First Aired: March 7th, 2013
Status: Ended
Genre: Special Interest, Documentary
Summary: The Tropes vs Women in Video Games project aims to examine the plot devices and patterns most often associated with female characters in gaming from a systemic, big picture perspective. This series will include critical analysis of many beloved games and characters, but remember that it is both possible (and even necessary) to simultaneously enjoy media while also being critical of its more problematic or pernicious aspects.
This video series is created by Anita Sarkeesian and the project was funded by 6968 awesome backers on kickstarter.com
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Episode Statistics:
# of Episodes: 17
# of Episodes I watched: 0
# of Episodes I haven't watched: 17
Last Episode I watched: -
Episode Summaries
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Season 2
Episode 1: Strategic Butt Coverings
Air Date: January 19th, 2016
Summary: This episode examines the ways in which designers often employ camera angles and clothing choices as tools to deliberately sexualize and objectify female protagonists of third-person games. To illustrate that this is no accident, we contrast the ways in which women’s butts are frequently emphasized with the great lengths often taken to avoid calling attention to the butts of male characters. We then present some examples of female-led third-person games that humanize rather than objectify their protagonists.
Episode 2: Body Language & The Male Gaze
Air Date: March 31st, 2016
Summary: This episode examines the ways in which character animation, which can be a wonderful tool for all sorts of creative expression, is often used in limiting and stereotypical ways to sexualize female characters. We then illustrate that this is just one of many ways that games are predominantly designed around the male gaze, and discuss why male characters who may be depicted wearing little clothing are not objectified in the way that female characters are.
Episode 3: Lingerie is not Armor
Air Date: June 6th, 2016
Summary: This episode explores the ways in which female characters are frequently placed in wildly impractical, sexualizing outfits specifically designed to objectify them for the titillation of the presumed straight male player. We then discuss the problems inherent in linking the sexualization of female characters to notions of female empowerment, and examine what positive depictions of female sexuality and sexual desire in games might look like.
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