There is no doubt that I view the world through the rose colored glasses of a straight white male, certainly the most privileged class in the last thousand years. As such, it is easy for me to forget that marginalization of others still occurs today, despite the great progress we’ve made toward human equality.
This video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6p5AZp7r_Q) made me look at the typical “damsel in distress” in a new light. I never before realized how prevalent this trope was in video games. While there are some games that champion strong female protagonists, those are few and far between.
At best, the overuse of the “damsel in distress” is lazy story-telling. At worst, it perpetuates the marginalization of women. I recognize that video games are predominantly created by men and for men, but game creators could certainly do a better job of writing more compelling stories by empowering their female characters.
Because the vast majority of games feature a male protagonist, I typically opt to play as a female character when given the choice to create my own hero in role-playing games like Mass Effect and Fallout 3. I also figure that if I have to look at a character’s backside for thirty-plus hours, I may as well find it appealing. Again...straight white male.
This video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6p5AZp7r_Q) made me look at the typical “damsel in distress” in a new light. I never before realized how prevalent this trope was in video games. While there are some games that champion strong female protagonists, those are few and far between.
At best, the overuse of the “damsel in distress” is lazy story-telling. At worst, it perpetuates the marginalization of women. I recognize that video games are predominantly created by men and for men, but game creators could certainly do a better job of writing more compelling stories by empowering their female characters.
Because the vast majority of games feature a male protagonist, I typically opt to play as a female character when given the choice to create my own hero in role-playing games like Mass Effect and Fallout 3. I also figure that if I have to look at a character’s backside for thirty-plus hours, I may as well find it appealing. Again...straight white male.