Now I am a guy, and also a bit of a pervert, but due to having my gender identity thoroughly and repeatedly screwed with by anime and the internet I think I can at least relate to feminism enough to say she is an extreamly misguided attempt at it by male-centered game makers at best and a shameless attempt to exploit the female form at worst. Samus Aran is probably a much better example of a good feminist role model in a game, but even she is somewhat exploited. So the question becomes, who is a good feminist role model?
I recall an episode of Cowboy Bebop which had a character called V.T. who popped into my mind. She was a woman that towered over most everyone, and at first I didn't really know if she was a woman. (link for reference. She is the one in the center, not the one hiding behind btw.) Now I am not saying feminist figures have to be unattractive, not at all. In fact she was actually quite attractive at one point. Yeah maybe not in the thin as a rail way most people would think, but those people are exactly the problem here. And don't you dare try the "she must be a lesbian" thing. That guy in the last link? Her husband. Anyway it wasn't her look that I really liked. It was her character. Basically a space version of an older female truck driver type character you might see in films: Tough acting, slightly bitter, but with a hint of real class, hidden sensual side, and a slight motherly taint. Or maybe I am just projecting that last bit. At first glace this seems like a good feminist role model right?
Well maybe, but maybe not. That might be the kind of thing some people think of as feminist, but really it's still projecting a very male role image. Is putting a woman in a male role really feminism? By having a woman in a male role and adopting a male image, you do diminish the idea of gender exclusive roles and images yes, but while good, that's not the real point of feminism.
Not to long ago, I saw a video about a game character I never really heard much of. One that, like most female game characters is oversexualized, but, if you believe the video's analysis (which, note, like this rant, was also done by a guy) there is a twist: The character is sexualized in a very feminist way. In other words, this character is attempted to be sexually empowering and emasculating. Too often we forget, woman are still human, they like hanky panky too. The thing feminists fight for, I think, is not that woman are sexually appealing, but that they are seen by a lot of men as inferior and subservient. For a lot of woman, sex is empowerment. Not even all woman who strip or prostitute themselves do so out of desperate need, this is proven. The problem is some men see them as little more then conquests or vehicles for there own empowerment.
Still at the end of the day, I can only look in from outside on the whole issue. I like woman, I respect the female form, but I would be lying if I said there wasn't a bit of base lust there. Still, what men do to woman sometimes is one of the grave injustices of society, and is almost enough to make me want to have a sex change. That and... having boobs and a vagoo sounds fun... but eh, I would still be a man in most aspects and I would look ugly as a chick. Maybe when nanotech to re-form my whole body comes along... Eh screw it, time to jerk of to pr0n.
Sigh... I guess I have a ways to go to be gender sensitive after all...
I like ur article. Btw VT is prob my most fav anime character of all time. She's so badass
ReplyDeleteCowboy Bebop has all sorts of interesting characters like that, most of which only show up in one episode. Sometimes I wish the show was a little less episodic and longer, taking the time to focus on the more interesting minor characters. But eh, it is what it is I guess.
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