1

KatieHaynes
Ms.Grant
UWRT1102
03/09/2015
InquiryProposal:SexisminVideoGames
WhyisitwhenIplaynewvideogames,themaincharacterseemstoalwaysbea
whitemale?Whyisitsoeasytodepictwomeninviolentsituationsbutsodifficulttogivethem
somedecentdialogue?Whydovideogamesseemtoalwaysleavewomenonthesidelines
orsidecharacters?WhycantIplayagameonlinewithoutmenrevertingtocavemanera
sexismandbullying?Althoughthesequestionsseemliketheyarentrelevanttoanyone
exceptafeministgamersuchasmyself,theyactuallydoaffect,andassuchshouldbe
importantto,allkindsofpeople.Somanyofouryouthandmygenerationplayvideogames,
sons
and
daughtersandwhattheyseeinthesegamesdoeschangehowtheythinkand
interactwithotherpeople.WhileIdontbelievetheymakepeopleanymoreorlessviolent
thantheyinherentlywerebeforeplayingthegames,Idobelievetheyseehowcharacters
treatwomenandtheircohortsonlinetreatfellowwomenplayersandtheyemulatethat
behaviorinreallife.Idlovetoseewhatotherpeoplethink.Isitjustwomenwhofindvideo
gamessexistoraretheremenwhoagree?Arethemajorityofharassers(specificallymen
harassingwomen)youngerorareoldermenjustaslikely?Iwanttoknowhowthevideo
gamecreatorsrespondtocriticismfrommenoranonymoussourcesversushowtheyrespond
towomentellingthemtheywanttoseemorewomen.BasedonwhatIhavealreadyseen,I
amexpectingtheresulttobeprimarilywomenwhocareandwanttoseethemselves
representedincharactersandwanttoknowtheyareimportantenoughtoberepresented.I
thinkmentendtocarelesssolongastheygettodotheirshootyshootygamesandhave

womenassexobjectsandplotdevices.Therearenumerousfanmadevideosonthesubject,
suchas
VideoGamesandtheFemaleAudience
onYouTubebyDanielFloyd,buttherearea
fewslightlymorereputablesources.TheresavideomadebySutJhally,NinaHunemann,
andJeremySmithcalled
GameOver:Gender,Race&ViolenceinVideoGames
publishedby
MediaEducationFoundationthathassomequestionsthatIdneverthoughtofbefore(such
asthecontradictioninfemalecharacterssuchasLaraCroftbeingoversexualizedbutno
longerthedamselindistressastepforwardfordepictionoffemalecharactersstilldirected
towardmen).BloombergBusinessalsopublishedanarticlecalled
WhatDoVideoGames
HaveAgainstWomen?
bySheelahKolhatkaraboutAnitaSarkeesianandthesexismthatshe
facesasawomanwhodarestopubliclytalkaboutsexisminvideogames.

Outline
I.

Intro/Arevideogamesandtheircommunitiessexist?
A. Myexperience
1. Onlineresponses
2. Facetofaceinteractions
3. Thegamesthemselves
B. Whyitmatters
1. Theboysemulatingthatbehavioroversexualizingwomen
2. Girlslackofrolemodelsfeelingoversexualized

II.

MainPointOneWhatthegamecreatorsthink
A. Theythrowwomenabone
1. MassEffect
femalemaincharacter
a) DavidGaiderTwitter
2. DragonAge
claimtheiruniversehasgenderequality,butgame
suggestsotherwise
a) DragonAge
B. Violencetowardwomen
1. GTA
2. AssassinsCreed
C. Lackoffemaleprotagonists(withoutbeingoversexed)
1. Goodenoughtobesavedorkilledbutnottohaveaname
a) DukeNukem
b) AssassinsCreed
2. Femalesasmaincharactersbutoversexualized

a) TombRaider
b) FinalFantasy
c) DragonAge
d) MassEffect(ShepardsboobliftandAshley'schangetohotness
in
MassEffect3
)
3. Femaleplayersvsfemaleprotagonists
III.

MainPointTwoWhatthemalefansthink
A. Positive
1. Sexist,needstochange
2. Notsexist,gamesreflectreallife
B. Negative
1. Sexist,womenneedtogetoveritmostlymenplayanyway
2. Notsexist,womenneedtostopcomplaining/invadingtheirspace

IV.

MainPointThreeWhatthefemalefansthink
A. Positive
1. Sexist,needstochange
a) AnitaSarkeesian
2. Notsexist,empowering(sexy
and
strong)
a) TombRaider
b) PrincessPeach
B. Negative
1. Sexist,butnotgoingtochangesojustplayandbehappyorplayonline
anddontrevealgender
2. Notsexistweneedtostopbeingsowhinyandgetoverit

V.

Conclusion:Whycantvideogamesjustlovemeback?
A. Restateexamplesfrompaper
B. Myconclusion
1. Gamesandgamersandmyexperience
2. Howtofixit"ithurtstobeapartofacommunitythatdoesn'tevenlike
you"