bikiniarmorbattledamage:

ria-rha:

killerlolita asked:

How exactly does covering up a character show that sexy outfits aren’t empowering exactly? That and how does dressing up male characters in sexy outfits making a point?

It’d be easy to ask the inverse: how does dressing up female characters in revealing outfits make them empowered?

To answer this question we’re going to do an exercise that anyone familiar with the internet can participate in. First: imagine an adorable kitten (if you’re having trouble, Google images is rife with them… like I said: internet). Now, imagine that adorable kitten wielding a weapon (oh hey Google). Are these cats now empowered? Or has the situation gone from visually appealing to funny?

That’s what most female character design does: creates a juxtaposition of eye candy that thinks just because it’s started wielding weapons and calling itself tough, suddenly it’s empowered. It isn’t. It’s a cat with a lightsaber.

As for how dressing up a male character in clothes usually reserved for their female counterparts makes a point, well, mostly it helps show how ridiculous these outfits (and also the way the women are generally posed) are. We’re so used to seeing our female characters looking (and acting) this way, that it often doesn’t register. It helps get people asking why it’s okay for a woman to go into battle like this, but it’s funny when a man does.
-Staci

PREACH!

Throwback Thursday time!

Today’s throwback: repair-her-armor‘s sideblog, ria-rha, makes the most apt comparison to explain why bikini armors are inherently silly and not really empowering.

Bolding mine.

~Ozzie

bikiniarmorbattledamage:

ria-rha:

killerlolita asked:

How exactly does covering up a character show that sexy outfits aren’t empowering exactly? That and how does dressing up male characters in sexy outfits making a point?

It’d be easy to ask the inverse: how does dressing up female characters in revealing outfits make them empowered?

To answer this question we’re going to do an exercise that anyone familiar with the internet can participate in. First: imagine an adorable kitten (if you’re having trouble, Google images is rife with them… like I said: internet). Now, imagine that adorable kitten wielding a weapon (oh hey Google). Are these cats now empowered? Or has the situation gone from visually appealing to funny?

That’s what most female character design does: creates a juxtaposition of eye candy that thinks just because it’s started wielding weapons and calling itself tough, suddenly it’s empowered. It isn’t. It’s a cat with a lightsaber.

As for how dressing up a male character in clothes usually reserved for their female counterparts makes a point, well, mostly it helps show how ridiculous these outfits (and also the way the women are generally posed) are. We’re so used to seeing our female characters looking (and acting) this way, that it often doesn’t register. It helps get people asking why it’s okay for a woman to go into battle like this, but it’s funny when a man does.
-Staci

PREACH!

Throwback Thursday time!

Today’s throwback: repair-her-armor‘s sideblog, ria-rha, makes the most apt comparison to explain why bikini armors are inherently silly and not really empowering.

Bolding mine.

~Ozzie

“Repair Her Armor was created to show that female armor (specifically) are being sexualized on daily basis, instead of being portrayed as actual characters; they are treated as objects to gaze at – with pretty much nothing more to them. As a joke, someone created Repair His Armor and it was funny because they do not have the same issue when it comes to character design.” You are doing exactly what you are saying happens when female characters are sexualized. You see only how they look.

ria-rha:

Hello, anon! Please tell me that you’re kidding me. If that’s what you got from reading the text, I’m afraid you got it all wrong.

As a woman who has played games since my childhood years, been watching loads of movies and cartoons, reading a bunch of comics – I always looked up to the female characters because of how great they were. I loved Storm (1990’s Xmen cartoon) because of her complete and utter badassery, I loved Hermione (Harry Potter) because of her sassiness and wisdom and I loved reading about the girls in the W.I.T.C.H comics.

Notice how they all got great designs.

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As I grew older, I went to the internet – I found fanart of them. However, it was not fanart of how I had grown to learn the characters. No, I saw them undressed, posing as pin-ups, with massive boobs and faces like blow-up dolls. While I found this bizarre and odd — I still thought – hey, I still know what great characters they really are. That is, until I noticed that games, comics, shows, movies, and everything in between, was exactly the same — minus the personality and reasoning. It seems like the older I got, the more I noticed that I, as a female, was not welcome in the media world. Literally.

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And for no good reason, either. For example, Wartune that is famous for their “male gamers only”-ad, the game actually look like this.

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All they thought of was how much boobs and ass can we show – and therefore sell – while completely ignoring the character’s personality – reasoning – and setting? Why was this? Why did I feel so uncomfortable looking at this? I had grown up to learn that you can dress however you want and that you should never judge anyone based on that. Fine, really, I don’t. But I don’t see the characters dressing like this. I see the character designers MAKING them like this so they can have something to FAP to. They’re literally selling women’s bodies because they think showing their skin will sell – which is complete and utter bullshit. A cheap way to sell media — completely ignoring the rest of the population – the girls and women. Why did we not matter what WE thought about it? I don’t mind a sexy character — as long as it’s not the only option. I don’t mind a half-naked character — as long as it fits the setting. I don’t mind any of that — as long as it makes sense, as long as it’s good. RHA is to prove that you can be fully dressed and/or fit the setting a lot better instead of being disrespectful and view women as objects.

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I’m one of those who like Jack from Mass Effect. While I find that top ridiculous (no really, how does it stay on? Make her go completely topless or give her a sports bra, for heaven’s sake). I feel like Jack is done well because it fits her. It fits her personality, her backstory, her setting – and she isn’t posed or modelled for you to fap to her. What came into my mind when seeing her was; “Huh, why is she dressed like that?” instead of “Ugh, really, not again….” cause let’s face it, the last game (especially) did a lot of odd things — like giving robots cameltoes. Yeah. 

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Jack, unlike so many other women in media, is posed off as someone we want to get to learn; someone we’d like to be. That is great. Ino from Guilty Gear is sexual, but it fits her. 

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She’s sexy, badass, and does what the heck she wants – it’s just great. She has a thought-through design. 

Take note that this is my opinion. When I play a MMORPG I want to be treated as a badass character as well. Or, at least give me an option to choose. A few games has actually started with this – such as the Final Fantasy mmorpg – when they make a girl run around in a bikini armor – well, expect the men to do that as well. Blade & Soul (sort of) lets you choose whatever you want to wear – so you’re not forced to wear an ass-showing outfit if you don’t want to (if now they only could let the men have a few more “sexy” outfits to choose between as well)… and a  few others. Media is slowly making progress. 

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Let’s take Gloria, for example. What purpose did she really have besides showing that she’s sexy? WHY did they have to do a slow-motion scene when she fights to show that she’s wearing no panties? (Spoiler: The “fight scene” where she spreads her legs and moan was completely unnecessary. Later on we figure out that she’s a spy that later turns out to be Trisha. That’s all it is. She was ONLY there in that scene so a horny straight guy could think; “HAWT!”. While we girls just sat there and felt… uncomfortable.)

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DMC is not alone on this. New games are still doing it. Too. Damn. Often.

So no. I don’t “only see how they look” — I just take notice on how they’re being represented. And as for now, they’re not being represented fairly at all. The day we finally more female characters treated with respect and care I will be happy. The day I see them being represented more than just a sexy babe with skin showing everywhere, I’ll be happy. The day I can see a female character show skin without being sexualized, I’ll be happy. I’m not trying to ban “sexy”. I’m not slut shaming. I’m not saying the characters should stop dressing like that — the characters did not choose it! I want them to stop sexualizing female bodies and stop trying to sell it. Give us proper designs, not a sexy bikini that we have seen before. It’s boring. I literally see see the same designs recycled all over again – just because they need to show as much skin as possible. So not only is it disrespectful – but it’s BORING.

Want to show their skin? DO it. But don’t do it because you want to sell them. Don’t do it  because their only purpose is to be sexy. Don’t do it because she’s the only female in the entire game/show/comic/whatever. Don’t do it ONLY because she’s the female lead – as rare as it is. They should be MORE than JUST sexy. Why bother making them run around in sexy lingerie when you can simply just make them naked?  Not like Scarlet Blade. Not like a sex toy. Like a woman. Like a character. And treat it with EQUALITY. Have a man run around naked too! If you really want to make sexy outfits – make sexy outfits for men too.

Also, really. Isn’t it stupid when you see this?

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Instead of this?

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Doesn’t first one say “Hi! Stab me here!”? Unless are equally silly, I will not buy it.

– Tica

ria-rha:

Imagine there’s a problem with your favorite game: all female characters are wearing skimpy armor. But you like this game because of its interesting features and its unique gameplay. People are hating on it because of its looks. Does it make you a supporter of sexism by just playing it? It is right to judge a game because of its appearance and how it’s advertised without even playing it once? What would you say to those people?
No, playing the game would not make you a supporter of sexism. As long as you recognize the problems with the game, and are willing to discuss those problems (read: not shutting out all criticism because it is your favorite thing and how dare anyone say anything negative ever about a thing you love [read: me in high school]), then you’re just enjoying something problematic. Which is a-okay! The SyFy channel has built an entire following based on just that.
But, really, here’s an article (note: contains profanity) about how to be a fan of problematic things that could be interesting to anyone who might worry about having sexist guilty pleasures (Doctor Who, anyone?).
As for how to approach people who criticize the way something is presented/advertised without ever playing the thing, well, they have the right to do so. Just as you have the right to have a discussion with them about how, while problematic, it still has strengths and maybe they should give it a try. They may take you up on the offer, they may not. People have different tolerance levels.
-Staci

Repair His Armor

Repair His Armor

ria-rha:

killerlolita asked:
How exactly does covering up a character show that sexy outfits aren’t empowering exactly? That and how does dressing up male characters in sexy outfits making a point?
It’d be easy to ask the inverse: how does dressing up female characters in revealing outfits make them empowered?
To answer this question we’re going to do an exercise that anyone familiar with the internet can participate in. First: imagine an adorable kitten (if you’re having trouble, Google images is rife with them… like I said: internet). Now, imagine that adorable kitten wielding a weapon (oh hey Google). Are these cats now empowered? Or has the situation gone from visually appealing to funny?
That’s what most female character design does: creates a juxtaposition of eye candy that thinks just because it’s started wielding weapons and calling itself tough, suddenly it’s empowered. It isn’t. It’s a cat with a lightsaber.
As for how dressing up a male character in clothes usually reserved for their female counterparts makes a point, well, mostly it helps show how ridiculous these outfits (and also the way the women are generally posed) are. We’re so used to seeing our female characters looking (and acting) this way, that it often doesn’t register. It helps get people asking why it’s okay for a woman to go into battle like this, but it’s funny when a man does.
-Staci

PREACH!