Right. I’ve talked before about the representation of women in video games and how it sucks, and some people have said I’m barking up the wrong tree. Men are idealized too, men are sexualized too, you’re making a mountain out of a molehill, blah blah blah…
To this I still say BULLSHIT.
I present to you Exhibit A: Anita Sarkeesian’s Tropes vs. Women video project. She does videos – well reasoned, polite, researched videos – on the sexist tropes that pop up in the popular media. I have an enormous amount of respect for her, and her willingness to explain the nuts and bolts of feminist ideas in a context that’s easy to understand. She’s doing a Kickstarter project on Tropes vs. Women in Video Games, which I heard about and which I am quite excited about because her original series was excellent.
Now, take a look at this sample of the comments on her Youtube video about the project.
Just in case it’s not clear: rape threats, death threats, horrific sexist insults and remarks. For a project that hasn’t even been made yet, that will be just talking about the representation of women in video games.
Go ahead and tell me this shit isn’t real. If I’m making something out of nothing, then why are these assholes harassing someone for something they haven’t even done yet?!
This is the same goddamn thing that’s happened again and again. Woman on the Internet with opinion = let’s pile on the kind of vile hatred that would shock Hannibal Lector, and it’s especially true in the case of the video gaming.
Video Gaming is Sexist.
Many Video Gamers are Sexist.
Many Video Gamers Think it’s Okay to Harass Women For Having an Opinion on Video Games.
This should not be news to anyone. Quit telling me that it’s just a vocal minority, that there isn’t a problem, that men get the same.