Not only does this article have a brilliant title, it also explains very well the false dychotomy of feminist media criticism.
Notable quotes:
We’ve fallen into an all-or-nothing rut with feminist criticism lately. Battle lines are immediately drawn between movies that are “feminist” (i.e. “good”) and “sexist” (i.e. “bad”). And that simplistic breakdown is hurting our ability to actually talk about this stuff.
Feminist criticism isn’t about ripping something to shreds or making others feel guilty for liking it. It’s simply about pointing out a specific creative weakness and then taking that a step further to explain the real-world social ramifications of that weakness, all in the hopes of dissuading future filmmakers from making the same mistake.
I dedicate this article to every single person who ever implied that by criticizing female character designs, we’re apparently disapproving of the whole product those characters are featured in*.
Cause, again:
~Ozzie
*Sometimes we do, but it takes some special levels of terribad to make us write off the whole product, not only its treatment of female characters.
On a related note, it’s also crucial to remember that being critical of things like video games or comics does not mean someone’s not invested in “real world issues” and should discuss them instead.
This was part of a much larger bit by Extra Credits on messages sent by games and how design decisions can (even unwittingly) transform games into propaganda. Games do have an interactive aspect, but the core principles remain true for any media product.
Overall it’s a very important aspect that creators should consider with any sort of system where appearance changes with progress – whether it’s part of item choice, character plot arc or just revising character appearances between chapters.
There’s a reason we have the “More Advanced Armor = Skimpier” box on the Female Armor Bingo.
– wincenworks
It’s time to bring back this great reminder that when you create something it will carry a message, whether you intend to or not. Accordingly, before just jumping on board with a trope like bikini armor, boobplate or battle thongs it’s worth considering what message might be included with it and whether it’s a statement you want associated with your product or yourself.
