of people reacting to the virtual exhibition was one disgruntled observer, typically emboldened by their anonymity, reacted to the trailer with a bewildering accusation concerning the size of Aloy’s cheeks. The implication being that Sony have capitulated to the liberal agenda and altered her appearance to someone much more androgynous, thereby satisfying the leftist conspiracy. He then emphasised his point by posting a before and after image of Aloy, one natural, the other heavily edited with accented makeup, again enforcing a negative interpretation of “females”, and perpetuating the false masculine attitude towards them. This is where we have come too – fat shaming a fictional character?

Sexism is still a prominent rhetoric in our culture. It may be passive at times, but its there. Women are still objectified, subjected to the habitual conventions of men’s hubris. Gaming is only a small facet of the problem, but a pivotal one too. I might not be the intended audience for such lurid gratuity, though its difficult to imagine anyone outside of puberty that fits that criteria. Nor am I particularly offended by the depictions. Some of it is not especially salacious, but at my age it does come across as perverse. With a daughter of my own I’d like to believe that games can be a distraction from the bigotry that besets this world, but also a bastion of solidarity that can explore themes of discrimination that isn’t condescending. And perhaps even promote tolerance.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Cheers.