02-28-2014, 02:02 AM
I'm exhausted and I had a really awful day today, so while I want to throw some input it, it might be less coherent than I'd like it to be and I'm going to try to cut things a bit short so that I don't leak any anger into it. Apologies if I accidentally bring up something that has been mentioned before.
If you ask me, if okay to like something that may have problematic aspects. It's just very important to be aware of what may be problematic, and why. For example, it's okay to like the previously-mentioned Ivy. Different strokes for different folks, after all. It's just important to be knowledgeable and critical of the media you consume. Like, when Tom mentioned her one alt costume, where she is dressed in a feminine manner but isn't scantily clad. I also really like that costume! She isn't overly sexualized, it looks appropriate enough for someone who is expected to have some combat ability, and so on! Her regular recent costumes, however... well, in a fight (especially with weapons), her ass would be killed. There's so much skin exposed for the sake of sexual appeal that it throws all practicality out the window. And then (I don't know much about the series canon so I'm going by what I read in this topic) if you take into account how she apparently is under a vow of chastity, why is she dressed like she was supposed to be on a porn set but wound up in combat instead? It doesn't seem to make any sense for the character if this is true.
Secondly, one has to be aware that there is a difference between portraying women as sexual objects, and as sexual beings. Let's say Alice is a character in this hit new video game. Alice could possibly be pretty open about her sexuality, and has wants and desires. Alice might wear somewhat more revealing clothing, but it makes sense for her character and for the setting. She also has more to her characterization than her sexuality. Maybe she's outgoing in other aspects of her life, maybe she's less outgoing for reasons that make sense, or hell maybe she dresses more provocatively due to other reasons; maybe her backstory involved something that may have made her ashamed of her body, and dressing in a way that shows it off may be one way she makes herself comfortable and comes to realize that her body isn't something to be ashamed of. Who knows? Either way, I personally would not mind a character like Alice in a game even with her appearance being the way it is.
One of the heroines of a rival game, Mary, however, is clearly created to appeal to a straight male audience. She wears skimpy clothes, but there's no real rhyme or reason for it. It doesn't suit her character, as nothing about her character suggests she would actually want to dress this way. Her clothes don't even suit the setting; she may for example be meant as a character to use in combat settings, but her outfit leaves half her body vulnerable. Her characterization mainly centers around her sexuality--or at least her physical appearance--to the point where nothing interesting remains if you were to take that away. So on and so forth. If I were to pick between these two heroines, I would much rather play the game with Alice in it, because it feels like she is her own being, and not just an object to be gazed upon, and maybe I can even connect with Alice on some level.
Hopefully I've gotten my point across well enough.
If you ask me, if okay to like something that may have problematic aspects. It's just very important to be aware of what may be problematic, and why. For example, it's okay to like the previously-mentioned Ivy. Different strokes for different folks, after all. It's just important to be knowledgeable and critical of the media you consume. Like, when Tom mentioned her one alt costume, where she is dressed in a feminine manner but isn't scantily clad. I also really like that costume! She isn't overly sexualized, it looks appropriate enough for someone who is expected to have some combat ability, and so on! Her regular recent costumes, however... well, in a fight (especially with weapons), her ass would be killed. There's so much skin exposed for the sake of sexual appeal that it throws all practicality out the window. And then (I don't know much about the series canon so I'm going by what I read in this topic) if you take into account how she apparently is under a vow of chastity, why is she dressed like she was supposed to be on a porn set but wound up in combat instead? It doesn't seem to make any sense for the character if this is true.
Secondly, one has to be aware that there is a difference between portraying women as sexual objects, and as sexual beings. Let's say Alice is a character in this hit new video game. Alice could possibly be pretty open about her sexuality, and has wants and desires. Alice might wear somewhat more revealing clothing, but it makes sense for her character and for the setting. She also has more to her characterization than her sexuality. Maybe she's outgoing in other aspects of her life, maybe she's less outgoing for reasons that make sense, or hell maybe she dresses more provocatively due to other reasons; maybe her backstory involved something that may have made her ashamed of her body, and dressing in a way that shows it off may be one way she makes herself comfortable and comes to realize that her body isn't something to be ashamed of. Who knows? Either way, I personally would not mind a character like Alice in a game even with her appearance being the way it is.
One of the heroines of a rival game, Mary, however, is clearly created to appeal to a straight male audience. She wears skimpy clothes, but there's no real rhyme or reason for it. It doesn't suit her character, as nothing about her character suggests she would actually want to dress this way. Her clothes don't even suit the setting; she may for example be meant as a character to use in combat settings, but her outfit leaves half her body vulnerable. Her characterization mainly centers around her sexuality--or at least her physical appearance--to the point where nothing interesting remains if you were to take that away. So on and so forth. If I were to pick between these two heroines, I would much rather play the game with Alice in it, because it feels like she is her own being, and not just an object to be gazed upon, and maybe I can even connect with Alice on some level.
Hopefully I've gotten my point across well enough.