Sexism on the gaming scene: a woman's perspective

Posted by Audrey Wells.
First posted on 16 December 1999. Last updated on 21 February 2007.
Articles  »  Features
Want more information? Read the article!

It seems that there is much heated discussion about sexism on the gaming scene these days. Though many people may not even care or pay attention to gender equality (or lack thereof), others work themselves into raging fits over the issue. In my opinion, it is important to remember that there are all types of people and all kinds of tastes.

It has been once a popular idea that women do not play…

• (13) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink

Enter Your Comments

Name

Email (optional)

City, Country

Rate this article
1 (Poor) 2 (Fair) 3 (Good) 4 (Very Good) 5 (Excellent)

Message

Submit the word below for security verification


Previous Comments

Hear, hear! Couldn't agree with you more.

But you know, you have to provide a better
argument than breast size and Eidos' rather
ignorant about-face on it's legendary but now
somewhat tawdry heroine if you want to draw a
crowd. Gabriel Knight has been around for a
very long time now, relative to the history of
the industry, but other games just coming up
are forced into a very cynical ring to compete
for operating capital, and in the age of the
backlash against the political correctness
movement, sex is once again a media darling.
Being a rather sexually oriented male, I
appreciate being given so many little toys to
appeal to my basic interest in members of the
opposite sex, but the real problem is, I am in
the extreme minority of people I know who has
no problems reconciling this with my basic lack
of interest in crass solicitation through sex.
My only interest in the Tomb Raider games would
be for the sake of the adventure, if the
is interesting enough. Personally, I just find
it hard to identify games that are really for
true sleuths and taut thriller junkies, and
tend to avoid anything that comes in a glossy
box, which is everything, good or bad, because
there really isn't much in the games that
didn't seem better on the cover.
Perhaps the answer isn't to draw attention to
the sexual differences in these two games, or
any others that fit just as nicely, but to
really focus on whether these sexier games are
providing anything in the way of genuine
entertainment, for those of us who look at
digitally enhanced boobs the same way we do
slicone enhanced boobs and other fascinating
but souless forms of modern architecture.
You could sell Gabriel Knight to me easily if
you just get me upfront with, 'Yeah, she's got
a nice body, but what do you talk about after
the first night together? Here's a game that
will keep you interested long after the first
orgasm with that other game."

Just tell me there's a real story, and that
it reads well when you play it, and I'm in.
Sexy sales is a symptom, but is it of a
disease, or a reaction to an unappealing
alternative? Can't win an argument by refusing
to meet you opponent head on, and Lara isn't
going away until somebody proves she's dull
after the first date, and that 'you should have
gotten the other girl's number instead'.
Otherwise, we'll just sit forlornly by the
phone waiting for Lara to call again.

By Lee Edward McIlmoyle • On 02 February 2000 • From Canada

Great article on sexism in adventure gaming. This is an issue that has irked me since the trashy jigglefest that was The 11th Hour.

By Jennifer Q. Public • On 13 January 2000 • From The Heavens, I Hope

I agree with the points made in the 'Sexism On The Gaming Scene' article.

I'm female and have enjoyed computer games for years. I have returned some games because I felt they were sexist. I try not to let it bother me, but sometimes it gets me angry.

Females are interested in computer games. I have two nieces that love action games (I prefer adventure). They would not be interested in the 'Barbie' type of games.

Good article.

By Chris Josephson • On 21 December 1999 • From Boston, Ma.
Page < 1 2